“I love that universe.” I was ready. Anytime” – Jennifer Hale calls on fans to tell BioWare they’d like to see Commander Shepard return in Mass Effect 5
Blog Andrew Joseph 26 Oct , 2025 0
Jennifer Hale, the iconic voice of Commander Shepard, has not been asked to return in Mass Effect 5, but if asked, “would be there before they even finish the sentence.”
Hale, the actress who brought to life FemShep, the protagonist of the Mass Effect trilogy, recently spoke to IGN about her desire to return to perhaps her most beloved character.
But as it turns out, it wasn't even necessary to reprise her role as Commander Shepard to lure her back to the series, but just to be able to return to that world again in any form.
When we asked, “Does it have to be Shepard, or would you play anyone?” Hale responded, “Anyone. I love that universe. I'm ready. Any time.” Krogan? Salarian? Turian? The possibilities are endless.
As mentioned, developer BioWare hasn't picked up the phone yet to call for Hale to return for Mass Effect 5, but that doesn't mean we should give up hope. Hale implored fans to let BioWare know that you'd like to see Shepard return in some way – I'm sure the developers can find a way to make the centuries-long gap work. Or, perhaps more likely, Commander Shepard could appear in the game as a holographic display in some future museum.
“Everyone, the more you tell them what you want, maybe the more likely it is to happen,” Hale said. Who are we to ignore our commander's orders?
Of course, this all comes during a turbulent time for BioWare and its parent company, EA. Earlier this year, it was reported that the studio After the disappointment of Dragon Age: Veiled Keeper, we're completely reorganized to focus entirely on Mass Effect.
Recently, EA was acquired and taken private An investment group consisting of Saudi Arabia's PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners completed a jaw-dropping $55 billion deal. It's unclear how the change in ownership will affect projects in development, such as a new Mass Effect.
Details may be slim on what we can expect next from BioWare's landmark sci-fi RPG series, but don't worry, The game director has confirmed a returning featureMichael Gamble: Too much lens flare. let us not forget Amazon plans to film its Mass Effect TV series in late 2026.
over the years, BioWare releases multiple trailersinclude Artwork filled with Easter eggs and secrets hinting at Mass Effect 5's final story. BioWare says the game will be set hundreds of years after the original Mass Effect trilogy, with the story in the fourth main game in the series covering events in the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies.
Would you like to see Jennifer Hale and Commander Shepard return with lens flare in the next chapter of Mass Effect? Let us know in the comments below.
Simon Cardy is a senior editor at IGN, who can be found mostly lurking around open-world games, obsessing over Korean movies, or despairing about the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky: @cardy.bsky.social.