Mass Effect 5 is currently under wraps, but a message from BioWare to celebrate N7 Day might be secretly hinting at the direction of the next game. Mass Effect fans have been eagerly awaiting any news about the sequel. So far, we’ve only really gotten a trailer indicating the return of fan-favorite supporting character Liara, as well as a broad promise that the game is currently in development.
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This year’s N7 Day saw BioWare post a new message to the community, confirming the game’s status. Despite fears that it would be cancelled in light of the acquisition of EA by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. BioWare has confirmed that Mass Effect 5 and the TV show based on the series are both in active development. While there are no overt clues to the shape of the next game, a hidden code in the post can lead readers to a 2012 post that could offer some cryptic hints about Mass Effect 5.
UPDATE: BioWare’s Mike Gamble has revealed artwork for the Krogan Civil War, though he didn’t elaborate on what it would mean for Mass Effect 5. Original article continues after the X post below.
The Secret URL Code In Mass Effect 5’s N7 Message
With Mass Effect fans still on the edge of their seats, wondering what will come next for the sci-fi franchise, a hidden URL in the latest N7 Day message hints at certain elements from Mass Effect 3 playing a bigger role in the game’s future. As presented by BioWare, the N7 Day blog post for 2025 hints at the current state of the series.
The post confirms that the game is in active development, and that it is the exclusive focus of BioWare at the time being. The team is also working with Amazon MGM Studios on a TV adaptation of the video game series, confirming that the show will be set after the events of the game trilogy and will tell an original story.
However, the post ends with a note swearing that there is no secret game information hidden in the article. This is a fake-out, as a number of letters throughout the article are actually italicized. When combined, the letters form the phrase “URL Krogan N7.” Combining this was the standard BioWare blog URL links to a prior BioWare post from 2012.
The post celebrates the very first N7 Challenge Weekend, “Operation: Goliath.” At the time, the post informed gamers that the Citadel Allied Command seeks to bring down Reaper ground forces by targeting Turian/Krogan hybrids dubbed “Brutes.” The idea was that players in the multiplayer mode as a whole could target Brutes during gameplay, with all N7 squads rewarded with a unique victory pack for their success. It’s unclear exactly what this means, but it feels far too specific to be an accident.
What Could The N7 Message Mean
There are multiple possible solutions to the question raised about the N7 message from BioWare, each of which offers potentially exciting developments for the shape of Mass Effect 5. The choice of Krogan in that clue could hint at the importance of the alien race in the next Mass Effect. The Krogan had been rendered almost extinct in the franchise, but Mass Effect 3 gave the players the chance to save — or doom — the species once and for all. It’s possible that Mass Effect 5 will deal with the fallout of that decision and establish the future of the species. It could even be setting them up as a new danger to confront, something that was an in-universe fear for several characters.
The focus on the Turina/Krogan hybrids could be another clue. If the Krogan virus isn’t cured in the canon game future, then they may turn to similar fusions of genetic make-ups to stave off extinction. This could even see them take control of Reaper technology to create new creatures, which could either position the Krogan as the next big bads of the game or the unwitting instigators of a crisis. This could also be a hint that those fusions of different species will play a big part in the game, suggesting that the creations of the Reapers are still a threat even if their creators have been dealt with.
The multiplayer angle could also be a clue that the next Mass Effect game will include more multiplayer gameplay, similar to Mass Effect 3. The focus on squad goals amidst overwhelming odds could be a hint that players will form squads with other players, potentially shifting the single-player experience into a wider multiplayer space. It’s even possible that this post hints that Mass Effect 5 will be more inclusive towards specific challenge modes and markers, potentially pointing towards a live-service model that could send out more new threats and challenges on the regular.
As of this writing, there’s no way to know for sure what the intent behind the N7 Day code is or why exactly it’s referencing Mass Effect 3. It could even just be a fun throwback to the earlier days of the series. However, Mass Effect fans will take breadcrumbs where they can find them if it means clueing us in on the long-awaited sequel — and the idea that the game is looking to expand on the multiplayer elements, the Krogan, or Reapers create plenty of exciting possibilities for fans to obsess over.
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