I have two things for us all to ponder regarding Mass Effect 3. Both questions are open to debate, and of course, I will share my views on each of them.

Should there be NEW romance options in ME3?

This is something I have been thinking about alot. Keep in mind BioWare have specifically stated this will be a trilogy, and low and behold... we are now awaiting the final installment. So surely at this point in Shepards story... he/she would be tying up loose ends rather than creating new distractions. It makes sense that the surviving love interest from ME1 (whether that be Kaidan, Ashley or Liara) would figure more into the third installment, and it will be interesting to see how they approach any relationships from the second game (considering any number of characters could be dead, and also the fact you can cheat on your partner from the first game).

Who will be the main party in ME3?

Another almost impossible question to really answer, but it is definately worthy of debate. Again, to me, it wouldn't make alot of sense for Shepard to make a squad comprising of new characters. At this point you'd expect him/her to stick with people he/she can trust. But there's also a (very rare) possibility that everyone but Liara and Ashley/Kaidan are still alive at this point. I'm sure Shepard will return in the third game, but who will BioWare bring along with him/her? It just seems too far-fetched to think that BioWare would really have the time and resources to include a fully flexible squad depending on who lived and who died in previous games.  
 

• I want to be clear too: for these questions I am not asking what your preferred squad/romance would be, I'm asking what you think the squad/romance WILL be. 

I have two things for us all to ponder regarding Mass Effect 3. Both questions are open to debate, and of course, I will share my views on each of them.

Should there be NEW romance options in ME3?

This is something I have been thinking about alot. Keep in mind BioWare have specifically stated this will be a trilogy, and low and behold... we are now awaiting the final installment. So surely at this point in Shepards story... he/she would be tying up loose ends rather than creating new distractions. It makes sense that the surviving love interest from ME1 (whether that be Kaidan, Ashley or Liara) would figure more into the third installment, and it will be interesting to see how they approach any relationships from the second game (considering any number of characters could be dead, and also the fact you can cheat on your partner from the first game).

Who will be the main party in ME3?

Another almost impossible question to really answer, but it is definately worthy of debate. Again, to me, it wouldn't make alot of sense for Shepard to make a squad comprising of new characters. At this point you'd expect him/her to stick with people he/she can trust. But there's also a (very rare) possibility that everyone but Liara and Ashley/Kaidan are still alive at this point. I'm sure Shepard will return in the third game, but who will BioWare bring along with him/her? It just seems too far-fetched to think that BioWare would really have the time and resources to include a fully flexible squad depending on who lived and who died in previous games.  
 

• I want to be clear too: for these questions I am not asking what your preferred squad/romance would be, I'm asking what you think the squad/romance WILL be. 

I would just be a little tired of reconstructing my character party from the start again. It would feel cheap and kind of dumb.
 
I mean, it made some sense in ME2 where you were gone for 2 years, but it would feel cheap to pull to same trick on us. I feel what makes ME2 great is that you see some of your old squad members. AS long as Tali, Garrus Thane are in ME3, I'll be happy. And please no new romance options, what about fleshing out the first 4?

When they say "Your choices can have dire ramifications" in Mass Effect 3 I always think, would they punish Paragon and/or Renegade?

That just makes me go "Naaaaah!" and think of an aspect of the game that's not affected by choosing either good or bad!

Party members! You recruit em, make em loyal (through either Paragon or Renegade actions) and are expected to keep them alive. 

My guess is that you start with the party you recruited in Mass Effect 2 and maybe get a few new additions, but that's how the choices you make can have dire ramifications.

Make bad choices and get your crew/squad members killed -> bad Mass Effect 3 ending because you're missing a few dudes.

Still a Theory-In-Progress though, we'll see - I am psyched about Mass Effect 3 already. The whole Import A Save feature is setting proper standards in story driven games :-/

i think instead of building a party you will be building an army ala dragon age

if you think about it ME2 started building up alot of the races as a unit that you had a relationship:

- made decisions about geth with leigion

- made decisions about quarrians with tali

- made decision about racchni in me1

these things indicate to me at least that your relationship with particular factions will influence who you have to fight with you against the reapers, or at least who trusts you enough to prepare for the incoming reaper invasion. 

I'm going to guess a Dragon Age-esque format for ME3, where Commander Shepard has to unite warring factions in order to deal with the real threat: The Reapers. I'm going to guess: Geth vs Quarians and Krogan vs. Rachni as some of the more obvious ones.

" @zkillz: I can definitely see that happening. They will most likely keep your old squad and maybe introduce some new faces but you will end visiting alien homeworlds and convincing their government to join the fight against the Reapers. "

I would hope for the squad members in this game to return in the last game as well as the romance options. Adding a squadmate or romance option is alright (as long as it's just 1 or 2), but then it doesn't feel like a continuous adventure. 

What about Earth! I mean, you are going to try to get the Alliance to join in with the rest of the galaxy. It would be awesome to explore the future Earth and maybe Mars too!

It just seems too far-fetched to think that BioWare would really have the time and resources to include a fully flexible squad depending on who lived and who died in previous games. 

they will let you have ME1 and ME2 characters in your party because it will be the end of the trilogy.  The only reason they kept some out is because they wanted to be 100% sure they didn't die.

I could see it playing out something like this: In the time between ME2 and ME3, most of your team will have dispersed and gone home or wherever now that the Omega 4 mission they were hired for is over. The game will be structured similarly to ME2 in that it'll mostly be about recruiting again, only this time you'll be recruiting entire races. Recruiting each race will be a separate mission, and for each of those missions there will be a corresponding ME2 squad member who, if he/she survived, can help you convince their race to join whatever plan Shephard has to combat the Reapers. Thane could help you with the Krell and Hanar, Mordin with the Salarians, Samara with the Asari, etc... 

Basically they'll be relegated to optional cameos much like Wrex was in ME2, compartmentalized to their own planets, more fan service than integral parts to the overall plot. If they didn't survive, some new characters will take their places. Hopefully you can retain at least a few of your party members from ME2, particulary Tali, Garrus, and Legion. At the very least maybe they could be guest party members for relevant missions if they survived ME2.  

I do have a feeling Liara will be back in your party. Early in the game you'll have to rescue her from the Shadow Broker because he's frozen her in carbonite or something. Afterwards she'll give you all the information she discovered that'll help get the ball rolling in ME3. Information like -- the Shadow Broker works for the Reapers and that their plans involve dark energy/dying suns.

I'm willing to bet that Legion and his geth buddies will be aiding you in some way in ME3.

I could see, Kaiden/Ashley being a squad mate or even your right hand man or woman. Favorites like Tali, Garrus and Thane might make a come back or made into camoes like Wrex. I have no clue what to think about Tali though, If she wasn't exhiled it seems she should stay on the Normandy for awhile since her own name has Normandy in it now, but it also hinted at her maybe commanding or being an admiral in the migrant fleet. Garrus... I dont even know what to think about him, he kinda doesn't have anywhere else to go unless he would go back to being arch angle and shooting up thugs, but how would that contribute to the rest of the ME 3? Thane well it seems he might die or go to spend what ever remaining time he has left with his son. Jack, she's also another I dont know about where is she going to go? She has like no purpose outside the Normandy. Mordin will most likely research about the genophage and decide to cure the krogans or not. Grunt will go  to Urdnot. Legion will go back to the rest of the Geth were we will most likely go back to talk to him. Samara could help us after all she did say she would come and help us if we ever needed help. I'd also like to romance Samara instead of Liara =]. Jacob and Miranda will quit Cerberus/

I would love Wrex to join the party in Mass 3 it would be awesome.  
Wrex:*Shepard*

"

I have two things for us all to ponder regarding Mass Effect 3. Both questions are open to debate, and of course, I will share my views on each of them.

 

Should there be NEW romance options in ME3?

This is something I have been thinking about alot. Keep in mind BioWare have specifically stated this will be a trilogy, and low and behold... we are now awaiting the final installment. So surely at this point in Shepards story... he/she would be tying up loose ends rather than creating new distractions. It makes sense that the surviving love interest from ME1 (whether that be Kaidan, Ashley or Liara) would figure more into the third installment, and it will be interesting to see how they approach any relationships from the second game (considering any number of characters could be dead, and also the fact you can cheat on your partner from the first game).

 

Who will be the main party in ME3?

Another almost impossible question to really answer, but it is definately worthy of debate. Again, to me, it wouldn't make alot of sense for Shepard to make a squad comprising of new characters. At this point you'd expect him/her to stick with people he/she can trust. But there's also a (very rare) possibility that everyone but Liara and Ashley/Kaidan are still alive at this point. I'm sure Shepard will return in the third game, but who will BioWare bring along with him/her? It just seems too far-fetched to think that BioWare would really have the time and resources to include a fully flexible squad depending on who lived and who died in previous games.  
 

• I want to be clear too: for these questions I am not asking what your preferred squad/romance would be, I'm asking what you think the squad/romance WILL be. 

"

I definitely want to see the Rachni come on board and help us fight the Reapers. On my imported save game, When I was in Ilium, an Asari who the Queen was using as her voice talked to me and told me she was very grateful, and that she is in our debt. 
 
Yeah! Rachni on our side!!

After listening to the HotSpot some time back, which had an interview with Casey Hudson, I'm positive that the love interest of ME1 will make a return.

I think with the whole "anyone can die" really bothers me since it really lowers any chance of my favorite characters returning to be in my party (Tali). So, I really hope that Bioware is able to somehow incorporate all of the different events that might've happened and who could've died.

" I think with the whole "anyone can die" really bothers me since it really lowers any chance of my favorite characters returning to be in my party (Tali). So, I really hope that Bioware is able to somehow incorporate all of the different events that might've happened and who could've died. "

Given how they dealt with ME1->ME2 I wouldn't expect a deep personalization system - a few of the choices you make aren't really your own:
- The Human Ambassador: No matter who you pick in ME1 your choice during the interview in ME2 decides who it is.
- Conrad Verner: If you kill him in the first game he won't appear in the second; no matter how you deal with him in ME1 he will always say that you stuck a gun in his face when you meet him in ME2 (I told him to go back home to his wife, and he still told me that shoving a gun in his face showed him how the universe worked)  
 -Sole Survivor: I honestly thought this would tie a bit more into things with Cerberus but NEVER came up. (In ME1 picking the Sole Survivor Origin leads you to information that proves Cerberus was behind the Thresher Maw Attack on Akuze - yet Shepard never asks or comments about it, despite being the defining moment in her career pre-Saren). 
 
It seems that Bioware has their own canon endings for quests (depends on Paragon or Renegade choices) and doesn't really leave it up to what you did exactly - which is why I don't think who lived and who died will directly affect your squad - they'll likely have picked out fates for most of them and run with it (like Garrus in ME2, he clearly went Renegade even if you tried to make him see the error of his ways during the Dr. Saleon quest in ME1).

But what about the Reaper fleet? What about the massive reaper fleet? Dear sweet loving Ben and Jerry's.

I would be crushed if Miranda doesn't return (or does a quickie cameo in my story like Ashley did here). CRUSHED!

Maybe there will be new crew members for every person that died. So if no one dies, they all stick with you through all of ME3, but if they all die or even if some of them die they get replaced by new characters (who are hopefully fleshed out as soon as you meet them so they aren't forgotten)?

Tali and Garrus are the only two that will most definitely be in ME3

okay call me crazy, but i'm going off the idea of shepherd losing 2 years in between me1 and me2... What if, now bear with me, they pull a generation gap.  They take all the decisions you made in the first two and they let them fester for let's say 25-30 years.  enough time for one, or both, of your love interest to have a brand new shepherd.  This would solve the recruiting new party members because all the old ones would be dead or too old except for the asari and krogan.  Also the decisions could leave the child certain influence or hardship when recruiting the other alien races to combat the reapers.  Mass effect spans a lot of space, but hasn't really spanned too far in the time frame of everything.  That and it must take some significant amount of time for inter-galactic travel, even for the reapers.  this is all specualtion and partly a dream, but hey sounds cool to me.
 
As for the relationships i did hear that there would be consequences for cheating.  no juicy details, but i really don't want a soap opera mass effect, although a cat fight would be haut.

I imagine the group available for ME3 would be a mix from 1 and 2, mostly the favorite characters. Tali, Wrex, Garrus, Liara, Mordin, Legion, Miranda, Thane. Of course, we're still trying to figure out who the really popular ones from ME2 really are. And some might only be NPCs, and some may end up dying.
 
Part of it depends on what the story is. I'm expecting to visit Tuchanka again, and I'm hoping a shot at the Quarian home world. I'd like Liara back in the game, and like others here, I'm suspecting that Miranda's father is the Shadow Broker. If so, Liara might play a role in that, since she works for him. Legion should play a role, as we'll need to (I'm hoping) recruit the Geth (along with the Krogan) in the final fight against the Reapers and Harbinger. But whether these are team-characters, or only appearing for brief moments is a difficult question. Like others have said, I can see teaming up with Grunt and Wrex to unite the Krogan clans, and with Tali and Legion to either deal with or recruit the Geth. Perhaps they'll appear only for those missions.
 
I do get the sense, though, that the cast of characters is almost too large. I didn't get to play much of the game with Mordin, for instance, and Legion comes in right at the ass-end of the game. Unless they want to give use twenty possible teammates, this will be difficult. Or, perhaps, they'll expand from having a three man team to a four man team ... nah. That'll never happen.
 
I like the idea of rescuing Liara again :)

I think that they will definitely bring back kaiden/ashley though their role may be small because of the choosing who died thing. Romances will definitely have a big impact especially if you cheated on a love interest and i think that their will be new characters with love interests. I hope that they bring back at least the favorites of ME2 like Garrus, Tali, Thane and legion and maybe jacob or miranda depending on how you dealt with cerberus. I don't see the DLC Zaeed coming back because of his very small role and the fact that a lot of people may not have downloaded him. It is quite possible thane died during the gap between ME2 and ME3. I also agree that you will be recruiting entire nations to help you instead of new characters but there should be a few new faces on board. My bet is that they add in some new races like the small darth vader like dudes or maybe an entirely new race though I expect to see another turian and human.

It's really hard to say which characters would be coming back in ME3. A lot of it depends on the individual player and who died during the Suicide Mission. I think though, that ME3 will likely involve building some sort of grand citadel fleet to combat the Reapers and that how you have treated certain squadmates over the course of the last couple of games will make an impact on what happens. If I had to guess, I would think that BioWare's "canon" Shepard would include some combination of the following:
 
Kaiden/Ashely - depending on who survived ME1
Wrex/Grunt - depending on if Wrex survived ME1 or maybe just because I want Wrex back in my squad (Please Bioware? Pretty please with a cherry on top?)
Liara
Tali/Legion - one or both depending on how they decided the whole quarian vs. geth thing would shake out canon wise.
Garrus
Mordin 
 
I could be happy with that. Personally I wouldn't mind a few less companions in ME3, since I never really felt as attached to the ones In ME2 other than Garrus and Tali.

I'm willing to bet that Ms. Chakwas will be up for grabs.

I think you're going to have to choose between your romance from ME1 or 2 if you went that route (at least I hope so...there'd better not be any crap about them deciding for you...). As for the party, it'll probably be a mash-up of whoever survived the suicide mission plus people from the first game. In fact, they could even use people from the first game to fill the gap (IE: You lost Grunt, Wrex joins you, etc).

Just my thoughts on whats been discussed so far: 
 
I dont  see kaiden/ashely coming back, more likely they will resist whatever you wish to do, the end scene on horizon kinda put an end to any relationship there. 
 
i do believe the shadow broker will play a big role, just a thought but can anyone see the consort being the shadow broker? 

" I'm going to guess a Dragon Age-esque format for ME3, where Commander Shepard has to unite warring factions in order to deal with the real threat: The Reapers. I'm going to guess: Geth vs Quarians and Krogan vs. Rachni as some of the more obvious ones. "

Kill Jacob, give me Wrex back, and let me walk in on Liara and Miranda and I'll be happy.

"Kill Jacob, give me Wrex back, and let me walk in on Liara and Miranda and I'll be happy. "

" @laalipop said:

"Kill Jacob, give me Wrex back, and let me walk in on Liara and Miranda and I'll be happy. "

This is the best idea, ever.  It could only be better if Wrex had a clone and they talked simultaneously. *Echo* "Shepard." "