‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ Boasts Visuals And Play Never Done In Franchise, Early 2017 Release

BioWare reconfirmed the release date for Mass Effect: Andromeda on Tuesday. The developer posted a note to fans on the game’s website teasing what is to come with the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC sci-fi role-playing game and when it will launch.

As covered by Inquisitr, Electronic Arts Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen first revealed Mass Effect: Andromeda was targeting an early 2017 release at a technology conference in March. The executive explained how Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 will be released during the publisher’s fiscal third quarter, which is the final three months of 2016. He then went on to state Mass Effect would come in the company’s fourth quarter, or the first three months of 2017.

That leads to today’s note to fans from BioWare General Manager Aaryn Flynn.

“As we’ve been playing the game at the studio recently, it’s showing us that we’re taking the game in the right direction. But we also know we need the right amount of time to make sure we deliver everything the game can be and should be – that’s our commitment from all of us to all of you. Because of that, Mass Effect: Andromeda will now ship in early 2017,” Flynn revealed.

This isn’t exactly shocking news, but it is good to get official word from the developer. Fans won’t have to wait too much longer to get more of a reveal, though. The game will be featuring during the EA Play event on June 17. However, Flynn did share some extremely high-level details on where BioWare is going with Mass Effect: Andromeda.

• More Freedom: One of our biggest ambitions is to give players an unprecedented level of freedom for a Mass Effect experience – where you’ll go, how you’ll get there, and how you’ll play.
• New Uncharted Worlds: We’re leaving the Milky Way behind and headed to Andromeda, where we’ll meet new allies, confront new enemies, and explore fascinating new worlds.
• The Next Great Mass Effect Experience: Mass Effect: Andromeda will be the first Mass Effect game for today’s consoles and the first built on the Frostbite engine. We’re pushing the technology to deliver visuals, story, and gameplay that have never been done in franchise history.

The Frostbite engine is being used by all of Electronic Arts in-house AAA games from the Battlefield franchise to Dragon Age, also developed by BioWare. The hooks are already there to develop an open-world style role-playing game from Inquisition, so it will be interesting to see where Mass Effect: Andromeda can push in new directions.

As for the story, a survey leak points to flipping of the script where mankind is seen as the alien invader in the Andromeda galaxy while Flynn previously explained the plot as “very much a human one.” Open-world play was pointed to as a major feature in the survey as well, which is probably why BioWare is re-introducing the Mako vehicle.

Previous teasers and leaks for Andromeda give more of an idea of what to expect from BioWare’s follow-up to the original Mass Effect trilogy. The prevailing theory is that the ship shown in the game’s N7 Day trailer is an ark carrying humanity, possibly out of the galaxy, to escape the devastation of the genocidal Reaper War that concluded in Mass Effect 3.

The trailer also left a pair of dog tags sitting in the cockpit of the ship with the name “Ryder” on them. At the same time, Johnny Cash’s “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” was used during the game’s E3 trailer. Two “Rider” references over the course of two trailers is likely not a coincidence and sets the stage for a male or female Ryder to be the main protagonist Mass Effect: Andromeda.

What do you think of Mass Effect: Andromeda‘s early 2017 release and design goals? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image via BioWare]