BioWare confirms that the next Mass Effect game is still in the pre-production phase but that it will have a single-player focus. Despite a trailer being shown off at the 2020 Game Awards, fans haven't seen too much of the next Mass Effect game yet. It seems like the sci-fi title may still be a few years away from being released, as BioWare seems fully focused on the development of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf until that game launches. Still, this hasn't stopped fans from speculating on what the next entry in the franchise could look like.
Mass Effect has always been a series focusing heavily on the single-player experience. However, EA being the publisher of Mass Effect has caused worries among some fans that multiplayer might be introduced into the next game, taking away from the core elements of the series. EA has acquired a reputation for ditching single player games in the past, but has recently brought out strong titles that feature no multiplayer, such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
It still seems that BioWare thought it best to put potentially worrying fans at ease, though, as it recently revealed that the new Mass Effect game will be a single-player experience. In a small note at the end of its most recent update on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, BioWare General Manager Gary McKay said that there is a team "hard at work envisioning what the future holds for a new single-player Mass Effect game." Even as this informs fans that the new game will be following the example set by other entries in the series, it also tells them they've got a long wait ahead.
The use of the word "envisioning" implies that the new Mass Effect is still probably in its pre-production phase. However, this doesn't mean that new details can't be released about the game. McKay also mentioned the upcoming N7 Day, which takes place on November 7 each year. Usually, N7 Days will unveil some small bits of information for fans, such as when BioWare unveiled a Mass Effect poster last year.
Hopefully, this means that there could be another tease coming very soon. It was reported that work on the new Mass Effect title won't start in full until 2023, and while this means there will be a hefty wait ahead, there are other titles that can fill that gap. For those wanting a traditional BioWare RPG experience, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has been giving fans more looks at its story and will be releasing before the next Mass Effect. For anyone wanting to shoot across the stars, Bethesda's Starfield is on the way next year.
Mass Effect 4 is in development.
Source: BioWare