Despite the exalted place thatMass Effectoccupies for many RPG fans, some might have feared that BioWare’s beloved franchise was dead afterMass Effect: Andromedafailed to achieve the same commercial and critical success of its predecessors. It seemed like the momentum of theMass Effectfranchise had stalled, so fans were relieved by the confirmation that BioWare was working onMass Effect 4. While it will be some years until players actually get their hands on the upcoming title, the knowledge that development is underway was enough to trigger fan speculation.
Not much is known aboutMass Effect 4, and it doesn’t seem like fans will have their questions answered anytime soon. While a teaser trailer and some initial images have been released, there are still a lot of unknown elements, such as which galaxy the next game will be set in, who the primary protagonist will be, or evenMass Effect 4’s new threatnow that the Reapers have been dealt with. There are lots of unknowns, but thanks to some fan theories, a few carefully analyzed images, and cryptic comments from the development team, it seems like chances are slim people will see a lot of returning characters inMass Effect 4.
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The State of The Milky Way After Mass Effect 3
It seems as if BioWare is making theDestroy Ending canon forMass Effect 3, which has several interesting ramifications. Not only is the galaxy recovering from the Reaper invasion, which turned several homeworlds like Earth, Thessia, and Palaven into vicious battlegrounds, but the mass relay system has also been destroyed. This was a vital network that connected the entire Milky Way, and its removal cuts off sections of the galaxy form others.
Humans were a significant target for the Reapers, and heavy losses may impact their standing in the galactic community when their influence was on the rise. In addition to prominent races facing devastating losses and potentially changing the cultural landscape of the Milky Way,the Geth were most likely destroyed. Depending on where or whenMass Effect 4is set, these could all have an influence on the story.
Possible Settings For Mass Effect 4
The inclusion of both the Milky Way and Andromeda in promotional material forMass Effect 4, as well as some potentialangara silhouettes alongside Milky Way figures, seems to point to the prominent inclusion of both galaxies. This could present some interesting narrative directions, but most likely means a significant time jump has taken place betweenMass Effect 3andMass Effect 4to allow for the Andromeda Initiative’s 600-year journey. Either members of the Milky Way have traveled to Andromeda to escape the battered galaxy, or Andromeda’s species have made the journey to the Milky Way, but a glimpse at N7 armor in the trailer seems to suggest the latter.
The time jump would present a Milky Way that is massively different from the original trilogy, with species like the Kett potentially arriving to cause trouble in the meantime. Themysterious Jardaan could also serve as alliesor antagonists, but so far details around who will feature inMass Effect 4are sparse. After the deviation that the plot took inMass Effect: Andromeda, some fans are probably looking forward to their return to the Milky Way. However, if a time jump is incorporated to link the two galaxies, this might mean trouble for some members of Shepard’s squad.
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Why Returning Characters May Not Feature in Mass Effect 4
While it’s unlikely players will see the fan-favoriteCommander Shepard making a return appearance, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be any familiar faces. AfterMass Effect: Andromeda’s attempts to kickstart a new direction for the series didn’t pan out, BioWare is probably hesitant about exclusively introducing new characters in another installment. It may want to feature at least a few returning characters, if the story allows, and this is backed up by the prominence of Liara inMass Effect 4’s teaser trailer. This not only points to some satisfying connections between games, but also adds layers of nostalgia for fans that might help with the game’s success.
Liara’s inclusion does not mean players will see the rest of Shepard’s crew. The asari scientist is still young during the events of the original trilogy, and given the average lifespan of her species, she could be alive for over a thousand years. This hardlynarrows down the timeline forMass Effect 4, but it does potentially rule out returning squadmates. Liara and Grunt are the only likely candidates among the Milky Way companions to make an appearance, as even though Krogans live just as long as asari, Wrex was already old in theMass Effectgames.
Mass Effect’s humansmay have a slightly longer lifespan than real life (around 150 years), but given Andromeda’s inclusion it’s possible the game will be taking place after crewmates like Kaiden, Ashley, and Jacob are long dead. Turians can live a little longer (around 200 years), but Garrus will encounter the same problem, and salarians definitely pulled the short straw with an average life span of around 40 years.
One aspect that made the original trilogy, and to some extentMass Effect: Andromeda, great were their companion characters. The ragtag bunch of misfits that Shepard and Ryder recruit to help them with their galaxy-saving missions gave the games heart, humor, and the majority of their memorable moments. The likelihood that the next game won’t have many returning NPCs puts a lot of pressure onMass Effect 4to deliver its own compelling cast of characters. While this might be disappointing for fans, it does give the upcoming title a chance to explore new races and more diverse characters as well.
