Mass Effect Fans Divided Over Protagonist Replacing Shepard

The next Mass Effect game, often referred to as Mass Effect 5, is still a long way off. BioWare has only released two short teaser trailers that don’t offer many details about the upcoming RPG, and it’s currently unknown who the player will control. While the teasers suggest it won’t be Commander Shepard, this hasn’t been confirmed. The actor who voiced Shepard has also hinted that they won’t be the main character this time, but hasn’t made a definitive statement. As a result, fans are actively discussing and speculating about who the new protagonist will be. Many Mass Effect fans would love to play as Shepard again, but others are eager to see a fresh start with a new character.

This disagreement is clear on the Mass Effect Reddit page, where a popular post centers around this exact discussion. Opinions are fairly evenly split, with the post featuring an image of the series’ main character and expressing hope that it isn’t Commander Shepard, for several reasons.

“I Really Hope This Is Not Shepard”

The original post expressed hope that Bioware would avoid repeating old storylines. The author believes bringing back Commander Shepard again would be a weak way to revisit the Mass Effect universe. They point out that Shepard’s initial death and return in Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 didn’t feel as impactful as it could have been, and a second resurrection wouldn’t improve things.

Not surprisingly, opinions are mixed. Some people agree with this idea, while others question whether this character is just a placeholder used for initial marketing. However, a lot of comments show that many fans are eager to see the Commander return.

Many fans are hoping Commander Shepard returns as the main character in the next game. One commenter admitted they’d likely receive negative feedback for saying so, but expressed a desire to see Shepard and other original characters return. They felt the previous ending was still unsatisfying, even with the updates, and found it difficult to move on after becoming so invested in the games and characters.

All signs currently suggest Commander Shepard will appear in the new game, but it seems they won’t be the main character. This is based on what we’ve seen in the game’s previews and comments from the actor who played Shepard, who says BioWare hasn’t asked them to return for the role.

It’s likely that no matter what BioWare does with the new game, some fans will be unhappy. The team working on it now isn’t the same one that made the original trilogy, and it’s doubtful they can perfectly recapture that magic. Considering their recent games, it’s uncertain if they’re even capable of creating something at that level anymore. Therefore, it’s probably best if they try something fresh and avoid repeating the mistakes of Andromeda, which is what most people expect them to do.

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2026-04-20 17:14

“I Really Hope This Is Not Shepard”

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