The New Mass Effect Is Further Away Than We Thought

"Mass Effect" fans have been quite spoiled in recent history. Fans were treated to the release of a lovingly remastered "Legendary Edition" of the series' three original titles in 2021, which featured some welcome upgrades to the renowned franchise. "Mass Effect" is even slated to receive its own series on Amazon in the near future. And while the latest entry into the series, "Mass Effect: Andromeda," went completely wrong post-release, the series itself has hit more times than its missed. Fans have high hopes for the next sequel in the series, but there's not a whole lot of information available regarding its plot or characters just yet, other than some tantalizing rumors.

One thing that is for sure is that fans probably shouldn't expect to see the new "Mass Effect" any time in the immediate future, at least judging by recent comments from people close to the project. Here is what BioWare's studio head had to say about the future of "Mass Effect."

Making a AAA video game is a very time-consuming, strenuous task that involves tons of planning. Long before animators and designers start putting down the base of a game, there has to be a lengthy creative process that covers the game's overarching vision and nails down the title's story, scope, and mechanics. And according to BioWare studio head Mary McKay, the next "Mass Effect" title is still in the midst of that arduous process. 

"[O]f course, we're also working on the next 'Mass Effect,'" McKay said in a recent BioWare blog post. "[The dev team is] actively prototyping new ideas and experiences. AAA next-gen games take a long time to make – and we know our fans may want them sooner. But our Number One priority needs to be quality, and that simply takes time to get it right."

For some fans, confirmation that the new "Mass Effect" is still in active development has been greeted with a sigh of relief. Many fans have felt a bit deflated by this update, however. In a Reddit thread addressing the blog post by McKay, many fans expressed frustration with having to wait an even period of time for the next installment. Some fans are even wondering why BioWare even decided to announce the new game, considering it's still in the prototyping phase. Others think any news is better than radio silence, especially since fans have been waiting for years to get a worthy follow-up in the series.