[Nibel]

// Mod Edit:

Since Yanick Roy is the director of BioWare Montreal instead of a community manager, I thought I would refocus the thread on his comments:

Hi guys, It’s my first time posting on the forums, so I hope I’m going to do it right! What Chris is saying is that thinking of the next Mass Effect game as Mass Effect 4 would imply a certain linearity, a straight evolution of the gameplay and story of the first three games. But because we are switching to a new engine and need to rebuild a bunch of game systems, we have an opportunity to rethink how we want these systems to be going forward instead of just inheriting them from the previous games. Story-wise, the arc of the first trilogy has also been concluded, and what we will do is tell a new story set in the Mass Effect universe. That doesn’t mean that events of the first three games and the choices you made won’t get recognized, but they likely won’t be what this new story will focus on. In other words, because the game takes place before of after the first trilogy does not mean it necessarily is a straight prequel or sequel. I’m not a big fan of analogies because the images you use always mean something different to different people, so they are inherently flawed. But let me use one anyway. :P If you had three games centered around a group of key soldiers in the US army during World War I and then decided to make a game about another group of people during the second World War, the games could have many points in common and feel true to one another, and you likely would have to recognize how the events of the first war influenced the ones of the second, but you would not necessarily think of it as a sequel. Again, the analogy is not great, but what I’m trying to say is that the ME universe is so rich that we are not limited to a single track when coming up with a new story. I apologize for being cryptic right now, but it’s early enough in development that we don’t have much to share – things still fluctuate quite a bit. As I have posted on Twitter though, the overall feeling of what you are discussing and asking for is very much aligned with what the team intends on delivering, and that makes me feel very good about where we’re heading! I hope this helps clarify why we’re not thinking of the next ME game as ME4 internally!

What makes it Mass Effect is indead the alien races, the technology, the lore, history, etc. You can safely expect those in the next Mass Effect. :)

While getting a Mass Effect MMO at some point is not impossible, you'll be happy to hear that this is not the game we're talking about when we talk about the next Mass Effect. :)

Correct, that's what I meant. Time does indeed matter, but the words prequel / midquel / sequel come loaded with a bunch of other assumptions that don't necessarily all apply to the next ME game.

By the way, thank you all for making me feel welcome here. I don't know how regularly I'll be able to stop by the forums, but given that today is the first time in the 7+ years I've been with BioWare, it should not be too hard to improve my batting average! ;)

Thanks! We don't have a firm communication timeline established at this point, but I don't expect it will be for several more months. Early in development, things fluctuate so much that any detail we communicate could have to be "uncommunicated" a few months later. I think we'd rather have something solid to show by the time we step in the spotlight. You can definitely expect to hear DA3 details before ones about the next ME!

Yes, you want a game that happens after ME3, that makes perfect sense :)

Arcian wrote... I'm quite willing to believe that EA tells you guys to look at games like Cod and BF3 for gameplay inspiration, so take this sometimes humble fan's advice and look at Deus Ex instead. While I'm sure EA would love to see us achieve the same level of commercial success these games do (who wouldn't!?), please believe me when I tell you they want us to do "BioWare Games"! Thanks for the feedback... and the hazmat suit!

ADelusiveMan wrote... Welcome to the forum, Yanick. You are definitely going to need that hazmat suit here. Maybe even a shield to go over it. There is something I'd like bring up to you, by the way. In the original trilogy, during cutscenes, Shepard would always pull up a Predator pistol or Avenger assault rifle when facing enemies. If you choose, for example, an adept/vanguard as your character class, is it possible in ME4 that biotics could flare up instead? If you bring biotics and stuff back, that is. This is definitely the most specific request I've gotten so far! :D I'll pass that on to the team!

---

if old

"To call the next game Mass Effect 4 or ME4 is doing it a disservice and seems to cause a lot of confusion here," BioWare community manager Chris Priestly wrote on the company's forums. "We have already said that the Commander Shepard trilogy is over and that the next game will not feature him/her. That is the only detail you have on the game. I see people saying 'well, they'll have to pick a canon ending'. No, because the game does not have to come after. Or before. Or off to the side. Or with characters you know. Or yaddayaddayadda."

"Thinking of the next Mass Effect game as Mass Effect 4 would imply a certain linearity, a straight evolution of the gameplay and story of the first three games," he wrote. "That doesn't mean that events of the first three games and the choices you made won't get recognised, but they likely won't be what this new story will focus on.

There is a lot more at the link, thanks Eurogamer

[8bit]

Mass Effect Karting

[dragonelite]

In the end it doesnt even matter

[stn]

We need to be able to play as other races this time. How about a Turian as the protagonist? All I don't want is another male soldier as the lead. Shepard was good but I've had enough of that.

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Will end up being called Mass Effect 4.... or get fancy IV.

[Spanish Wrath]

I like this.

[Snowden's Secret]

Translation: If we continue numbering the sequels, consumers may catch on to how many of these get released, so we're adopting a Mass Effect: Subtitle format from here out.

[Cpt.Underpants]

Effect 4 Mass then?

[Wolves Evolve]

What a shitty way to tease a game.

[Kurtofan]

Reboot?

What a shitty way to tease a game.

It's not a tease, the game won't come before a long time.

[Phaethon0017]

In the end it doesnt even matter

Perfect.

[EatChildren]

Day one, ten copies, on ever platform.

[Frank Jaeger]

Mass Effect: I'm Commander Shepard and this is the better ending in the citadel

[Lulubop]

Well excuse me!

[Ushojax]

I see people saying 'well, they'll have to pick a canon ending'. No, because the game does not have to come after. Or before. Or off to the side. Or with characters you know. Or yaddayaddayadda." "That doesn't mean that events of the first three games and the choices you made won't get recognised, but they likely won't be what this new story will focus on.

That doesn't make any sense. No surprise there.

[Eideka]

But this ME4 has to be related in some way or another to the first trilogy. Unless it's a reboot but that would be a shame, the Mass Effect trilogu universe is so well developped, leaving it all behind is not a good idea.

[Busty]

Mass Effect prequel starring Freddie Prinze Jnr as the Pope.

[Bisnic]

In the end it doesnt even matter

:(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTXPUF4Oz4

But this ME4 has to be related in some way or another to the first trilogy. Unless it's a reboot but that would be a shame, the Mass Effect trilogu universe is so well developped, leaving it all behind is not a good idea.

What's stopping them from keeping the races, planets, Citadel, Mass Relays and stuff and making a story not related to the trilogy?

[Friedreich]

No, because the game does not have to come after. Or before. Or off to the side. Or with characters you know. Or yaddayaddayadda.

So, they don't even know?

[Hellraizer]

Reboot? It's not a tease, the game won't come before a long time.

Yes please.

Make it more ME1 like. More about exploring. Screw the big Reaper story. Make it Star Trek like, going and exploring uncharted worlds.

[Red UFO]

Mass Effect Party!

[Hokhoku]

Until we have more details on the game and a possible title then we have every right to call it Mass Effect 4 even if it doesnt come after ME3

I mean this happens to every product around the world!

Electronic products, games, books etc etc

And they also screwed the ending of ME3 and released a book(Deception) which was totally inaccurate!

I dont get why this Chris took it so personally....

[Jackpot]

No, because the game does not have to come after. Or before. Or off to the side.

Pretty sure it does unless he's claiming reboot.

[Hagi]

Yeah but no but yeah

Personally i hope they ditch the tacked on decision making and just focus on a single cohesive narrative. I'm told i hope for too much though so whatever.

[michaelius]

Mass Effect Shephard Empire - it will be MMO and it will be like playing ME4,5,6,7,8 at the same time :D

[VOOK]

Mass Effect IV

[Man Puncher]

M4ss Effect

[Caboose]

Sounds like a reboot.

ME really destroyed a lot.

[PuppetMaster]

Oh Bioware team, I can't believe a word you say anymore.

You broke my heart Fredo... You broke my heart!

[SkullplateMurray]

"If you had three games centred around a group of key soldiers in the US army during World War I and then decided to make a game about another group of people during the Second World War, the games could have many points in common and feel true to one another," he continued. "You likely would have to recognise how the events of the first war influenced the ones of the second, but you would not necessarily think of it as a sequel. Again, the analogy is not great, but what I'm trying to say is that the ME universe is so rich that we are not limited to a single track when coming up with a new story."

Second Reaper War then.

[Hellraizer]

Mass Effect IV

Mass Effect: Revelengeanceations

[S1kkZ]

they dont want the new game to be linked to the old trilogy but it will adress the events/choices of the trilogy....what.

[Bisnic]

So, they don't even know?

Oh they know, i'm sure of it. They just don't want to spoil it so soon.

[2MF]

on one hand, the new game doesnt want to be linked to the old trilogy but on the other, it will adress the events of the trilogy....what.

Seems this PR person is suffering from cognitive dissonance.

[grimshawish]

How can hey recognise choices with such disinct endings?
Please don't do a Prince of Persia.

Set it in another time an have a random crew. Make it Blake's 7.


Anyway; call it the Fourth Mass Effect instead? Cool.

[StalkerUKCG]

Mass Effect 4

Set in the "next cycle"

New races (Yargh, Human like race with body augments, ect)
Playable Alien Race
More RPG Mechanics
Player is not Space Jesus
Shepard's message is found
Reaper threat expanded upon, Reapers have changed in appearance and name
Geth/Collectors/ect cut
Species vs Species conflict

Ship it

[28 Posts Later]

the game does not have to come after. Or before. Or off to the side.

Blasto game confirmed?

[grandjedi6]

MASS EFFECT PRIME
MASS EFFECT PRIME 2
MASS EFFECT PRIME 3

The new trilogy

[Bisnic]

Blasto game confirmed?

This one is ready to blast some aliens, next-gen style.

[Rezbit]

"That doesn't mean that events of the first three games and the choices you made won't get recognised, but they likely won't be what this new story will focus on.

[Hellraizer]

Oh and please have the story in a galaxy far away from Macdaddy Walters.

[Bazza]

I would hate to see a Prequel to mass effect as I don't think there is enough flexibility in the ME cannon (because of the books, comic's) to allow a single player story that would have as big of an impact as the 3 games.

The only thing i can see working is the next ME game being set several hundred years after the 3rd game and that's dependent on what the actual cannon ending to ME3 is. Although everyone is technically stranded where ever the ended up in ME3 it would be stupid to assume work wouldn't start again on connecting the galaxy's back up either by repairing or building new relays (Aethyta the barmaid Asari matriarch in ME2 said she was laughed way for suggesting that they start building new relays) or working on an alternative transport method.

[Replicant]

Just let me reuse my face code.

[Krecik]

It could easily be in the same universe but in another time. I'm thinking before the trilogy. Maybe humanity's first steps into the stars? Or just something during the peaceful times, commanding a group of spectres that found a plot to destroy the council?

Mass Effect universe is quite good and deep, it has potential. But I can't think of any games taking place after the trilogy, you know, with all the mass relays gone in a colorful explosions.

[subversus]

Mass Effect hahahahaHAHHAHAHAHahhaha oh wow!

[Hellraizer]

Mass Effect universe is quite good and deep, it has potential. But I can't think of any games taking place after the trilogy, you know, with all the mass relays gone in a colorful explosions.

extended cut fixed the relays with wizzard jizz

[Prophet Steve]

Mass Effect 3.5 then, as expected.

[Randdalf]

So what generic subtitle are they going to fit it with? The series of novellas has restricted their options in this regard.

[GlamFM]

I think we all know it's going to be a FPS.

[dr_rus]

You may call it whatever you want but if it'll be like ME2 or 3 again I'm out.