Mass Effect Legendary Edition's Photo Mode May Have An Unfortunate Side Effect

Since BioWare announced Mass Effect Legendary Edition in early in 2021, fans have gradually learned more and more about what will be included in the remastered version of the classic space RPG. While the remastered game won't include one lost Mass Effect DLC, it will have a host of other features, including a camera mode. However, not everyone feels the same excitement for this long-awaited photo mode.

Mac Walters, the project director for Mass Effect Legendary Edition, casually tweeted, "We were just calibrating, but Mass Effect Legendary Edition will have a photo mode." The statement sent gamers into a tweetstorm of excitement and speculation. One player shared their excitement over not having to use mods and console commands to take photos anymore. Another said that the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition was the only thing they were looking forward to in the near future.

Another developer at BioWare tweeted, "You access photo mode through the mission computer, so anytime you can pause the game." That fact had some gamers suspicious of how photo mode might interfere with their ability to make significant progress within the game. After all, some Mass Effect veterans already have taken thousands of in-game photos before there was a photo mode. 

One player hinted that they'd spend all their time lining up the perfect shots, tweeting, "Mass Effect Legendary Edition has a photo mode! Loudly crying face. I am SHOOK! RIP, me making progress." Another profound gamer said, "You can never spend enough hours in photo mode."

Still more gamers treated the photo mode as permission to take spicy photos in-game. One fan announced that all of their photos would include butt-shots. The BioWare team has previously announced its decision to tone down Miranda's gratuitous derriere angles (which didn't age all that well) in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, but at least one player said they'd take matters into their own hands with photo mode. Of course, fans might just end up with tons of "sexy Garrus wallpapers." 

Aside from its new photo mode, Mass Effect Legendary Edition will include improvements and changes to almost every aspect of the original trilogy. Enhanced graphics and gameplay feature prominently in promotional material, but considering the late announcement of photo mode, there may be more to come. In the meantime, fans might want to brush up on Mass Effect's timeline, which can admittedly seem convoluted, especially to new players. Mass Effect Legendary Edition launches May 14.