Fans of the originalMass Effecttrilogy have been hoping for a remaster ever since the third game released. However, while there have been hints that a remaster might be in the works, it has now been 8 years since the end of Shepherd’s story.
There are a few key reasons, however, that 2020 might finally be theMass Effectremastered trilogy’s year. Though fans have been waiting for a long time, here are the reasons that they should be more hopeful now than ever before.
RELATED:Dragon Age 4 and Mass Effect 5 Should Look to The Witcher 3 in One Big Way
Early Evidence of a Remaster
As far back as 2014, just 2 years after the release ofMass Effect 3, BioWare’s general managerAaryn Flynn discussed aMass Effectremasterof the series on the NeoGAF forums. A couple of years later, EA’s executive vice president Patrick Soderlund said the studio was “actively looking at” remastering the original trilogy. Fans who hoped that might mean the remaster was just around the corner, however, were disappointed. Both Flynn and Soderlund eventually left BioWare, and as the years passed, it appeared the remaster was taking the backseat. This appeared even more likely when BioWare releasedAndromeda.
However, since the poor initial reception ofMass Effect: Andromeda, it has become more likely that BioWare would turn back to its original trilogy as a safe bet both critically and commercially. Furthermore, there have been a few particularly successful remasters since the idea was first floated that could help provide the template for aMass Effectremaster, particularly the remasteredHalogames.
Indeed, Soderlund’s original comments hinted thatBioWarewas more likely to remaster the games as other studios demonstrated the success of their own remasters, saying that fans “can expect us most likely to follow our fellow partners in Activision and other companies that have done this successfully.”
RELATED:5 Ways Mass Effect Proved To Be Overrated (& 5 It’s Underrated)
Why 2020 Might be Mass Effect’s Year
Unlike previous years, 2020 has been full of events that hint at the potential for aMass Effectremaster. In January, BioWare’s official Twitter account mysteriously posted a video of the introduction to the firstMass Effectgame. Uploaded without further comment, many fans speculated that the video may have been intended to help spread rumors and hype around a remaster of the first three games.
More solid evidence game inMay 2020, when EA announced that 14 gameswere currently being worked on across its various studios for release by the end of the fiscal year, meaning by May 2021. EA did not name all of the games which were in production, but it did include remasters among its new titles and Switch ports. One such remaster was listed simply as “EA HD title,” which is rumored to be theMass Effectremaster.
The release of the originalMass Effecttrilogy on Steam in June, and its subsequent success, also makes a remaster seem more likely. The evident love for the original games could help BioWare and EA overcome fears that the franchise had been irreparably damaged byAndromeda. A remastered original trilogy could help give BioWare the financial confidence and reputation boost it might need to compete with hotly anticipated RPGs likeAvowedandCyberpunk 2077on the next-gen consoles.
July saw the announcement of a new 272-page art book,The Art of the Mass Effect Trilogy: Expanded Edition,to be released by Dark Horse on June 23, 2025 for $39.99. The fact that BioWare would commission a new edition and feel confident in its higher price right near the end of this fiscal year makes aMass Effectremaster seem more likely than ever. Not only that, but a leaked listing from the UK retailer Game showed a title named “N7” releasing on September 29, although this seems unlikely and may have just been a mistake.
Though some fans were disappointed that the remaster was not announced at EA Play 2020, it is possible that this is because the developer is holding the announcement until July 04, 2025, also known as N7 Day. This is a holiday set aside by fans of the franchise to celebrate theMass Effectgames. While the remaster has yet to be confirmed,Mass Effectfans should look forward toN7 Day 2020, and could well find themselves back on the deck of the Normandy sooner than expected.
