There were many exciting announcements for BioWare fans during The Game Awards 2020 last week. For fans of Mass Effect, a trailer was revealed giving more context as to what can be expected in the ME series' next installment, which was announced last month. However, it is unclear exactly where the new game may fall in the Mass Effect timeline. Looking at some of the details in the trailer may help piece together what could be next for the game's story.
One of the bigger clues for when the new Mass Effect game might take place is near the end of the trailer, when Liara T'Soni is seen crouched in the snow. Liara is roughly 100 years old at the end of Mass Effect 3, which is quite young for an Asari. In the Mass Effect trailer, Liara is much older, her face etched with lines. This indicates quite a lot of time has elapsed since the end of ME3. While it is unclear what Liara's involvement will be in the new game, her age could infer this is a sequel to the first three games. Her presence also ties the newest game to characters from the first three.
Another indicator pointing to the new Mass Effect game taking place after Mass Effect 3 is the item Liara picks up from the snow. The fragment of what appears to be armor is etched with the 'N7' emblem. It is possible this is a piece of Shepard's signature armor from ME3. While there is little information about the game's current story direction, this could indicate players might be following a story exploring what happened after Shepard's potential survival or death in Mass Effect 3, and less on the events of Andromeda.
The New Mass Effect Could Link Mass Effect 3 & Andromeda
The new Mass Effect game could determine Mass Effect 3's true ending as well. In order for this game to be a follow up to ME3, one of the endings from the game would need to be selected to continue the story. It might also be possible this game could be the link between the three more popular titles in the series and Mass Effect: Andromeda. The most recent ME game has was an unfortunate disappointment both in story and gameplay to many series fans, but there are still plenty of players who enjoyed it. However, there is no way to know exactly where the game will fall in the current timeline for Mass Effect until more information is released.
From what can be gathered from the trailer and released teasers regarding the placement of the new Mass Effect title, there is a chance it is both a prequel and a sequel. By slotting the story for the new game in between the events of ME3 and Andromeda, the new installation in the narrative could knit the story back together, and make Andromeda feel less disconnected from the other games. Thanks to the trailer released during The Game Awards, Mass Effect fans have teasers to enjoy while they wait for updates to the new game's development. With luck, more information will be available on the game and its potential release date in the near future.