"We're actually going to continue to use [the Mass Effect universe] for stuff and we're going to continue to make games there," BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk told Kotaku, adding "we have our work cut out for us for the next little while getting Mass Effect 3 done after this" and "if you love Mass Effect, there will be more Mass Effect in the future."

Of course, additional entries in the series don't necessarily indicate that the action-RPG trilogy won't come to a conclusive end--off-shoots could focus on a different set of characters, a different timeline, and even encompass an entirely different gameplay genre--though Zeschuk unsurprisingly remained quiet on such possibilities.

As for now, Mass Effect 2 hits PC and Xbox 360 in North America on January 26 and Europe on January 29, with players of the original able to import their saves and experience the consequences of their earlier choices. Mass Effect 3 will sport similar functionality, though a release window for the game has yet to be announced.