Next Mass Effect Game Might Be a Sequel

To say we don’t know much about the next Mass Effect game would be an understatement. All we really know is that Mass Effect 4 (which probably won’t even be its title) is being worked on and that it won’t feature Commander Shepard. After the Mass Effect 3 ending controversy, many fans react with uncertainty and suspicion whenever the topic comes up, despite the huge popularity of the Mass Effect trilogy. We expect the reception of Dragon Age: Inquisition will have a significant impact on people’s hopes/fears for Bioware’s other games, including Mass Effect.

Bioware is keeping quiet about the next Mass Effect game, refusing to even say whether it is a sequel, a prequel, or something else entirely. It’s a game set in the Mass Effect universe, and nothing else official has been stated. However, a question raised at PAX East has prompted some Reddit users to suspect the game of being a sequel.

Fan: “We know from the after-credits scene that tales of ‘The Shepard’ were told many years later, but what was the reaction to what Shepard did immediately after the battle on Earth?”

Bioware developer: “We can’t really talk about that at this time.”

While that far from confirms anything, we understand the suspicions–if the next game isn’t a sequel, why wouldn’t the developers answer a question like that? Nevertheless, take it as a rumor for now. There still are some issues surrounding the idea of a Mass Effect sequel, most notably the fact that Bioware would seemingly be forced to name a single ending as canon, unless it was set so far in the future that it didn’t matter.

Rumors abound in the absence of official details, and some sources claim the game is coming in spring 2015. We aren’t too sure we believe that, so keep your eyes on us for any official reports as they become available. In the meantime, share your own theories on when the next Mass Effect title will be set.