Mass Effect developer BioWare is purportedly shifting away from the open-world format seen in Mass Effect: Andromeda and returning to the classic style of its earlier games for the upcoming Mass Effect 4. This rumor comes from Jez Corden of Window Central, who discussed the benefits and drawbacks of established studios sticking to their tried-and-true development strategies or taking risks and innovating, potentially resulting in failure.
Reflecting on Bethesda’s successful approach with Starfield, which utilized familiar elements from its internal development studios, Corden turned his attention to Mass Effect. While the franchise found immense success with its initial three games (despite the controversial ending of Mass Effect 3), it struggled to replicate that impact with the release of Andromeda. It was during this conversation that Corden made the revelation about BioWare’s supposed return to the classic format.
Corden stated in his podcast, The Xbox Two Podcast, “I’ve heard that Mass Effect is ditching open world and going back to its classic format. I don’t know if that’s accurate, 100 per cent, but it’s an industry rumour.” While this is not a substantial amount of information, it has the potential to greatly please Mass Effect fans. The future developments in this regard will be closely monitored and reported.
The concept of developing another trilogy of Mass Effect games is also brought into question by industry insiders. The ambition and audacity of creating a multi-game story where players can carry their hero through multiple iterations is a rarity in the industry. BioWare’s ability to include an array of choices and consequences within each game further highlights the uniqueness of their approach. As time passes, the significance of this achievement becomes more apparent, especially as no other studio has attempted such a feat to the same degree.
While there is no official confirmation from BioWare regarding the change in the game’s format, the news of potentially returning to the classic Mass Effect style has generated excitement among fans. With the development of Mass Effect 4 underway, gamers eagerly await further updates and announcements from the renowned studio.