The announcement of the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, a remaster of the entire Mass Effect trilogy, won't be a surprise to most fans. That doesn't mean it wasn't any less anticipated, of course. Mass Effect fans across all platforms will be anxiously awaiting the bundle's release in spring 2021. In an unfortunate turn, however, it seems that Mass Effect: Legendary Edition won't be directly released on either PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.
To be clear, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will be playable on both PS5 and Xbox Series X. It just won't be released specifically for each platform. There will be no PS5 or Xbox Series X box for Mass Effect: Legendary Edition on store shelves. Rather, PS5 and Xbox Series X owners will have to purchase the previous generation console's version of the game. It will then work on next-generation consoles via forward compatibility. It's an odd decision from BioWare and Electronic Arts, to say the least.
While neither a PS5 nor an Xbox Series X version of the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will be released, BioWare is still going to make an extra effort for the two platforms. Instead of an official PS5 or Xbox Series X version, BioWare says that it's working on "targeted enhancements" for next-gen consoles. No details were provided regarding the nature of these targeted enhancements. All BioWare is willing to say is that more information will come in 2021.
What is confirmed is that Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is going to be optimized for 4K Ultra HD even before BioWare adds its targeted enhancements. Also confirmed are faster framerates and other visual enhancements. The Mass Effect trilogy will never have looked so good as it does when it's eventually released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
That's also why it's somewhat worrying, or even frustrating, that Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is being developed specifically for next-gen platforms. These games are going to be significantly improved for current-gen platforms, but fans will always question just what might have been possible if they'd been developed with next-gen platforms in mind. Demon's Souls for PS5 comes to mind, as does Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake.
Regardless of the final product and regardless of how well BioWare is able to optimize Mass Effect: Legendary Edition for next-gen consoles via a patch, the announcement is still exciting news. A new generation of video game fans will be able to experience the Mass Effect trilogy for the first time. Old fans of Mass Effect will be able to revisit one of their favorite franchises all over again.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition releases spring 2021 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.