BioWare’s two major IPs,Mass EffectandDragon Age, involve games that are series that build on each other rather than feature standalone games. This is even true ofDragon Age, which features a different protagonist for each game. Major decisions made inBioWare gamescarry over to the next game, and it’s generally assumed by players that there will be a sequel where certain decisions made in-game will be paid off.
The question of canon becomes more difficult with each game released in a series and more choices that affect a world state stack up. This is especially complicated forMass Effect 4, as the galaxy essentially enters a hard reset in several different, drastically different ways at the end ofMass Effect 3. The player reception to the threeDragon Age: The Veilguard’s world state import options shows how important it is that theMass Effect 4developers are open about the limits of choice inMass Effect 4going forward, and the extent players will have on the story, world state, and characters.
The Importance of Choice in Mass Effect
Dragon Age: The Veilguardhas shaken the assumption of a sequel where choices made are paid off in future games for many players, as it only carried over three decisions out of dozens made in previous games. It’s also unknown at this point if there will be a fifthDragon Agegame, and if any of thedecisions inDragon Age: The Veilguardwill be relevant in the series' future, especially as it’s been confirmed that the team and studio have shifted their focus to the nextMass Effectgame.
Consequences and the payoff of choices from previous games have always been a staple of theMass Effectfranchise in particular. This was easier to implement in meaningful ways inMass Effectthan inDragon Agebecause ofMass Effect’s single protagonist and cast of recurring characters. The teaser trailer forMass Effect 4showed destroyed Reapers littered across the galaxy, a mass relay in repair, andLiara recovering what’s implied to be a piece of Shepard’s N7 armor. The teaser implies that BioWare’s made the Destroy ending fromMass Effect 3canon, which would be unprecedented in a BioWare game, but could set a new trend for the studio.
Mass Effect and BioWare’s Future
There’svery little known aboutMass Effect 4so far, but one of the most important details BioWare could release early is the impact of player decisions, made in both theMass Effect TrilogyandMass Effect: Andromeda. BioWare held back on the lack of choices for the world state that could be imported intoDragon Age: The Veilguard, and the decision to release that information so late in the marketing cycle angered many fans.
BioWare needs to be clear on where in the timelineMass Effect 4falls, what choices, if any, from previous games will be imported, and if thechoices made inMass Effect 4will be significant for futureMass Effectgames. This will set a realistic expectation for fans, and avoid creating false expectations that align with previous games released as far back as 2009, rather than the state of BioWare today and what it can produce in the modern video game industry, especially if players are expected to wait ten years or more between game installments.
Mass Effect Trilogy
WHERE TO PLAY
One person is all that stands between humanity and the greatest threat it’s ever faced. Relive the legend of Commander Shepard in the highly acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy with the Mass Effect™ Legendary Edition. Includes single-player base content and over 40 DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 games, including promo weapons, armors, and packs – remastered and optimized for 4K Ultra HD.RELIVE THE CINEMATIC SAGA: Heart-pounding action meets gripping interactive storytelling where you decide how your unique story unfolds.EXPERIENCE THE LEGEND OF SHEPARD: Create and customize your own character, from appearance and skills to a personalized arsenal then lead your elite recon squad across a galaxy in turmoil.REFLECT ON YOUR CHOICES: Your choices seamlessly travel from one game to the next. Each decision you make will control the outcome of every mission, every relationship, every battle – and even the fate of the galaxy itself.
