November 7th has come and gone with fans quietly celebrating the series on N7. With the disappointment of Mass Effect Andromeda and the studio drama at BioWare, it’s been a tough few years for Mass Effect fans. That is until last year’s official announcement at The Game Awards. That officially announced BioWare was working on the next Mass Effect game. And most recently (November 2021) we have a new poster teaser that’s rife with clues for the next game.

Let’s deep dive into everything we have to see what Mass Effect 5 will be all about. Spoiler warning for those of you that haven’t finished playing the Mass Effect series.

 

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It Will Take Place After Mass Effect 3

At the end of The Game Awards 2020 live stream last year BioWare shocked fans by announcing a new Mass Effect game. I didn’t know what to expect with Mass Effect going forward but against all hope, the series “will continue”.

Watching the teaser trailer, it appears the next game will continue after the events of Mass Effect 3. But in the Twitter threads, Mike Gamble almost confirms that it will be a sequel for both Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect Andromeda.

You get ‘The Choice’ at the end of Mass Effect 3 but it looks like events in this game will take the path of “destroying all” from Mass Effect 3. In which all machine life in the galaxy, and the Mass Relay system that allowed for faster-than-light travel, is, well, destroyed.

We know that this is the after events based on what we can see from the teaser and the destruction of the Mass Effect relay. As well as the finding of a piece of the iconic N7 armour belonging to Commander Shepard. Pour one out for Commander Shepard who dies at the end of Mass Effect 3 regardless of what choice you make.

 

How Much Time Has Passed?

This teaser is pretty much focused on Liara one of the OG mainstay companions of the original Mass Effect trilogy. She looks older than how she appears in Mass Effect 3. But because she’s an Asari, it’s hard to tell exactly how much time has passed since the events of the previous game.

We do know that Mass Effect Andromeda is set some 600 years after Mass Effect 3, and interestingly you can even listen to voice recordings from Liara in Andromeda. Given her long life span, it would also make sense for her to still be knocking around long after Shepard. 

 

Where Does Mass Effect 5 Take Place?

In this teaser we see Liara trudging through the snow on an icy planet, with a dead Reaper in the background. There are multiple moons in the background, so we’re clearly not on Earth.

In the background, there are three figures, and while it’s hard to make out exactly what species they represent, some believe the bulkier of the three may be an Angaran. If so, that could mean the next Mass Effect game takes place in the world of Andromeda, the only galaxy in which the race exists. Could this particular Angara be Jaal? There also appears to be a Salarian and Drell in the crew, but who they are is currently unknown. 

BioWare’s Mike Gamble recently suggested to a fan that they shouldn’t assume Andromeda has been abandoned in the upcoming game.

 

Is That A Geth Head?

If you haven’t seen the poster yet here it is. Take a hard look at it and then we can dive in!

 

What Are We Looking At?

Beyond the obvious tagline “Mass Effect will continue”, the poster offers the view of a four-person crew, one of which definitely appears Krogan-shaped. The middle of the three humanoids looks to have a blue head and could be an Asari, potentially Liara? Since she was featured in the earlier teaser.

There’s also what appears to be a destroyed Geth on the ground, and scarred terrain that’s kind of in the shape of a Geth head? I mean look at it. That’s what slap of a hint. It’s one of the biggest clues we have at the return of the AI race.

 

The Geth

Another sign of a return for the Geth, or at least some involvement with the next game in the series, is the remains of one outside the main crater in the poster. Could the four figures exiting the ship be there to investigate recent Geth activity? Or are these remains very old, and the crater – and the body – just be a remnant of the past?

We’ve said before that the story of Mass Effect 5 will take the ‘Destroy’ decision. So in this case this would also mean the Geth and EDI, your AI companion, are gone. But hints in the poster could possibly have the story focusing on their return.

 

When Will We See Mass Effect 5?

Mass Effect 5, or whatever they decide to call it, does not even have a vague release date. BioWare only confirmed the game end of last year so it’s still in the early development stages. BioWare also announced last month that it is working on the next Dragon Age game. With two huge AAA titles in the pipe, it might be a while before we see either.

In the meantime, there’s a lot of speculating to be done as well as potentially a replay of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition?