Commander Shepard Actor Comments on Possible Mass Effect 4 Return
The question on the mind of every Mass Effect fan ahead of the next Mass Effect game -- tentatively dubbed Mass Effect 4 or Mass Effect 5 depending on who you're asking -- is whether Commander Shepard is returning. The game's first and only trailer seems to tease the return of Commander Shepard, but it's far from definitive. So far, BioWare and EA aren't saying a word about what's going on with Commander Shepard in the new game, leaving fans with speculation and desperate for more information, which is where Jennifer Hale comes into play. For those that don't know: Hale is the acting talent behind the female version of Commander Shepard.
During the British Academy Games Awards, Hale was asked by a fan whether or not Shepard will be in Mass Effect 4. As you would expect, Hale didn't have a ton to say. The question is initially greeted by a laugh before Hales notes "that is up to you guys... let BioWare know what you want. Let them know because I would love it and I think Mark [Meer, the voice of male Commander Shepard] would too."
Unfortunately, this is the extent of the response, and it's a pretty standard response that's been taken two ways. Some have taken it at face value, which is to say they think Hale more or less confirms she's not involved which means Shepard is not involved. Others are curious why Hale doesn't just say she's not involved rather than beat around the brush. In other words, some think Hale is sidestepping an NDA here. Both of these takeaways are reasonable, but for now, they are far from conclusive.
Right now, we know next to nothing about the next Mass Effect game. Teases here and there point towards Commander Shepard, the Geth, both the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies, and more, but none of these teases translate to definitive information.
As always, feel free to share your thoughts and hot-takes in the comments section or, alternatively, hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ and let me know over there. Should BioWare bring back Commander Shepard in the new Mass Effect? If so, how should they do it?