It’s no secret that BioWare has been hard at work on new installments of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, but during last night’s Game Awards show, the developer finally gave impatient fans an honest peek at what these heavily anticipated sequels might look like and where they might fit in relation to the rest of their respective series.
The Mass Effect teaser is actually pretty interesting in that it seems to contradict previous rumors of the title being a direct follow-up to 2017’s much-maligned Mass Effect Andromeda. Despite starting off in one of the most cliché ways possible, the footage eventually segues into chilling franchise staples such as the sound of a Reaper and what appears to be an obliterated Mass Relay. We’re then treated to something really cool: a hooded Asari scientist (Liara T’Soni?) dusting off an N7 badge from a snowy planet’s surface.
We don’t know if BioWare intended that to be symbolic (i.e., a subtle apology for what went wrong with the last game), but the impression we’re getting is that the new Mass Effect could be a direct continuation of the original trilogy. Mass Effect 3 does feature multiple endings, which opens up various possibilities as to how the series might make a return to the Milky Way (the Normandy SR-2 even lifts off from an unknown planet in one of the Extended Cut’s additional endings, implying future adventures). Some kind of time travel element could also be introduced if BioWare gets really desperate.
As for the Dragon Age trailer, BioWare has effectively confirmed that the fourth installment will bring back Dragon Age: Inquisition’s apostate hedge mage Solas, as well as surface dwarf Varric Tethras, a character who was originally introduced in Dragon Age II.
“Rich, branching narratives, choices with consequences, and intriguing characters are central to the entire Dragon Age franchise, and we’re putting a lot of work into these,” BioWare wrote in an accompanying blog post. “You’ll form relationships with companions who will fight by your side when you experience this true Dragon Age saga set in Thedas, a world in need of a new kind of hero.”