A day to reflect
N7 Day, always on November 7, is the annual celebration of BioWare’s space operaMass Effect. Like the game it honors, N7 Day represents hope.Mass Effecthas always had underlying themes of hope and ambition in the face of seemingly-insurmountable odds; N7 Day has always been about the hopes and ambitions of whateverMass Effectgame is next.
Not this year, though. This, the 10th N7 Day, is the saddest N7 Day. It’s more of a memorial service than anything. We attempt to rememberMass Effectat its best rather thanhow it left us.
To commemorate the day, BioWare has releasedtwo new multiplayer characters, producedthis retrospective video, and hired six Twitch personalities to stream the games. For the first time in 10 years, there’s nothing to look forward to. For the first time in 10 years, there is no hope.
That’s becauseAndromeda‘stroubled developmentand tepid reception led to publisher EAshelving the seriesfor the foreseeable future. This particular N7 Day is a stark reminder that there’s nothing next forMass Effect— at least not soon. There isn’t any weird concept art or screenshots or teasers or anything to be excited about.Mass Effectand N7 Day live in the past now.
So take this N7 Day to reflect on all the good times and all the exhilarating times. Remember your Shepard and maybe even your Ryder. RememberMass Effect 2‘s suicide mission. Remember how neat it felt to explore unknown planets. Remember how damn much you loved everyone in your crew.
And hold out hope thatMass Effecteventually comes back stronger than ever.
