As it turns out, yesterday’s Mass Effect 3 seemingly spelled the end for the space-faring protagonist, with Shepard's ultimate fate being one of the many divisive elements of Mass Effect 3’s controversial ending.
Naturally, when BioWare announced that it was developing the long-awaited Mass Effect 4 during The Game Awards 2020 livestream, some fans started to speculate whether or not Shepard could return in this new adventure. Nearly two years later, fans were greeted with an apparent hint that Shepard could return in the form of a lithograph of the Mass Effect N7 Day 2021 poster that is currently for sale at the BioWare Gear merchandise website. The product description for this Mass Effect lithograph briefly read that “Shepard and the survivors are left to pick up the pieces” as fans wondered what will come next in the beloved Mass Effect franchise, and while this text was later edited to remove the mention of Shepard, many took it as a sign that the Commander of the Normandy might be reporting for duty in Mass Effect 4 after all.
Unfortunately for those hoping to see Commander Shepard in the next Mass Effect game, it seems that this was simply a mistake. Mass Effect 4 project director the Mass Effect storyline, hence the erroneous listing that implied that Shepard could return. Of course, Michael Gamble’s explanation also doesn’t rule out the possibility that Shepard could come back in Mass Effect 4, but the product description for the N7 Day 2021 poster lithograph was never meant to tease any new information about the game.
Fans aren’t the only ones hoping that Commander Shepard could return following their seemingly final fate in Mass Effect 3, as Jenifer Hale, the fan-favorite voice of the Female Shepard, recently expressed a desire to reprise her legendary role in Mass Effect 4 - and possibly share a few onscreen romances with squates like Jack and Tali. It has already been confirmed that Mass Effect 4 will see the return of the equally popular Mass Effect squate Liara T’Soni, hinting that Shepard’s actions thorough the first three Mass Effect games will have some bearing on the plot even if the great Commander doesn't appear.
It could still be quite some time before fans get more official information about the next Mass Effect game, as BioWare is said to be focusing on Dragon Age 4 - which is simply in its production phase at the moment. While the implication that Commander Shepard might be coming back in Mass Effect 4 may have excited some fans, it was simply a mistake on the part of BioWare employees that aren’t as well-versed in the lore of the Mass Effect series.
Source: Michael Gamble/Twitter (via PC Gamer)