The long in-development Mass Effect TV show is still moving forward at Amazon Prime, and now, thanks to an N7 Day blog from BioWare, we have at least a few details of what we might be able to expect from the planned streaming series.
As it turns out, the story of the show will be set after the events of the Mass Effect games and won't attempt to adapt the story of Commander Shepard and the crew of the Normandy, instead focusing on a new story and new characters.
"Beyond the next game, there's more to get excited about. I haven't talked about it much, but you might have heard a little something about a TV series?" reads the blog, written by Mass Effect executive producer Mike Gamble. "We've been partnering closely with Amazon on it, and we're really excited with what the talented team over there is coming up with."
"The writers room is going strong, and we've got a lot figured out about how it fits within the Mass Effect canon, and where it sits in respect to the new game," the blog continues. "The show will explore a brand-new story within the universe's timeline, and will be set after the original trilogy. It won't be a retread of Commander Shepard's story – because after all … that's YOUR story, isn't it?"
Indeed, it makes perfect sense to move away from Shepard as a lead character for the show. One of the biggest potential controversies around the Mass Effect show is whether it would feature Shepard in the lead, as the video game character has no default gender or appearance, with players customizing the hero to their liking. Establishing an actual core Shepard through a TV show would clash with that idea, as Gamble points out.
At the same time, BioWare has offered an update on the next Mass Effect game, which is currently in the works, promising fans that it will live up to their expectations of what a Mass Effect game should be.
There's no release window for the Mass Effect show yet. While we wait, check out our picks for the best video game movies of all time.
