"Mass Effect" fans have been waiting for some major reveal regarding “Mass Effect: Andromeda,” but until now nothing has been released save for a few details.
BioWare released the game's newest trailer in the recent N7 celebration. By watching it, it appeared that some fans have discovered the new commander's possible name.
As pointed out by Eurogamer, a reddit user named Benelioto noticed some distinct detail at the 0:44 mark of the video: a dogtag on the far left side of the screen which has a name on it, “Ryder.”
The dogtag is seen on the dashboard of the ship as it faces Earth, before heading out to the Andromeda galaxy. On the right is a photo featuring an adult human with arms around children.
Reddit user Benelioto theorized that the name “Ryder,” or “Rider,” could be a reference to Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. This speculation follows how the game's first hero was named: Commander Shepard was named after Alan Shepard, the first American man in space.
This theory is further supported by the “Mass Effect: Andromeda” announcement trailer released in E3, which had Johnny Cash's “Ghost Riders in the Sky” for its background music. Gamespot reported that a reddit user named The_Iceman2288 pointed out that “ghost” is another word for “spectre,” a type of agent in Mass Effect that is tasked with keeping galactic stability. Shepard is a spectre himself.
A fan asked BioWare Montreal's Yanick Roy if they could substitute another song that would fit Mass Effect better. Roy responded in a tweet, saying "No, sorry, because there are very good reasons for that choice of song for the trailer that should become clear later on."
“Later on” might mean now, as clues just seem to abound.
In another news, “Andromeda” won't have a first-person multiplayer mode.
Express reported that back in 2010, BioWare developed a first-person shooter, and as “Mass Effect 3” only had a third-person multiplayer, fans were probably hoping that the idea would be used for “Andromeda.”
One fan asked Mass Effect Senior Development Director Chris Wynn regarding a first-person multiplayer, to which he replied that “would be pretty expensive and risky.” This rules out any possibilities regarding the matter, however only for the upcoming installment alone. Future sequels might have it.
“Andromeda” will be set in galaxies farther than earlier installments, and will introduce new characters. Gamespot added that there won't be any familiar faces this time, including Shepard.
“Mass Effect: Andromeda” will be released 2016.
