BioWare: Mass Effect 4 not a prequel or a sequel

BioWare is hoping fans don't refer to the next Mass Effect game as Mass Effect 4, as that would suggest it is a prequel or a sequel.

It was announced last year that BioWare Edmonton is working on the next game in the popular franchise, but it was unknown whether it would take place before or after the trilogy.

BioWare community manager, Chris Priestly, suggested the game doesn't have much in common with the Commander Shepard storyline.

"To call the next game Mass Effect 4 or ME4 is doing it a disservice and seems to cause a lot of confusion here," Priestly wrote on the BioWare forum.

"We have already said that the Commander Shepard trilogy is over and that the next game will not feature him/her. That is the only detail you have on the game.

"I see people saying 'well, they'll have to pick a canon ending'. No, because the game does not have to come after. Or before. Or off to the side. Or with characters you know. Or yadda yadda yadda."

BioWare Edmonton boss, Yanick Roy, later confirmed that the next Mass Effect would still include the same history and galaxy from the trilogy.

"What makes it Mass Effect is indeed the alien races, the technology, the lore, history, etc," he said. "You can safely expect those in the next Mass Effect."

The next full Mass Effect game likely won't see the light of day until late 2014 at the earliest, with BioWare currently 'all hands on deck' for Mass Effect 3 DLC.