With N7 day (November 7th) only days away Bioware has released a teaser video that stirs up a bit more intrigue than it really helps to solve and formally invites all players to enroll in the mysterious Andromeda Initiative.
We open up on our most beloved Moon and slowly pan up to Earth, our blue home within the Milky Way. A deep gravely voice starts to speak to us while inspirational music begins to play. The voice speaks to us of the journey of humankind and to the sense of exploration that has been a hallmark of our race….then it starts dropping teasing goodies.
Hearing Voices, But Whose?
Creative Director Mac Walters confirmed via Twitter, that the wise gravely voice we heard is in fact the father of the two new confirmed main characters, the Ryder siblings. As of yet we do not have a confirmed name for the mysterious paternal figure, but it has been previously stated that the Ryder siblings are both going to exist within the same timeline. Meaning when I am running around exploring for the sake of humanity as a bad ass Ryder lady, somewhere my brother will be running around being equally as amazing (because obviously why wouldn’t he).
Who Are These People?
Speaking of the siblings, who are these two figures we get to see? One appears female and the other male (judging by their physiques and size). Could this be them? Walters shut down rapidly appearing questions asking if the woman seen is the mother to the Ryders, but did hint that the identity would be revealed on N7 day. So whether these two are the parents, our new main characters, or someone else entirely remains to be seen.
The Initiative!
As for the actual Initiative itself, the narration hints that this is a group planning to travel beyond the Milky Way itself and likely to our destination the Andromeda galaxy. Father Ryder goes on to inform us that:
“The time has come to prepare ourselves for a future beyond the Milky Way; a future that begins 600 years from where we stand, in a time and a place among unknown stars and unseen dangers, and so we issue this call to the brave…”
Now when this 600 years is placed is not quite clear, is it 600 years after Shepard or is it the 600 needed to travel to Andromeda, but then again if they told us that would hardly count as teasing. On the actual website, where we enlist in the Initiative, we see further information stating that:
“The Andromeda Initiative is currently seeking recruits. Registered recruits will be among the first contacted to receive critical mission information, special training opportunities, and will also be eligible for reward upon program completion. Orientation begins Nov. 7”
After signing up, it seems that players are primed to receive all the latest news from EA regarding ME: Andromeda, including upcoming announcements scheduled for release on N7 Day. Many fans are hoping to get an official release date but the game has already been delayed once before, when it was pushed back to release in early 2017 (supposedly during EA’s fourth fiscal quarter which runs from January through March). Also, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen did state that EA is not afraid to push back that date if it would help to improve the overall quality of the game.
After personally signing up for the Andromeda Initiative newsletter, I will say it is a nice touch to incorporate a newsletter with this sort of lore. It allows us to keep apprised of the news coming out of Bioware and the ME world, whilst simultaneously getting pumped for N7 Day right around the corner.