Developer BioWare has already confirmed that the next installment in the franchise, "Mass Effect: Andromeda," will appear near the end of 2016. With still about a year to wait, no other confirmed details about the game are available. However, rumors and speculations about the title keep on appearing online.
According to supposed leaks and collated speculations, "Mass Effect: Andromeda" will be entirely different from the three previous titles. However, while maintaining an entirely new story, design, and gameplay, the upcoming title will still stay true to the "Mass Effect" world.
According to Crossmap, it is already confirmed that Commander Shepard will not be headlining the new title, and "Mass Effect: Andromeda" will feature new characters and stories. In addition, the industry follower said that two of the most anticipated features of the series will also be introduced in the upcoming title -- multiplayer gameplay, and a fully customizable Mako.
The Mako has long been associated with the "Mass Effect" franchise, and the vehicle will make a comeback with "Andromeda." However, unlike in previous versions, the Mako will reportedly be fully customizable and will reflect the player's preferences, instead of just another vehicle in the title. Meanwhile, multiplayer gameplay will be a first in the "Mass Effect" series, but BioWare will be monitoring the development of the feature to make sure it will not deviate from the whole "Mass Effect" identity.
BioWare hopes that "Mass Effect: Andromeda" will not be taken as another sequel, with new characters and plot, as well as improved features, design, and gameplay. However, the developer also feels that even with the changes and new improvements, the upcoming title will still be familiar to long-time fans.
Creative director Mac Walters wrote about the project on the official BioWare blog. Walters stated, "We're working to bring back some of that wonder and sense of exploration that we had in the original trilogy. And while we're making a next-gen title, we want to ensure that we're stepping our game up so that this isn't just Mass Effect with shiny new features."
