Is This Our First Look At The Next Mass Effect Game?

Concept art from a new book, Bioware: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development, has given Mass Effect fans their first glimpse at the in-development follow up to Bioware's sci-fi RPG.

First posted on Tumblr by user Felassan, the sneak preview consists of three images. Each image is rendered in a foggy haze that doesn't include any characters or specific details, but each alludes to sights and locations that should be familiar to longtime Mass Effect players.

One of the images shows an under-construction mass relay. Mass relays were the space structures that allowed the Normandy to traverse the Milky Way in the original trilogy of Mass Effect titles. The presence of multiple vessels in the background and the "MR 7" label on the structure itself seems to imply a bustling solar hub connecting multiple mass relays, although there is no indication as to whether the station is in the Milky Way or Andromeda galaxy.

While the mass relay doesn't necessarily help place the setting of the new game, the second image could offer more insight. That image features massive structures bearing a strong resemblance to the Remnant architectural style featured in Mass Effect Andromeda. The Remnant are an advanced civilization that ruled the Andromeda galaxy long before the events of the last Mass Effect game.

The final picture shows another obscured scene, with armed characters exploring a mysterious object in a jungle-like setting. However, on the left of the image, the open portal of a spaceship is clearly visible. The design of the ship, walkway, and portal itself matches up with some of the only other art Bioware has shared regarding the in-development Mass Effect game.

When Bioware's studio GM Casey Hudson announced the Mass Effect Legendary Edition remaster of the original trilogy on N7 Day, he also confirmed that a "veteran team" was working on an entirely new game. Included in that announcement was a single image, with the filename "Mud Skipper," of a crew on an alien world, next to a ship just like the one seen in the new concept art. The second image of this ship (or at least, a very similar one) has led some to speculate as to whether the ship may play a major role in the upcoming Mass Effect game.

The controversial ending of Mass Effect 3 and misfired launch of Mass Effect Andromeda had led some to wonder if EA would ever release another Mass Effect game. As such, even this trickle of information gives fans of the series something to look forward to. While the target release date for the new Mass Effect game is currently unknown, Mass Effect Legendary Edition should arrive for PC, Xbox One, Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 in 2021.