The announcement of theMass Effect: Legendary Edition, a remaster of the entireMass Effecttrilogy, won’t be a surprise to most fans. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t any less anticipated, of course.Mass Effectfans across all platforms will be anxiously awaiting the bundle’s release in spring 2021. In an unfortunate turn, however, it seems thatMass Effect: Legendary Editionwon’t be directly released on either PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.
To be clear,Mass Effect: Legendary Editionwill be playable on both PS5 and Xbox Series X. It just won’t be released specifically for each platform. There will be no PS5 or Xbox Series X box forMass Effect: Legendary Editionon store shelves. Rather,PS5 and Xbox Series X ownerswill have to purchase the previous generation console’s version of the game. It will then work on next-generation consoles via forward compatibility. It’s an odd decision from BioWare and Electronic Arts, to say the least.
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While neither a PS5 nor an Xbox Series X version of theMass Effect: Legendary Editionwill be released,BioWareis still going to make an extra effort for the two platforms. Instead of an official PS5 or Xbox Series X version, BioWare says that it’s working on “targeted enhancements” for next-gen consoles. No details were provided regarding the nature of these targeted enhancements. All BioWare is willing to say is that more information will come in 2021.
What is confirmed is thatMass Effect: Legendary Editionis going to be optimized for 4K Ultra HD even before BioWare adds its targeted enhancements. Also confirmed are faster framerates and other visual enhancements. TheMass Effecttrilogywill never have looked so good as it does when it’s eventually released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
That’s also why it’s somewhat worrying, or even frustrating, thatMass Effect: Legendary Editionis being developed specifically for next-gen platforms. These games are going to be significantly improved for current-gen platforms, but fans will always question just what might have been possible if they’d been developed with next-gen platforms in mind.Demon’s Soulsfor PS5comes to mind, as doesUbisoft’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timeremake.
Regardless of the final product and regardless of how well BioWare is able to optimizeMass Effect: Legendary Editionfor next-gen consoles via a patch, the announcement is still exciting news. A new generation of video game fans will be able to experience theMass Effecttrilogy for the first time.Old fans ofMass Effectwill be able to revisit one of their favorite franchises all over again.
Mass Effect: Legendary Editionreleases spring 2021 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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