The release of the rumoured Mass Effect trilogy remaster was scheduled for October but "could start to slip"
“I know it's real."
The highly-anticipated remake of BioWare's celebrated sci-fi trilogy, Mass Effect, was expected to release in October 2020, new sources claim.
Now, however, delays thought to be connected to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic might have scuppered publisher EA's plans, pushing the release back, but a source that claims to have intel on the project insists "I know it's real".
"Up until, like, this last week, I know the plan for sure was to announce it in early October, release in later in October. So good news," revealed GamesBeat journalist Jeff Grubb on a recent podcast (thanks, VGC). "Maybe bad news - it's 2020 - maybe that could start to slip, it sounds like maybe that's a possibility, nothing for sure yet."
"I know it's real," he later insisted. "I've seen more than enough evidence to know it's real, but it's still 2020 and they haven't announced it yet."
"I think [EA] were planning to have this Mass Effect trilogy be the other big thing [other than Star Wars Squadrons] for $60 this holiday, so that's why I'm still pretty confident it will make it out," Grubb added, "but with everything else falling apart, like across the board, I could see them also wanting to just delay. But that's not for sure - that's not a guarantee yet - like, that hasn't even been decided yet. It just seems like it's a possibility that's on the table but last I heard, October - October for both."
Interestingly, Grubb also advised fans to expect an upgraded version rather than full remakes of the sci-fi adventures.
"I don't know that for sure, I would probably lean towards upgrade. I think when I asked around about this, that was kind of the vibe I was getting, and I think that's what people should expect for sure."
Rumours of a remaster were further stoked when an Art of the Mass Effect Trilogy: Expanded Edition book popped up for pre-order last month. Sporting a 23rd February 2021 release date, this new book includes hundreds of never-before-seen works of art, according to its description on the likes of Amazon and elsewhere.