BioWare Responds To Rumor That Shepard Will Return In Mass Effect 5

BioWare has responded to internet speculation that Commander Shepard will return in the next Mass Effect game, and it sounds like that is not going to be the case.

A poster version of the teaser art for the next Mass Effect game featured on the BioWare Gear Store contained description that read, "Shepard's final quest may have ended the threat of the Reapers but at great cost including Earth itself. While Shepard and the survivors are left to pick up the pieces, fans are left wondering what's next" (via Eurogamer).

On Mass Effect Day in 2021, BioWare released new teaser art for the next Mass Effect game that suggested the Geth will return in the next entry.

The description for the poster of that teaser art kicked off discussion online that the next Mass Effect game could bring back Shepard. The text has since been updated to remove Shepard's name, however, and BioWare's Mike Gamble issued a statement on Twitter. "Yeah, that was a mistake. Fixed," Gamble said.

In another tweet, Gamble said, "The original thing was written by the people who run the store and aren't familiar with the game."

Neither of Gamble's statements, however, mention Shepard by name or confirm that the character will not return in the next Mass Effect game, only that the text of the production description was a mistake.

The new Mass Effect game is one of multiple projects in the works at BioWare, the other big new one (that we know about at least) is Dragon Age 4. The next Mass Effect is in "early" development, and BioWare has told fans that it will be "a while" before the company shares more information.

In other news, EA recently announced that it has four unannounced games in the works, including one "major IP," set for release by early 2023.