Will Commander Shepard return in next Mass Effect? FemShep hasn’t received the call
EAWhile odds of Commander Shepard returning in EA’s next Mass Effect game were slim already, FemShep herself, Jennifer Hale, informed us she hasn’t “heard from anyone” regarding the follow-up, all but shutting the door on the theory.
Note: Spoilers for the original Mass Effect trilogy to follow.
When BioWare’s epic conclusion to its must-play sci-fi series hit store shelves in 2012, its climax was certainly controversial. With multiple disparate story paths converging in just a handful of ways, some less satisfying than others, the highly-anticipated endpoint didn’t go down smoothly at first.
Though one ending sequence in particular, an exceedingly elusive one at that, teased a possibility of more to come. In a blink-and-you-’ll-miss-it moment, we see Commander Shepard breathe again, having saved the galaxy from the Reaper threat once and for all. Or so we thought.
Five years flew by before Mass Effect: Andromeda came and went with a whimper, but now a proper follow-up is in the works. One that’s been teased for four years already, but one that seemingly follows the events of the original trilogy, given the “Mass Effect will continue” promotional material. But will the series continue with the same faces leading the story once again?
Going straight to FemShep herself, we recently sat down with legendary video game voice actor Jennifer Hale, discussing a variety of her most popular roles, chief among them being the female lead in Mass Effect. If the franchise is bringing back its cover star, it appears to be doing so without the original cast, as Hale assured she’s had no discussions with the team at EA.
“I don’t think I can get in trouble because I honestly don’t know anything,” Hale said when pressed on the topic of the next Mass Effect game.
“I would love to come back, I would come back in a hot second… But I haven’t heard from anyone yet.”
While no doubt bound by all manner of NDAs, and no doubt legally unable to confirm her return if involved, Hale appeared genuine in her comments, assuring us multiple times it’s been radio silence from EA.
“Let them know what you want,” she added. “Email BioWare, email EA, start a campaign. I know Mark [Meer] would do it too, I’ll speak for Mark,” Hale said with a laugh, speaking for her male Commander Shepard counterpart.
So for now, while details are scarce on what the next Mass Effect title has in store for fans, it appears a lock that we’ll be traveling the galaxy with a new protagonist.
With concept art and mere seconds of footage being drip-fed on an annual N7-Day basis, we’ll just have to wait and see when EA is ready to properly lift the veil on the future of the series.
