Mass Effect Andromeda will be released in early 2017, developer BioWare and publisher EA announced today.
In an update on the official Mass Effect website, BioWare general manager Aaryn Flynn said the studio is confident the game is going in the right direction but the development team needs “the right amount of time to make sure we deliver everything the game can be and should be”. As such, it will be released early next year.
This was already widely expected, as EA has already stated the game would be released on or before March 31st, 2017 but now we have actual confirmation that we won’t see it this year.
Leaked gameplay and surveys have given us some idea of what to expect from the game, which follows the story of a colonization effort in the Andromeda galaxy if the leaks are to be believed.
BioWare added that the game will offer:
• 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.
Flynn concluded by noting that BioWare will be at EA’s E3 press event with an update on the game. Hopefully, this will take the form of gameplay footage.