As fans wait for a crumb of news on Mass Effect 5, the game's director has suggested at least one small returning feature will remain in the upcoming sequel.
A small team at BioWare is now in the early stages of work on the next Mass Effect, following the disappointing launch of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the subsequent downsizing of the studio, which included layoffs.
Mass Effect 5 was first announced years ago, of course, via an eye-catching trailer released back in December 2020. But the project has remained very much on the back burner since then, while The Veilguard struggled through its rocky development. Now, it is BioWare's sole focus — but updates on its progress remain few and far between.
This is the background, then, to a fan's plea for confirmation that Mass Effect 5 would once again feature the series' bombastic lens flare. And lo, Mass Effect 5 director Mike Gamble has sought to answer this plea on social media — albeit with a single emoji.
"Mass Effect 5 better stick to tradition and have an excessive amount of lens flare," wrote Mass Effect fan Specre_Gray on social media — to which Gamble responded with an "OK" emoji.
— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) June 1, 2025
Over the years, BioWare has issued repeated teasers, including artwork stuffed full of Easter eggs and secrets hinting at Mass Effect 5's eventual story.
BioWare has suggested that the game will be set hundreds of years after the original Mass Effect trilogy, with a story that spans the events of both the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy featured in the series' fourth main game.
There's no word yet on when Mass Effect is likely to launch, but with production still in its early phases, it seems likely the game is still years away. When it does arrive, however, we at least know that lens flare will be included.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
