The producer of the next Mass Effect title, Mike Gamble, posted a cryptic, space-related image that is getting us really hyped up for E3 2015.

BioWare Edmonton's Mike Gamble has tweeted out a picture of some breathtaking imagery from space (provided below). Anyone who remembers the Mass Effect franchise, or even its main logo, should feel a bit of nostalgia and familiarity with this image. The picture reminds us that there's a lot of dark, unexplored territory out in the universe, and some beauty to be found as well. Obviously, the fans started freaking out about the post. Gamble jests that the picture was taken by a real NASA astronaut, but we can't help to think of the timeliness of his post, with E3 being a little over a month away and the anticipation of a new Mass Effect trailer steadily building for the past couple of years.

While BioWare has yet to confirm anything major, we do know that Mass Effect 4 will not continue Commander Shepard's story, but will likely refer to it and take place in the same universe. A reliable source leaked some inside information about Mass Effect 4's development (warning: spoilers inbound), including it being set in the uncharted Helius Cluster in the Andromeda Galaxy. We have also heard that this area will be four times larger than Mass Effect 3's entire gameplay area. There will supposedly be seven new crew members, including someone named Cora and a Krogan named Drack. Expect to see a more refined conversation system beyond the confines of just asking questions and providing Paragon/Renegade answers (likely similar to Dragon Age: Inquisition's system of dialogue). Of course, there will also be a multiplayer co-op horde mode.

Last month we reported that a financial analyst's research suggested that Mass Effect 4 (or whatever it will be named) will launch by March 2016. Otherwise, it has no current or confirmed launch window. We have a feeling (and a hope) that it will launch for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. E3 2015 will begin on June 16.

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