Looks like Mass Effect: Andromeda's next Commander has a name

BioWare may have already revealed the name of the protagonist in Mass Effect: Andromeda, having hidden clues in plain sight. As rabid fans are wont to do, followers of the Mass Effect franchise have picked apart the latest teaser for Andromeda, and in so doing have found one particularly compelling piece of evidence: military dog tags with a name inscribed in them.

Having trouble spotting them? They're waaaaay into the far left corner there. Here's a zoomed-in picture to help you out.

Redditors are saying that the tags read "Rider/Ryder" (even zoomed in, it's hard to tell), which would make a lot of sense. Commander Shepard was so named to honor Alan Shepard, the first American man in space, whereas Sally Ride was the first American woman in space. Plus, BioWare Montreal studio director Yanick Roy said in July that there were "very good reasons" for the studio using Johnny Cash's "Ghost Riders in The Sky" as the tune in Andromeda's reveal trailer. If the hero's name is Rider and they're a Spectre, that'd fit quite nicely. As for whether or not they're actually a Commander, it's currently unknown. But come on, "Commander Rider" just rolls off the tongue so nicely.

It's also a lot better name than what I thought it'd be based on the face I thought I saw behind the helmet…

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.