Following Bungie's recent Destiny 2 collaboration with the beloved Mass Effect franchise, BioWare has a golden opportunity to reciprocate the gesture, especially with a new Mass Effect title on the horizon. While Destiny and Destiny 2 have engaged in various crossovers with titles like Dark Souls and The Witcher, Mass Effect stands out as one of the few games, alongside Halo, that seamlessly fits into the realm of space-themed shooters. This unique position allows the upcoming Mass Effect game to incorporate its own Destiny-inspired elements.
Notably, Mass Effect has a history of referencing both internal and external gaming universes, with nods ranging from the Dragon Age series within the original trilogy to Plants Vs. Zombies in the Mass Effect: Andromeda spin-off. Given the striking similarities between Destiny and Mass Effect, a crossover between the two should delve deeper than surface-level interactions. With a new Mass Effect installment on the horizon, BioWare has the chance to enrich the gaming experience with Destiny references.
Envisioning a Mass Effect x Destiny Crossover
Exploring References to Destiny in Mass Effect's Future
The recent Destiny 2 and Mass Effect crossover introduced players to a range of cosmetic items inspired by BioWare's iconic sci-fi series, including Commander Shepard's N7 armor, an Alliance Scout Frigate resembling Shepard's Normandy, and even Shepard's memorable Flux dance as an emote. However, these items, like previous crossover content in the Destiny series, were purely cosmetic. If Mass Effect were to reciprocate, incorporating Destiny-themed elements, such as the examples below, would add to the game's existing easter eggs and references.
- Armor or weaponry designs influenced by Destiny.
- Collectible models mirroring ships or Ghosts from Destiny.
- Planetary names paying homage to Destiny characters and locations.
Unique Integration of Crossover Content in Mass Effect
While it is understandable for a free-to-play MMO like Destiny 2 to maintain fairness through cosmetic content, the same standard does not necessarily apply to the narrative-driven Mass Effect series, especially after BioWare's recommitment to single-player storytelling. With Destiny already featuring numerous crossovers, surpassing these references in a single game may be challenging for Mass Effect. However, this presents BioWare with the opportunity to boldly incorporate Destiny elements in the upcoming game. Although Destiny may not become part of the Mass Effect universe, inspiration from characters like Cayde-6 or thematic elements could enhance the game's lore and missions.
Similar to the subtle appearance of Halo's Pillar of Autumn in Mass Effect 2, the next Mass Effect could feature characters, ships, or items from the Destiny universe as more than just superficial details. Building on the galaxy map exploration from Mass Effect: Andromeda, players might encounter Destiny ships or The Traveler adrift in space. Moreover, fan-favorite Destiny characters such as Cayde-6 or Mara Sov could be integrated into the game as background figures, interactive NPCs, or part of engaging side missions:
- A synthetic bounty hunter with a quirky companion inspired by Cayde-6.
- An enigmatic wanderer known as