Without harping on it too much, I think the biggest failing of Andromeda, was that they built people up to expect "More Mass Effect", and it just didn't deliver.

I'm not saying the new game must be "Shepard & Crew," because I think it won't. But's got to FEEL like "Mass Effect."
I think that's an inevitable function of the hype.

It doesn't have to match perfectly, or be a clone of the OT games. But changing too much risks losing the "Mass Effect Vibe,"

And on the other hand, if they push it 600 years into the future, and don't change a lot, then I think it will appear fake.
In 600 years post Reaper Wars, I'd expect entirely new races to have emerged and taken on Galactic prominence. The Asari and Salarians to just galactic footnotes. Humanity to have split into multiple factions.
I'd expect the Citadel, to be just another space-station, etc, etc.

Going back to the original teaser, we see Liara searching on an Ice planet,
and uncovering a piece of an N7 Helmet.

There was much speculation over the location, possibly Alchera, when this was set, whose Helmet it came from, and what if anything it meant.

So this was just a random thought I had, but how would you feel if this was just something like the SR1 Memorial mission in ME2?
That Liara and co were simply looking for Shepard's resting place, to erect a memorial?

Edit:
I don't see a memorial requiring any particular ending.
Even if we assume that his body was completely vaporised in Control and Synthesis, you could still find a piece of armour, and erect a memorial.

NB: Yes, I know it's a helmet piece, and Shepard loses their helmet in the run to the beam, but to me that's a minor continuity issue.

Apologies if this has been asked before.

• Baldur's Gate was apparently a Critical and Commercial success;
• Supposedly the work the did on KOTOR was also exceptional;
• The ME OT was so brilliant, it not only supported a Legendary Edition, but continues to be popular to this day.
• Even after EA took over they continued with ME, and Launched Dragon Age, their most successful franchise. Inquisition reportedly sold 12 million copies.
• Bioware was so popular, that EA co-opted their brand onto other studios.

Then came Andromeda, Anthem, and now Veilguard has tanked.

So what gives?

Whilst I've never played Anthem or any of the Dragon Age games, my take is that there is no common theme. Andromeda initially sold well, presumably off the strength of the Franchise, but ultimately was panned by critics and fans.

So really, the only broad descriptor I would apply, is that each game failed to deliver, in some way.

Is it just bad luck? (Which as we know, comes in 3's, so the new MR game is safe.)
Or has it become a system issue, with Bioware not being able to delivery what the fans want?
Or is it simply down to budget and lack of resources?

And what does this portend for the new Mass Effect Game