Launched in the fall of 2007, Biowares Mass Effect franchise filled the western space opera vacuum left by the cancellations and finales of Star Trek, Stargate, and Battlestar Galactica. Spanning three games, its overarching storyline revolved around Commander Shepard and his/her struggles against the Reapers, a race of machines that culled all life in the galaxy every 50,000 years. Despite an ending that is controversial, to say the least, Mass Effect has managed to expand out into the multimedia universe, with comics, novels, mobile games, and even an animated movie. But just about everything has been part of or tied into Shepards saga and that has to change when the next Mass Effect game is released. Here are the 10 reasons Bioware needs a whole new plot for the next Mass Effect game. Warning: spoilers for Mass Effect 3 will be largely present.
10. They Already Said They Would
The first reason on this list is a bit of an odd one: its a promise a company has already made. During Mass Effect 3s pre-launch hype tour, a number of Bioware employees and then-CEO Dr. Ray Mazuka touted that ME3 was the end of Shepards story. And they were very, very clear about that:
Similarly, producer Michael Gamble said, "After this, Commander Shepard's story is complete." When pressed, "Even if there are more games in the Mass Effect universe, he/she definitely won't be in them?" He laconically replied, "Correct."
While Bioware hasnt had the most sterling record of decision making when it comes to the franchise, this is probably the best move they could make. Its better to move on to new things and let the players keep their fond memories of Shepard and company than ruin them with a sequel that doesnt satisfy anyone.