BioWare is ready to launch Dragon Age: Veiled Keeper on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X on October 31st. Prior to release, the game’s preference for cartoonish character designs had been divisive among fans. BioWare has now commented on the visual style of the next Mass Effect game the studio is currently developing. As opposed to Dragon Age: Veiled Keeper, the sci-fi RPG will follow a more “realistic” and mature visual style and tone.
“Mass Effect 5” art style will be “mature”
Project director and executive producer Michael Gamble has given an update on the art style of the next Mass Effect game. In comments posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Gamble said the approach to making the next Mass Effect will be different from Dragon Age.
“Now that the Veilguard review is out and October 31st is almost here, a lot of people have been asking me about Mass Effect,” Gamble said. “Both come from studios, but Mass Effect is Mass Effect. The way you bring a sci-fi RPG to life is different than other genres or IPs… and there has to be a different kind of love,” he added.
Now that the Veilguard review is out and October 31st is approaching, a lot of people have been asking me about Mass Effect.
Both come from the studio, but Mass Effect is Mass Effect. How to bring a sci-fi RPG to life is different from other genres or IPs… and there has to be a different kind of love.
— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) October 28, 2024
In a reply to the post, Gamble confirmed that the Mass Effect game in development will feature a more realistic and grounded visual style and theme.
“On the tone issue: Mass Effect will maintain the mature tone of the original trilogy. That’s what I’m saying right now,” he said.
Gamble, who is leading the team on the next Mass Effect game, also spoke about comments about characters in Dragon Age: Veiled Keeper, evoking the Pixar aesthetic. The RPG’s character art style differs from previous Dragon Age games, which had a grittier visual style. Gamble says the next Mass Effect game won’t abandon realism. “I’m not sure I agree with what Pixar is doing, but Mass Effect is realistic and as long as I run it, it will be,” he said.
The next chapter in the Mass Effect series was revealed via a trailer at the 2020 Game Awards. Mass Effect 5 has yet to receive an official title or release date. The last game in the series was Mass Effect: Andromeda, released in 2017 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
