ThoughMass Effect 4had been rumored for quite a while, it wasn’t until The Game Awards 2020 that its existence was confirmed. The reveal trailer intentionally showed two different galaxies and one fan-favorite asari, Liara T’Soni. Not much is known about the upcoming title, but it could mean big things for theMass Effectfranchise. There are tons of theories about what plotlineMass Effect 4will tackle, including some concerning whether Commander Shepard will return and ifMass Effect: Andromedawill factor into the new game. Regardless, there’s one thing that’s probably certain aboutMass Effect 4— it’ll be a long time until fans get their hands on it.
While this may seem like bad news on the surface, it’s actually really good for both the game and the franchise.Mass Effectfansalready have theMass Effect Legendary Editionto look forward to in the coming months which will supply them with hours of gameplay.Mass Effect Legendary Editionis not only all three games but almost all DLC released for them as well. TheLegendary Editionwill definitely keep players busy for a long time, which is good for the development ofMass Effect 4.
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BioWare is Focusing on Mass Effect 4
It’s not uncommon for big developers to have multiple teams working on different projects. Previously, BioWare had a small team working onAnthem 2.0which was unfortunately canceled not too long ago. Within the cancelation announcement,Christian Dailey, the new executive producer ofDragon Age 4, stated that the developer needed to focus on its upcoming titles and updates toStar Wars: The Old Republic.
BioWare knows what a massive following theMass Effectfranchise has, and it may still need to redeem itself fromMass Effect: Andromeda. While later Steam reviews putAndromedain a more positive light, BioWare still has to atone for the state the game was in at launch. With a dedicated team working onMass Effect 4, there’s a chance that there will be fewer leadership changes than in past years.
The developer has a historyof key players in a game’s development being changed and replaced — it’s part of what led toAnthem’s initial downfall. If there is a dedicated, unwavering team working onMass Effect 4, it’s possible a clear vision for the game will be realized sooner rather than later. A team with a sound structure will hopefully produce a game that’s complete and only needs updates for minor bug fixes, not game-breaking ones.
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No More Relying on ‘BioWare Magic’
Hopefully,Anthem’s release andAnthem 2.0’s cancelationopened the developer’s eyes to its reliance on “BioWare Magic.” For those unfamiliar, “BioWare Magic” is the term given to BioWare’s uncanny ability to start and finish a complete video game during its crunch period. This “Magic” worked to the developer’s advantage with games likeDragon Age: Originsand the entireMass Effecttrilogy, but sadly became the norm for its development process.
BioWare definitely isn’t the only developer to utilize crunch time for more than finishing touches, butAnthemtruly showed when the “Magic” ran dry.WithMass Effect 4on the horizon, it’s important the developer steers away from relying on crunch time to build an entire game. Having a dedicated team that doesn’t change leadership too much or change the initial vision of the game will help ease the reliance on “BioWare Magic.” If not, the results could not only anger fans but hurt the company as well.
Mass Effect 4is probably years away, as it should be. The last thing fans want is a game that feels rushed or incomplete. It’s also doubtful that the developer wants to produce anything less than a game that it’s proud of.Mass Effectfans have a lot to look forward to in the coming months, butMass Effect 4shouldn’t be part of that equation.
Mass Effect 4is currently in development.
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