Need for Speed isn’t the only EA franchise that’s eyeing a release next year, now that BioWare has confirmed plans to launch Mass Effect: Andromeda during the early stages of 2017.
That places the long-awaited sci-fi sequel in Q1 of EA’s slate – between January 1 to March 31, 2017 – where it will likely be joined by Titanfall 2 and Obsidian’s South Park: The Fractured But Whole.
Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare, took to the official Mass Effect site to reveal that the creative team requires “the right amount of time” to essentially ensure the sequel is up to snuff.
As we’ve been playing the game at the studio recently, it’s showing us that we’re taking the game in the right direction. But we also know we need the right amount of time to make sure we deliver everything the game can be and should be – that’s our commitment from all of us to all of you. Because of that, Mass Effect: Andromeda will now ship in early 2017.
It’s not strictly speaking a delay, considering that EA has continually alluded to an early 2017 release window when referring to Andromeda, though a slight bump in production means that the sequel will now likely premiere across PC and consoles towards the end of March, 2017.
Offering fans a fleeting teaser of the changes Andromeda will bring to the Mass Effect universe, Flynn’s blog post also listed the new features bound to BioWare’s prize franchise.
- More Freedom: One of our biggest ambitions is to give players an unprecedented level of freedom for a Mass Effect experience –where you’ll go, how you’ll get there, and how you’ll play.
- New Uncharted Worlds: We’re leaving the Milky Way behind and headed to Andromeda, where we’ll meet new allies, confront new enemies, and explore fascinating new worlds.
- The Next Great Mass Effect Experience: Mass Effect: Andromeda will be the first Mass Effect game for today’s consoles and the first built on the Frostbite engine. We’re pushing the technology to deliver visuals, story, and gameplay that have never been done in franchise history.
Mass Effect: Andromeda is slated to arrive for PS4, Xbox One and PC in the early stages of 2017, and fans can expect a new update to land during E3 in June.
