Summary
Eagle-eyed fans have been scanning the recentMass Effect 4teaser for any possible clues about the next game, and some have noticed an interesting throwback to the franchise’s early days. Three years after the divisiveMass Effect Andromeda, BioWare officially announced a new installment in its renowned sci-fi RPG franchise during The Game Awards 2020. Not much was revealed during this cryptic first look, save thatMass Effect 4would see thereturn of fan-favorite squadmate Liara T’Sonifollowing the end of the original trilogy.
TheMass Effectfandom has since been awash in speculation about the currently-titledMass Effect 4, combing over not only the original announcement trailer, but any piece of social media from BioWare for hints about the sequel’s plot, setting, and returning characters. Even more fuel was added to this debate during N7 Day, a holiday named for the insignia worn by original series protagonist Commander Shepard during the first threeMass Effectgames. This year’s N7 Day saw the release ofanother crypticMass Effect 4teaser, featuring a mysterious figure walking down a hallway while a Mass Relay is seemingly being rebuilt outside.
The “Mass Effect Epsilon” teaser has naturally re-sparked the speculation and debate surroundingMass Effect 4, with dedicated fans going over the brief clip repeatedly in search of any new information. According toGamesRadar, some have uncovered an interesting Easter egg in the teaser’s title. The Mass Effect News Twitter account was among the first to point this out, posting an image from BioWare’sStories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Developmentbook showing unusedMass Effectworking titles and logos. One of these is “The Epsilon Effect,” and the fact that the latestMass Effect 4teaser also has the word “Epsilon” in it has not gone unnoticed.
It isn’t clear exactly what this apparent reference means in the grand scheme of things, but itisn’t the only detail in theMass Effectteaserthat viewers have picked up on. Fans quickly noticed a group of familiarMass Effectaliens in the background of the trailer, suggesting that the synthetic Geth and fishlike Angara might appear inMass Effect 4. This in itself has huge ramifications forMass Effect 4’s story, as the Angara only recently made their debut inMass Effect Andromeda, and the Geth might have been wiped from the Milky Way depending on the player’s choices at the end ofMass Effect 3.
There are still many unanswered questions surroundingMass Effect 4, namely about where it takes place in the series’ timeline and if Commander Shepard is returning as many are already theorizing. The use of the word “Epsilon” in the latest teaser’s title is one such question, especially since it calls back to one of the series’ original working titles. PerhapsMass Effect Epsilonis the official title forMass Effect 4, but players will likely have to wait until next year’s N7 Day for more clues about the next chapter in BioWare’s epic sci-fi franchise.
Mass Effect Trilogy
WHERE TO PLAY
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