Mass Effect Andromeda: Everything We Know So Far

4. The Ark Theory Still Sounds Spot-On

Bioware have opened up about a number of things following the E3 footage, but something they're yet to pin down and elaborate on is the story itself. That said, what do we know?

Well, as mentioned earlier, your ME3 choices don't matter as Ryder's adventure takes her millions of lightyears away from anything to do with the Milky Way, and that falls in-line with the 'Ark theory' established at the start of 2016. Eurogamer brought this up in an interview with Bioware's Aaron Flynn and Mac Walters, but they couldn't/wouldn't confirm or deny.

The theory states:

"As far back as humanity's first discovery of Prothean tech on Mars, there has been existence of a mysterious entity known as 'the Ark'. Top minds from across the galaxy work on unlocking its potential in top secret, as the events of the trilogy play out.

Right around the time of the Reaper invasion on Earth, Liara T'Soni passes on the same encryption keys used to decipher the Citadel's true purpose, to the previously-formed Ark Contingency (ARKCON), who have been getting nowhere with the artefact for around 30 years. Using the keys, scientists realise it's a gateway to the Andromeda galaxy, and make the necessary preparations to flee Earth through the Ark, if the Reapers are successful in any severe capacity.

No matter which ending your Shepard chose, Earth was left in a state of turmoil. Various flotilla ships with the necessary resources to colonise Andromeda leave through the Ark and destroy it on the other side to prevent being followed. These survivors of the Reaper War know nothing of how the battle actually ended, and continue forward, a new age dawning as the various species' within the groups begin to ruminate on what and who they left behind, before exploring what's ahead."

Swap out 'flotilla ships' for whatever Ryder was travelling in, and it fits perfectly.