'Mass Effect: Andromeda' news latest: Novel series to arrive as 'Mass Effect' tie-in
In anticipation for "Mass Effect: Andromeda," it appears that there will be a novel series that will help people understand the storyline more and link together the original game trilogy and the upcoming game from BioWare.
According to IGN, the novels will be published by Titan Books and will act as a prequel and sequels to the events that happened throughout the game.
Titan Books wrote a Fiction Rights Guide which states the book series would add to the already thick and intertwined story of the "Mass Effect" saga.
Furthermore, the publishers hope that they can help fans and viewers get answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the game.
With a total of four books slated for the series, the first is entitled "Mass Effect: Andromeda Initiation" which is written by N.K. Jemisin and will be released this August.
Reports reveal that there are still three books to be released after, with release dates of March 2017, September 2017 and March 2018.
As for the game itself, it has been revealed at the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2016 that "Mass Effect: Andromeda" should be available by the first quarter of 2017. As for the plot, game developers revealed that the game will take place over 100 years after "Mass Effect 3" and whatever happened during that game did not affect what is about to take place in "Mass Effect: Andromeda."
It is also important to note that during E3 2016, BioWare revealed Ryder, the game's female protagonist. According to BioWare head Aaryn Flynn, they did this on purpose because in the previous "Mass Effect" games, the male character was the first to be introduced while players only chanced upon the opportunity to use a female player.
The reason behind this is in the market today and how things have changed. Flynn explained, as quoted by EuroGamer: "When we debuted male Shepard back in 2006, 10 years ago, it was a time when we drew inspiration from traditional entertainment marketing So: 'We need a iconic main character. We need an iconic everything else'.
"But I think the whole industry, us included, have moved beyond that. Our games let you choose your main character, I think everyone gets that nowadays. You don't need to see a character to identify with, in the same way you might on a movie poster. People want to create their own characters, customise them, and we're embracing that."
Fans will have to stay tuned for more news and updates on "Mass Effect: Andromeda" and the upcoming book series.