With Mass Effect 4 in development, there are a lot of questions. Little has been revealed so far, but what is known is that the game will continue the story of the original trilogy. Since Mass Effect 3 ended on a massive galaxy-changing scale, many are wondering how Mass Effect 4 will pick up the story.
While Reapers have been taken care of through destruction, synthesis, or control, there is the factor that Reaper tech will still exist. All three ending choices give the galaxy not only a chance for survival but a chance to technologically thrive more than ever. In all likelihood, Mass Effect 4 will show the galaxy with even greater tech than before.
Why Tech Will Have Evolved Rapidly
There are a number of theories as to why technology may be so evolved in Mass Effect 4. Most reasons connect to the Reapers. After all, it was the presence of Reapers that put a lid on how far technology can evolve. The Reapers would lie in wait in dark space until galaxy races progressed technologically enough to be harvested. This made sure that technological marvels could only make it so far. The end road for galaxy life was about the time they began to invent sentient AIs like the Geth.
With the Reapers taken care of at the end of Mass Effect 3, the harvest cycle is over. Now all galaxy species can evolve further, and their technology will certainly surpass what the Reapers allowed. Not only that, but they have good reasons to rapidly develop their technology outside just being allowed to do it from now on.
Every Mass Effect 3 ending destroyed the relays that connected the galaxy. Outside all the death and destruction the Reaper War already caused, this was a devastating blow. Trade routes are gone, families are separated, and Earth is crowded with all who gathered for the final battle. With all this in mind, the galaxy races are going to do everything in their power to remake the relays. This will be no easy feat, as the original creators of these relays were the Reapers themselves.
How Technology Will Evolve
It is already explained in the epilogue of Mass Effect 3 that every main ending results in Mass Effect's mass relays getting rebuilt. How long this takes is not explained, but rebuilding is something that ultimately does happen. This is a big deal, as galactic civilizations never managed this before. If mass relays get rebuilt, that likely already means a lot of new technology is in the galaxy.
This could mean more technology that spawns from element zero and the material the Citadel was made from. Outside of Element Zero, the mass relays were made from the same resilient resource as the Citadel, but what it was truly made of was unknown. With the information revealed that these were made by Reapers, it is likely that mass relays and the Citadel were made from Reaper tech. The tech was extraordinary, protecting the vessels with a quantum shield and locking them in place. They could survive a supernova and emitted no radiation or heat as a starship would.
For mass relays to be rebuilt, the galactic races likely were able to replace or find out what tech was used with Element Zero. With such a discovery, more than just mass relays will be built. A new and improved Citadel could be made, alongside new armor, new weapons, and most importantly, new starships.
Destroy, Control, And Synthesis Endings
One of the biggest questions fans have about Mass Effect 4 is how it will settle the three different galaxy-changing endings. Some theorize that one ending will be chosen as canon, while others wonder if all three endings will be possibly canon but the story will be so far in the future that the endings won't play as huge a role. Depending on what BioWare does, every ending could spell out a different way technology will evolve.
Mass Effect 3's destroy ending may be the path that has the most difficulty in getting the galaxy back on its feet, but it will do so more on its own terms. If what the Crucible said is true, then a lot of technology will be destroyed along with the Reapers. However, the epilogue will still always state that the mass relays end up being rebuilt.
Control may be the most interesting when it comes to how the mass relays are rebuilt. Rather than be rebuilt by people, the Reapers controlled by Shepard do the rebuilding. With the Reapers being controlled, there is a lot of open space for other things they could accomplish for the galaxy.
Synthesis is also unique, as it may create a galactic civilization that is very cyborg-esque. People will have tech be integrated into them and certain technological galactic races like the Geth will be more organic. If this ending is able to be canon, then it will likely influence the nature of all the technology.
When Mass Effect 4 Will Take Place
A huge factor in how technology will be in Mass Effect 4 is how long after Mass Effect 3 it will take place. A game that is set directly after Shepard deals with the Reapers is not a game where technology will have evolved or a game where mass relays would even exist. However, what has been seen from trailers hints that the story will take place long after Mass Effect 3.
Liara is one familiar face seen in the trailer, and she is of a race that is known to live over one thousand years. She also pulls an N7 helmet out of snow, which is assumed to be Shepard's. The fact that it was buried also gives a sense that a lot of time has passed, potentially meaning Mass Effect 4 takes place in a distant, technologically evolved future.
Mass Effect 4 is in development.