In betweenMass EffectandMass Effect 2,BioWare was considering developing a spin-off inspired byStar Wars' Han Solo and his journeys as a smuggler, filling the gap in a large part ofMass Effect’s lorethat many players would love to explore.
In theMass Effecttrilogy,players get to explore and survey tons of planets, visit and coordinate with the ambassadors and leading scientists of alien species, and traverse the grounds of many capital cities around the Milky Way. But one end of the galaxy that the series misses out on are common pedestrian locations like bars, casinos, and citizen streets outside of the capital cities. Players don’t get to see theMass Effectuniverse from the eyes of an average person, let alone someone who largely operates outside of the law.
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But former BioWare development director Dorian Kieken tells TheGamer that the studio had some plans for aMass Effectspin-off game from the perspective of a thief or a smugger, inspired byStar Wars' Han Solo, that would explore these corners of the galaxy. Kieken was BioWare’s fifth-ever employee and, before moving on to co-found Montreal startup AI Redefined, worked on level design, cinematic, and, most notably,Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer.
According to Kieken,BioWare explored the concept of aMass Effectgamein a format similar toStar Controlthat would expand the universe by taking to the alleyways, nightlife districts, high-traffic civilian areas, and middle-of-nowhere pitstops in the Milky Way. Omega, a hub for criminals, informants, and malcontents thanks to the lack of a central government, is one of the only locations inMass Effectthat isn’t filled with those holding status, save for the crime lords.
Kieken and some other BioWare devs were keen on the idea of exploring a more morally ambiguous character rather than the classic lawful good hero. “It’s a bit like exploring theStar Warsuniverse without being a Jedi,” Kieken says, a theme only common in more recent franchise installments, such as those with Rey. “Think of the story freedom you have inTV series likeThe MandalorianorFireflythanks to mercenaries of smuggler character archetypes.”
Though otherMass Effectwriters were interested in the idea as well, the project ultimately fell through due to being too much commitment at the time withMass Effect 2on the table. Still, Kieken hopes to see a game centered around someone like a hired gun at some point in the future.
Mass Effect: Legendary Editionreleases on May 14 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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