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Shh... she’s just sleeping

BioWare has cancelled pre-sales of the Commander Shepard death statue. In an email, BioWare explained that the statue was supposed to be part of a whole series centered around “some of the key and most emotional moments” in the franchise.

The statue has been pulled from the store, along with the T-shirt that also featured Shepard’s corpse and their birth and death years — at least until further notice. Those who pre-ordered the item will be automatically refunded.

The full email is below:

Earlier today, we announced the sale of our latest Mass Effect Shepard statue. This statue was intended to be part of a series commemorating some of the key and most emotional moments in the series. The way we announced it did not convey that properly, nor does it give the moment in the series the credit it deserves.

As a result, we’ll be pausing sales on the statue until we can share the larger plan with you.

BioWare apologizes for commemorative Commander Shepard corpse

Shh... she’s just sleeping

www.polygon.com

 

[cireza]

Put it vertically, and it will look like she is running. Problem solved.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Is this a publicity stunt or something? Who was upset by this?

 

[Trogdor1123]

I don’t understand the issue here… why are people upset? Or is anyone?

The game is like 12 years old or something

 

[Thabass]

This is dumb.

 

[March Climber]

Is this a publicity stunt or something? Who was upset by this?

It's 2023. Everything upsets everyone.

 

[ManaByte]

Is this a publicity stunt or something? Who was upset by this?

Guess.

 

[Senua]

 

[Deft Beck]

How did this get all the way to preorders without realizing it might be in poor taste? They have a prototype there and everything.

 

[March Climber]

Guess.

The jeans company?

 

[LegendOfKage]

She got better...

 

[Gudji]

 

[SJRB]

Aw shit I was looking forward to wearing my commemorative commander Shepard corpse shirt during my wedding anniversary next month

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

You can almost guarantee some purple-haired Gen Z in Bioware complained about it being a statue of a dead women promoting violence against women or some shit.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

How did this get all the way to preorders without realizing it might be in poor taste? They have a prototype there and everything.

I mean, it is a fictional character so I don't think it's in poor taste at all. I'd buy an Abby hitting a hole in one statue from TLOU2.

 

[Jack Videogames]

Change it for Male Shep. He's the superior choice anyway and they won't get upset by a statue commemorating a dead man.

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

[RETARDERA_MODE]
USER BANNED: dismissive on Dreamcast history
[/RETARDERA_MODE]

 

[March Climber]

You can almost guarantee some purple-haired Gen Z in Bioware complained about it being a statue of a dead women promoting violence against women or some shit.

Or an extreme Mass Effect fan gamer was mad that the statue represents the state of their beloved franchise.

I find it very funny that both sides are currently slinging mud at each other from different websites as an attempt to rationalize this stupidity.

 

[L*][*N*K]

Is this a publicity stunt or something? Who was upset by this?

Its 2023, someone somewhere somehow is upset about it.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Not understanding the issue or why the apology was necessary

 

[feynoob]

Who the hells sells a death bed statue of a beloved charecter?
That like Sony selling joel's dead body with a golf on his head.

 

[iorek21]

Bioware is in the ICU.

It's really surprising that EA hasn't already pulled the plug on this corpse of a studio.

 

[Skifi28]

A dead fictional character is quite offensive to all those fictional people that complained about it.

 

[semiconscious]

what's weird, of course, is that nobody seemed to be aware of the fact that this item even existed until it got pulled...

 

[SCB3]

[RETARDERA_MODE]
USER BANNED: dismissive on Dreamcast history
[/RETARDERA_MODE]

Don't be ridiculous, ResetEra don't play games, they won't know what a Dreamcast is

 

[nowhat]

Put it vertically, and it will look like she is running. Problem solved.

No, put a male Shepard on top of her. Problem solved, also many fanfics (along the lines of "go fuck yourself") solved.

 

[scoobidoo112]

They should make a Bioware statue instead, in remembrance of a dead studio.

Here's some concept art:

 

[UnNamed]

People complaining over a statue are stupid.
Devs removing a statue because someone is complaining is way more stupid.

 

[Boss Mog]

I'm more upset that they used the female Shepard than the fact it was a corpse.

 

[realcool]

I'll only accept their apology if they apologize for Andromeda.

 

[sloppyjoe_gamer]

The people who were upset

 

[Kdad]

It's 2023. Everything upsets everyone.

I feel attacked by your comment.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Did Shepard die?

What even is my memory!?

 

[Kdad]

Who the hells sells a death bed statue of a beloved charecter?
That like Sony selling joel's dead body with a golf on his head.

 

[gothmog]

Why?

 

[DeepEnigma]

Who are they apologizing to?

 

[Kdad]

If Bioware apologises in the forest, does any one care?

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

who's that woman?
John is the Shepard

 

[kvltus lvlzvs]

It's dumb to be upset over this, but also it's a dumb statue. It's like they didn't want to make money.

Did Shepard die?

What even is my memory!?

Yeah I mean is it even an emotional event in the story, or just an embodiment of the game over screen?

 

[cripterion]

Who cares about the statue ? Are these guys still making games or ???

 

[checkcola]

I mean, I'm not sure what's controversial about it, feel bad for the people who pre-ordered

 

[BusierDonkey]

What was the problem here? The Figure was of a fictional character. Who exactly was offended and how?

People are nuts.

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

Who are they apologizing to?

Dead people, they complained on Twitter.

 

[justiceiro]

Lmao, this came out now? Thought was something from the mass effect 2 special edition back in the day.

The most offensive think about it is its meta commentary on the state of the mass effect franchise.

 

[Kdad]

Dead people, they complained on Twitter.

All those blue checkmark dead people

 

[TheInfamousKira]

The next Mass Effect is fucked already, isn't it?

 

[Northeastmonk]

can we get a similar statue made for Anthem?

 

[feynoob]

who's that woman?
John is the Shepard

That neck twist

 

[IAmNotFromDelaware]

How did this get all the way to preorders without realizing it might be in poor taste? They have a prototype there and everything.

You seem to be one of the few that can explain this. Why is it in poor taste? Who is this insulting exactly?