GYGO: New Mass Effect, New Consoles, Same Old Ubisoft

Happy Wednesday, gamers! We’re halfway through yet another week in the seemingly endless marathon of 2020. Lately, when I’m not actively fretting about the state of the United States’ democracy, I’ve been working through my backlog, which, I’m excited to report, I may vanquish yet. Last week I finished Tacoma, as well as Going Under, one of my favorite games this year. I’ve also been playing Eliza and Sayonara Wild Hearts.

Though the U.S. election has dominated the news cycle over the past week(s), there has, in fact, also been some game news happening. Here’s what you might have missed last week.

BioWare Announced a New Mass Effect Game, Remastered Trilogy

Rumors have been swirling about a Mass Effect remaster since at least the beginning of 2020, and were recently spurred on when online retailers began listing the games. BioWare officially confirmed an HD remaster of the trilogy over the weekend, which is currently set to release on PC and consoles in spring 2021. BioWare also surprised fans by announcing a veteran team is already working on the franchise’s next installment, though considering Dragon Age fans have been waiting nearly six years for Dragon Age 4, Mass Effect fans may have to wait a while for a brand new game.

The Next Generation of Consoles Has Arrived

…If you were lucky enough to get a preorder, that is. While the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are, at the time of writing, sold out pretty much everywhere, both launch this week. If you’re contemplating a next-gen console but aren’t sure which one, TechRadar has a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses of the PS5 and Series X. Meanwhile, here’s what to know about where to buy a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox Series X. Finally, here are the games that will be available on each console at launch, courtesy of The Verge.

Ubisoft Will Remove Transphobic Journalist from Watch Dogs: Legion

In Watch Dogs: Legion, players can enjoy a variety of in-universe podcasts while driving around dystopian London. Two of these podcasts feature British journalist and noted transphobe Helen Lewis. In a statement this week, Ubisoft announced they will remove this content from the game and apologized to players.

ICYMI

Imane “Pokimane” Anys worked with Stream Labs to create a donation cap of $5 on her Twitch channel.

Square Enix reported a significant operating loss on Marvel’s Avengers.

The Biden campaign made a custom Fortnite map.

Filming of The Witcher season 2 is on hold due to a COVID-19 outbreak on set.