This note came to our attention via Vancity Buzz. As some of you gamers may already know, there have been a number of internet reports that indicate Vancouver will be prominently featured in the next installment of the wildly popularly Mass Effect video game franchise. Apparently the game is set 176 years in a future where Vancouver and Seattle are one in the same. From GameFront.com:

…it appeared to us as though Vancouver and Seattle have grown into a single city, and Vancouver has spread across the strait from British Columbia to Vancouver island. The Coast Mountain range is visible in the distance, and Vancouver’s distinctive architecture is apparent, if futurified. And it was gorgeous.

Newly released screenshots of the game seem to indicate those rumours are true.

You'll notice the Canada Place sails stand the test of time, while North Vancouver has seen a considerable amount of development. I think an appropriate twist for the game would be to have BC Place Stadium turn into a giant robotic spider that attacks the hero and his companions. Bioware, the design firm that created the game, is actually an Edmonton-based company, so if there are enough Eskimo fans who work for the studio, perhaps that isn't out of the question.

The release date for the game is March 5, so we'll have to wait and see what else is in store for our city's imagined future. In the meantime, be sure to check out Vancity Buzz for more future images of Vancouver.