Mass Effect 4 Merch Got Fans Talking About Shepard's Return, But It Wasn't To Be

A piece of Mass Effect 4 merch recently got fans talking about the possibility of Commander Shepard's return. But even if a Bioware dev was quick to put the rumors down, people weren't exactly taking his word for it.

(Photo : Steam )
Screencap from Mass Effect 2 Steam page

Kotaku reports that the aforementioned merch is a $45 lithograph of the same official teaser poster that Bioware released during N7 Day 2021. If you're an avid Mass Effect fan, you've likely already seen the poster featuring what looks to be four characters (one is obviously a Krogan) departing a ship that resembles the Normandy, on their way to a Geth-shaped crater.

If you haven't seen the poster, here it is:

We have another #N7Day surprise for you from the team working on the next Mass Effect. 👀

Thank you all for being the best fans in the world! pic.twitter.com/kUwASGJhcx
— Mass Effect (@masseffect) November 7, 2021

According to eagle-eyed YouTuber MrHulthen (who covers Mass Effect on his channel), the description of the lithograph mentioned Shepard as one of the survivors of the end of the Reapers. Here is his video on the subject (be sure to start from the 1:00 mark: However, the description was quickly altered, with any mention of Shepard removed. To this, Mass Effect project director Mike Gamble replied that the inclusion of the iconic character's name in the lithograph's description was a mistake. But even then, some people weren't too convinced, with them basically implying in their replies that Gamble was lying through his teeth:

Yeah, that was a mistake. Fixed.
— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) May 10, 2022

Either way, the lithograph is still up for sale on Bioware's website if you'd like to get your own to hang on your wall. The game still doesn't have a release date or even a vague release window, and every single detail about it so far is only revealed in the teaser trailer and poster as shared above.

But one thing is for certain: the next chapter of Bioware's acclaimed space opera is coming, and it's got fans hoping for a massive return to form for the franchise - as well as a continuation of the success they had with the Legendary Edition's release.

Why Shepard Could Still Make A Return - And Why That Is Problematic

Mass Effect 4 (or 5 if you count Andromeda as a numbered release) is coming, and there's still actually a chance that Commander Shepard could return. That is, if you believe all the conversation surrounding one of the endings to Mass Effect 3.

In the third game, the Destroy ending had you, as Shepard, choosing to destroy all synthetic life in the galaxy. That includes both the Reapers, the Geth, and even EDI (poor Joker). There are numerous discussions, according to GameRant, that point to Bioware making the Destroy ending a canon one.

Shepard's return is only possible with the Destroy ending, albeit if you did everything during the entire trilogy - all the side quests, all the collectibles, everything. This gives you with enough military assets to actually help Shepard survive, punctuated with a short ending cutscene where the Commander takes a breath amidst the rubble.

But then again, this is problematic to those whose headcanon is either of the other three endings: Control, Synthesis, or Refusal. And the biggest thing about the entire Mass Effect franchise is that you get to define your own story. Making the Destroy ending canon will uproot everything Bioware ever intended, and it won't make much sense.

As such, Mass Effect 4 should have what the OG trilogy had: importing save files from previous games just so your playthrough of the new game will be altered by the past choices you made.