It feels like fans have been waiting a long time for a new Mass Effect game. While Mass Effect: Andromeda was released in 2017 – and the gap between some entries in other franchises is much larger – some players just want to get back to Shepard's Milky Way, which they haven't been able to visit since Mass Effect 3's release in 2012. With Mass Effect 4 on the horizon, many are hoping for a return to a Milky Way focus, but it remains to be seen where or even when the next Mass Effect game will take place.
Mass Effect: Andromeda was a slightly controversial entry into the franchise for some, with a brand-new location, a new major threat, and an original protagonist to help steer the series in a different direction after the original trilogy concluded. The new main character Ryder wasn't to everyone's taste, but they still have a significant place in the Mass Effect canon, and many are wondering if they'll also have a role to play in the upcoming Mass Effect 4.
The Rise Of Ryder In Andromeda
After the various endings in Mass Effect 3 either led to the definite death (or in one case, the possible death) of Shepard, the next game needed a new main character. With the Milky Way in disorder after the Reaper invasion, it made sense to translocate the action to another galaxy altogether and start afresh. This wiped the slate clean in lots of ways but also allowed BioWare to include so many familiar elements like Milky Way races, weapons, and technologies. However, establishing a new protagonist that was going to have the same weight and impact as Shepard was a very tall order, and some don't think Ryder quite managed to fill that gap.
Ryder was quite a big step away from Shepard, but they really needed to be if they were going to lead a completely different kind of story. Mass Effect: Andromeda was about establishing a new home, striking out into unfamiliar territory, and learning how to deal with the unexpected challenges that arose. Ryder was young, untested, and eager in direct contrast to Shepard's battle-hardened demeanor. Some players never warmed to Ryder the way they did to Shepard, but others found their naivety charming and refreshing.
Existing Alongside Shepard
Ryder's position in Mass Effect: Andromeda was naturally complicated by comparisons to Shepard, even if they never existed in the same game. Shepard was a memorable character and was a fan-favorite for many, so Ryder really had their work cut out if they wanted to compete. But Mass Effect: Andromeda had its issues aside from its characters, with a buggy release and other disappointments that damaged the reception from players and didn't really help Ryder's case. Some may not want the Pathfinder to make a return in Mass Effect 4 at all, but BioWare's conscious inclusion of both the Milky Way and Andromeda in promotional material seems to suggest that they might.
There's still a debate about whether Shepard will appear in Mass Effect 4, or whether they even should. Some feel like the franchise is ready to move on, and that either a playable Shepard or an NPC version would derail Mass Effect 4. Others think that the game may need the Commander to tie it together with the previous entries and keep the game grounded in the Mass Effect story that so many players came to love. If Mass Effect 4 takes place in the Milky Way, it will undoubtedly make some kind of acknowledgment of Shepard and their role in the Reaper invasion, but it remains to be seen how large a part they will have in the next game.
Complications For Mass Effect 4
At this point, Mass Effect 4 is still very much a mystery. Since it was first announced, there hasn't been a whole lot for fans to go on and BioWare has been keeping its cards fairly close to its chest. After Mass Effect: Andromeda's less-than-ideal release, the developer may be pursuing more of a cautious course for Mass Effect 4, determined to deliver what fans want and do justice to the franchise at the same time. There's a lot of speculation about how both galaxies could feature, how the Andromeda Initiative's 600-year journey could be incorporated, and who will be returning.
Some think there are strong indications that BioWare will make the Destroy ending canon, which not only has significant implications for the galaxy, but also for Shepard. There's a slim chance that Shepard could have survived, so they could possibly make an appearance. However, in order to include Andromeda Galaxy, there probably needs to be a significant time gap, which means Shepard's chances of retuning are almost non-existent unless there was a way to harness left behind Reaper technology to either prolong life or resurrect the Commander.
The Andromeda residents would still need a way to make it across to the Milky Way as well if that's where the action is taking place, so there are still lots of question marks around Mass Effect 4 and its storyline. Technicalities aside, Shepard and Ryder's relationship still needs to be addressed. Even in their own game, Ryder was very much in Shepard's shadow. If Shepard returns in some capacity alongside Ryder, that seems to negate the necessity of the Pathfinder completely. There's also the question of what Ryder's actual role would be with a return to the Milky Way, although with the decimation of Earth in Mass Effect 3, humanity may very well need to find a new home after all - something that would suit Ryder's skillset.
Still, when it comes to heroes for humanity, Shepard really has Ryder beat. It also seems incredibly likely that if Shepard isn't going to front the new game then Mass Effect 4 will have its own new protagonist, which also further complicates Ryder's position. While Andromeda will feature in some way in Mass Effect 4, this isn't a guarantee that Ryder or any of their crew will also be returning. It might simply be that some anagra made the journey across to the Milky Way (as suggested in concept art for Mass Effect 4), or the antagonistic kett might rear their ugly heads once more. But some players feel that Ryder should at least get a mention, even if they've become slightly irrelevant in the overarching narrative.
Mass Effect 4 is in development.