Though Bioware has been on a bit of a freefall in recent years, fans are still highly anticipating the next entry in the Mass Effect franchise. Those who opt to play Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2020 will be met with a game that’s simply good in its worst moments after a series of updates since its release.
Fans were left wondering where the franchise will go with its next entry and if Bioware still has the magic left in them to release another all-time great. Let’s now take a look at five things we know so far, as well as five crazy rumors about Mass Effect 4.
10 Rumor: Reboot
Where does Mass Effect go from here? That’s the questions fans and critics have been asking themselves ever since the release of Mass Effect: Andromeda. With a sequel to that game already out of the question, it’s tough to try and understand when and where the next title will take place.
Some fans want a prequel, others want a sequel, and some want a story in the same timeline as the original trilogy but from a different perspective. Bioware’s unveiling of the time and place of the next title will build to a fever pitch.
9 We Know: Dragon Age 4 First
The reality of the matter is that fans won’t be seeing Mass Effect 4 until Dragon Age 4, which is actively in development, is released. On the plus side, most Mass Effect fans are Bioware fans, which means they’re likely excited for Dragon Age 4, as well.
You can’t always paint with a broad brush, though, considering the fact that there are plenty of people who enjoy science fiction who don’t also enjoy high fantasy settings. Dragon Age 4’s success is important, though, as, if it’s a third straight fail for the studio, they may not be around to see Mass Effect 4 through.
8 Rumor: Non-Human Options
For a franchise focused on showcasing a larger universe outside the realm of the human experience, Mass Effect has put a huge focus on humans. Fans have wondered when the day will come where the protagonist isn’t human, or if they could ever get customization options where the race of your character is up to you.
The next title in the series doesn’t only need to be expertly crafted, it needs to have a hook or reason that sets it apart from the original trilogy and makes it feel like its own thing.
7 We Know: Casey Hudson’s Back
Casey Hudson was a part of the original team at Bioware who brought the Mass Effect franchise to life. Afterward, he left to pursue other ventures, but, in recent years, he rejoined the team at Bioware in an effort to return the studio back to the place among the greats they built themselves to be in. Hudson lived through the Mass Effect 3 ending fiasco and understands what that audience wants. His inclusion doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does build some confidence in regard to the direction of the next title in the series.
6 Rumor: Different Perspective
The idea of how Bioware will return to the Mass Effect franchise is one that has been puzzling fans. With the original trilogy having a pretty strong and definitive ending, where does the series go? As will be talked about later, we already know it won’t be a sequel to Andromeda.
A neat idea for Bioware is if they retell the events of the original trilogy from a different perspective. It could possibly be someone who crossed paths unknowingly throughout the course of the three games and played a pivotal part in Shepard’s journey without them ever realizing.
5 We Know: Bioware’s On Thin Ice
It’s one thing to release a title that doesn’t quite hit the mark and puts a developer on their back heels. But, when that happens twice in a row for a publisher known to snap studios out of existence when they’re no longer super-profitable, it’s an even more dire situation.
On the heels of Anthemand Andromeda, Bioware is looking to rebound in a big way with Dragon Age 4. Electronic Arts are hoping the game sells well, Bioware is hoping it meets the high-quality benchmark they established for themselves, and fans simply want another great Bioware role-playing game.
4 Rumor: First Contact War
Mass Effect captivated so many people, not only because of Shepard’s story, but because of the lore and worldbuilding the games provided that fleshed out numerous alien races, events, and philosophies.
The event fans have been clamoring for in video game form ever since the first game in the series released is the First Contact War. This was when the humans were shot upon by the Turians after the humans were caught trying to activate a relay they didn’t know was turned off by the Alliance after the events of the Rachni Wars took place.
3 We Know: Won’t Be Andromeda 2
It’s already been made clear by Bioware leads that the next entry in the series won’t be a follow-up to the heavily scrutinized dud that was Andromeda. As previously mentioned in this article, a soft reboot certainly is in play, while the idea of reliving the events of the original trilogy from a different perspective is also an avenue to go down. It’s unclear what Bioware’s plans are specifically, but, considering they’ve hit quite a bumpy road recently, we assume that they’d opt for the safest play that they know would entice fans.
2 Rumor: Next-Gen Game
With Dragon Age 4 currently in development under Bioware, it’s safe to assume that, at the very least, the title will be a cross-generation title. With Mass Effect 4 set to be the next project after that, gamers will be years into the life-cycles of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
A lot of added benefits will present themselves to Bioware, as they work on making games for the next-gen hardware. But, with that comes even loftier expectations. Not only does Mass Effect 4 need to put the franchise back on track, but it also needs to set the gold standard once again.
1 We Know: It’s In Development
The video game industry is super secretive, and, unlike the film industry, fans rarely hear about games that are in the early stages of development. As a result of the poor reception of both Andromeda and Anthem, Bioware was put in a place where they almost needed to tell their audience that Dragon Age 4 and Mass Effect 4 were in development, with the former taking priority as it will release first.
Fans at one point were worried that the Mass Effect franchise was killed by Andromeda’s poor performance, so it’s good to know that isn’t the case.
NEXT: Dragon Age 4: Everything We Know (& Hope For) So Far
