In a panel at PAX East, Mass Effect executive producer Casey Hudson has given some details about the next entry in the series. Okay, so 'details' might be a little strong. 'Vague hints of the studio's development plans' is probably closer to the mark. Hudson did, however, also give a similarly cryptic teaser about the existence of a brand new fictional universe being developed by BioWare Edmonton.

"We are starting to get ready to develop another Mass Effect game, and it's going to be a new thing," Hudson said. "We want to be able to give fans an opportunity to get back into the world with these things you've come to know and love about the Mass Effect experience but start something fresh and new — a new way for you to explore the whole universe in Mass Effect."

Production of the next Mass Effect game is taking place at BioWare Montreal, with the Edmonton-based Hudson keeping his executive producer role. That frees up the Edmonton team to work on something entirely new. "We are developing a whole new fictional universe at BioWare for myself and Preston [Watamaniuk, Mass Effect's lead designer]. That's kind of our next thing," Hudson said. "We're focusing on building something new the way we did at the very beginning on Mass Effect."

And if the promise of more Mass Effect and a new IP doesn't spark your interest, Hudson also mentioned... oh, false alarm, it's just the Mass Effect movie. In fairness, the team sounds excited by the work done on the game's big screen debut, with Hudson saying, "what we're looking at are, I think, the right things to make sure it's gong to be a great movie. It's not just going to be a movie; it's going to be really special." Still, even these reassurances aren't enough to break through my wariness of game to film adaptations. I've been hurt before.

Thanks, Kotaku .