Mass Effect 4 might not relate to Shepard "at all", says BioWare

As long as Jennifer Hale dubs female main character and you have badass squadmates I'm good. lol

Man, I just got a great too-late idea for the original series while on the can just now. What if in Mass Effect 3 (minor spoiler) instead of automatically starting as an Alliance soldier fighting Cerberus you were either an Alliance soldier fighting Cerberus OR -- stick with me, here it comes -- a Cerberus soldier fighting Alliance depending on your decisions in previous games?

You know what? I'm not going to keep going on because I haven't finished ME3 yet. I shouldn't even be reading this or I'm going to get something spoiled.

No,it should not relate to shepard. Start a fresh new trilogy with equally awesome story and characters. Otherwise entire series will become stale and repetitive.

Shepard is MassEffect !

I think it should also relate to Shepard to a level, like it can be a new generation with little hints about Shepard and his old squad or it can even be Shepard's son or daughter or something like that, but I think its a bad idea to completely cut him off. (your going to have a lot of angry people off of that)

it certainly ought 2 relate to shepard in my opinion.

Well...his story was different, his looks, gender, etc. were different based on who played the game right? Granted it all funneled into the same drain but the journey getting there was what was so fun about the game. We get to start a new ME story from the beginning...which is cool.

Good. I don't want more Shepard in any way.

Although I could always use more Garrus or Tali, I'm all for a brand new setting

In that case I doubt I'll be interested in playing the next Mass Effect game "at all". (and yes I'm one of those oh-so horrible people who happens to dislike the trilogy's ending and all its 3 colored artistic glory)

Bioware already told everyone there wont be a "Shepard 2", but probably the only think that was keeping my interest in future games is cameos relating to the first trilogy we've all come to know and love. And possibly references to whatever choices we made if applicable to the point and time of the next game.

But forgetting like the entire first trilogy ever happened "at all, whatsoever"? No thanks. I understand why they'd want to sweep everything under the rug and that it might get ppl who didnt like the ending to continue playing without being reminded of it, but to me, ignoring all the events that made us like Mass Effect in the first place just pushes hard core fans away even more.

Okay Bio Ware, As a fan of the Mass Effect series I have to say that I have mixed feelings on the direction you're taking with Mass Effect 4. You say that the next game will not be mentioning Shepard or Shepard's crew at all. They all have an important role within the Mass Effect history and if you are planning the next sequel to this series they have to be mentioned in some way shape or form. Also after playing the series countless times I realized that the only character who's fate remained stable is Dr. Liara T'Soni. This to me hinted that she would play an important role the the next game. With her thousand year life span the the fact that she mind meld with Shepard multiple times with and without being in a relationship. She and or child, would have to at least be present in Mass Effect 4 for it to not feel like some kind of spinoff. In closing please understand that I have no problem with any of the four endings of Mass Effect 3. All Characters and there stories do eventually have to come to an end. All I ask is that you be mindful of the massive effect and the turning points that these characters have and played on there galaxy and there worlds histories. I look forward to seeing what Bio Ware comes up with next and thank you all the emotional hours I've had with this awesome series.

If it's a prequel then my money isn't going to EAware. Prequel would ruin it for me considering I actually delve into the lore about the series and know what happens already...

I don't care for the new Mass Effect if it's not gonna be related to the trilogy i don't care and for the new Dragon Age cos that arrogant B... Casey is in the team

just make more scripted event (EXPLOSION, wall crumbling etc) like other CoD clone... chough*bf*cough

They better have a bad ass story for this game!!!

Too bad this game can't be about another cycle, rachni war or origins of genophage, because marketing people beleive that game has to involve humans

How is this new information?

This truly is mind boggling...

Now - I thought the ending cut-scenes in ME3 were "presented" in a poor cookie cutter fashion. However I think they were on the right track. Only deal with the immediate aftermath of the decisions you made, and leave the future fate of the galaxy to be exposed in the next series. Despite the poor presentation, you've hit so high in all other areas of the story, all was not lost...

Until now....

If things stand, you've (Bioware/EA) f^&$'d up the impact of future installments - twice. First you succumb to all the winy dufus' who wanted you to give away the inevitable premise of the next arc, by providing new cut scenes. Now you decide to ditch that premise all together for some irrelevant prequel, or some story that takes place in another "cosmos". Either decision frankly, is stupid. How does handling the series from either angle provide the best quality product to your fanbase? How does this do so over following up on a highly enthralling and established storyline, that still has so many mysteries that could be further elaborated in a future setting?

People let's re-focus. Let's do so by legitimizing the limited details provided at the end of ME3 by answering those questions over the next series of titles - while presenting new characters threats, gameplay etc. Doing otherwise only renders the experience in the first three games pointless. It also makes true the once ridiculous claims of the dufus' mentioned above, for we all would have been jipped out of a reasonable conclusion to the story presented in the first three games.

Lastly - learn from your peers. That entirely new premise in Bioshock Infinite didn't do wonders for Irrational Games now - did it?...

Frankly, I think it is a good idea for ME4 to not have a connection to the past Mass Effects and not relate to Shepard. Gives the fanbase a chance to move on from that horrible ending and get a fresh start.

oh... I sick of it that the only thing we know that Shepard will not be in the new ME. WE GOT IT, OK!!? I don't know why they so affraid to put some hints about Shepard in the new game. It would be so nostalgic to hear about some of the characters or see them for a short scene in the new game, don't you think?

And if they don't want to mention Shepard in the new game it must be a prequel. I think its pretty obvious (or some kind of parallel universe thing).

Anyway... we want some useful info about a new game.

New characters across the board would be good.

The 1st way of doing that is to get people to stop calling the next game Mass Effect 4.

As long as it is better than 3 I'm happy, 2 was the high point of the trilogy. Just don't force in the previous cast for no reason.

Just no prequel please.

<< LINK REMOVED >> No thanks, I'm not on board with your idea.

I played ME3 on my Xbox 360. When I found out I had to buy a gold subscription to get the good ending I was pissed!

ok good bioware, you ended the Shepard trilogy in a questionable way.

learn from your mistakes, listen to the players, do not put all your efforts in the multilayer mode, we want a good story, strong and memorable characters, good customization, NO PREQUEL and few more things...and maybe I will buy the future Mass Effect after my extended demo trial ( I bought 2 out of 3 of the mass effect game...guess witch one I didn't buy? )

its good i used mod ending and i don't need them to push it in my face that in reality shep died and my crew left me liek f pussys

I hate waiting for games to be developed !!! I miss the old days when I didn't have the internet to be informed about everything and I would just go to my local gaming store every week and see what new game came out that week.Now I have to live with the burden of knowing about it and I can't play it for at least 2 more years ...

Got the trilogy to hold me over until GTA came out. Loved the first two with a bloody passion and from what I played of 3 (just got to the Quarians with Tali being my love) 3 seems to be the best in the series.

I'm just dreading the ending. I don't know much about it, only that it sucks HARD and that I'll most likely hate it. It's cool though, just gives me one more reason to hate EA for ruining another great franchise.

Kinda want to read this article but I know everything will be spoiled with the first sentence I read

Just make it as epic as the others......