It is pretty obvious that BioWare and EA have a landmark success of video games with the Mass Effect trilogy, which ended with the third game in 2012. Of course, like any great science fiction trilogy (like Star Wars), it simply can't be left alone, which is why there is a follow-up with Mass Effect: Andromeda. Originally, it was thought that the game would be released this year, around the holiday season, but it looks like it won't happen until the beginning of next year.
According to CNET, Mass Effect: Andromeda is not going to be released in 2016, and this comes from EA, the game's publisher. Apparently, at an interview for a recent business summit, EA chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen said that the sequel will be available in "Q4." Most people think that refers to the calendar year for the October through December season, but Jorgensen says that this refers to the fiscal fourth quarter, which stretches from January to March. So it looks like EA has an unconventional definition of Q4, and so this gives Mass Effect: Andromeda a release date of January to March in 2017.
That is a delay from the original planned release date, as there was a display at E3 2015 that showed a release date set for "Holiday 2016," when the follow-up to the successful trilogy was first announced. EA apparently revealed that the 2017 release of Mass Effect could take place on January 28th.
The reason for the delay is kind of unknown, other than what sounds to be some kind of miscommunication on EA's part. Of course, it is quite common for video games to have delays, and an extremely high profile game such as the follow-up to the best-selling Mass Effect series would want as much time as they could to create a game that players will truly praise.
A report from VG 24/7 states that there have been some close-up shots revealed of the main character, who is named Pathfinder. Some have believed that the protagonist will be named Rider, and this character could be named after Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Considering that the original trilogy's protagonist was Shepard, named after the first American man in space, Alan Shepard.
For those that are unfamiliar with Mass Effect, it is considered to be both a critical and commercial success. The games are role-playing third person shooter video games that have a well-told science fiction narrative, and there is much emphasis on character development and choice that determines the final story.
In the original trilogy, Commander Shepard has to save the galaxy from a race of mechanical beings known as the Reapers from conquering the galaxy. Mass Effect: Andromeda takes place in the Andromeda galaxy and will have an entirely new cast of characters. Look for it in Q1 2017, not Q4 of 2016.
