News Stories

For out of game news stories, see Cerberus Daily News and Alliance News Network.

During Shepard's travels, you will hear various news stories related to assignments, missions, and other things.

Mass Effect

When you use the elevators on the Citadel, you will sometimes hear news stories about what is happening around the galaxy.

Pre-Mission Elevator News

Sometimes you will hear a news story about what is happening in a part of the galaxy. These stories can give you assignments.

• Apparently an ExoGeni Corporation survey team has gone missing in the Hades Gamma cluster. This triggers the UNC: Missing Survey Team assignment.
• You can hear about Chairman Burns being taken hostage by Biotics in the Hades Gamma cluster. This triggers the UNC: Hostage assignment.

Post-Mission Elevator News

After you complete various assignments and missions, you will sometimes hear a news story about it.

• After you complete UNC: Missing Survey Team, you will hear a news story about how the team was found and their names are being withheld until their next of kin is notified.
• After you complete Feros: The Thorian, you will hear a news story covering the aftermath of the incident at Zhu's Hope. The tone of the story depends on how many of the colonists survived the ordeal.
• After you complete Citadel: Negotiator's Request, you will hear a news story covering the effects of the negotiation. The story's tone depends if you gave the negotiator either a stimulant, depressant, or advice to get treatment.
• After you complete Citadel: The Fourth Estate, you hear a news story covering your interview. The tone depends on the chosen behavior.
• If you are immediately rude to Conrad Verner in Citadel: The Fan, you will hear a story of him getting into a fight with turians that results in his death.

Other Elevator News

Some news stories aren't related to assignments and missions.

• Binary Helix has settled out of court with a krogan group that charged the corporation with fraud. They paid BH for research to cure the Genophage, and then sued for their money back when nothing came of the research.
• Because of the attack on Eden Prime, Alliance colonial backers have pulled support for future colonies. While officials insist that Eden Prime was an isolated case, colonial investors have pulled support until they are convinced Alliance Colonies will be protected. As a result, colonist enrollement has fallen sharply.
• A salarian excavation team has run into a problem after unearthing a Prothean dig site. Apparently some hanar protectors have blockaded the site to protect artifacts of the "Enkindlers" from being disturbed. The salarians have appealed to hanar representatives on the Citadel in order to reach a diplomatic solution.

Mass Effect 2

Citadel NewsNet With Emily Wong

There is a terminal on Level 27 of Zakera Ward on the Citadel, where Emily Wong will give some stories about what is going on in the galaxy or on the Citadel.

• After you arrive on the Citadel after the mission to Freedom's Progress, you can hear a story about how Alliance officials are still tight-lipped about what happened there. Alliance officials are blacking out the press and details are sketchy. However the hanar are offering a prayer at the Shrine of the Enkindlers for the lost.
• After the mission on Horizon and if the Council was saved, there is a story about the human representative requesting an official investigation of the attack on Horizon. However, the request is rejected by a 3-1 vote in session with the Council maintaining that the matter is an internal Alliance issue. Councilor Valern will mention that having a seat on the Council implies a species can handle its own problems and assist others with theirs. The human representative will agree but request increased access to the Council's space tracking network. If the Council was sacrificed, the human representative of the new Council, in a joint statement with the volus and elcor, will announce a utilization of the Citadel fleet in an investigation. The human representative will also categorically deny the deployment of a Spectre to the colony.
• If Sidonis is spared in Garrus' loyalty mission, it is reported that Sidonis turned himself over to C-Sec and fully confessed to murdering his own team. The complications of his confession is that Omega has no government to extradite him. If Shepard chose to let Sidonis die, Emily Wong reports that C-Sec is investigating his death but has no leads.
• Emily Wong will report on the development of a new orbital mirror system by the batarians. Concerns will be raised on the possibility of misuse of the system as weapons of mass destruction despite assurances from the Batarian Hegemony that the new system is for terraforming purposes. If the Council was saved, the situation will be resolved diplomatically with possible Spectre involvement. If the Council was sacrificed, Alliance forces will raid a batarian colony world.
• Emily Wong will report on the Alliance's Fifth Fleet's tour of the Attican Traverse region with the fleet stopping at various colonies and ending at the contested planet Ilos. The Fifth Fleet will be centered around the dreadnought Orizaba with the commanding officer being mentioned (Captain Hannah Shepard if Shepard has the spacer background or Admiral Steven Hackett otherwise). If the Council was sacrificed, the asari and turian governments and salarian researchers on Ilos will condemn the Alliance's use of dreadnoughts while the fleet makes a stop at Patavig with volus independence parties organizing political rallies on the colony. If the Council was saved, the turians and asari will praise the Alliance's role in protection in the Attican Traverse with the fleet making a stop at Chasca, which has received aid from asari investment following an attack two years earlier.

Galactic News

At terminals on the Citadel, Illium, Tuchanka, and while walking around on Omega, various news stories can be heard about what is happening in the galaxy. These stories are delivered by a female voice.

• A batarian group has apparently decided to sue the Citadel Council. They claim that the crackdown on the galactic slave trade is a violation of their culture; slaves are a crucial part of the batarian caste society.
• After the completion of Mordin's recruitment mission, there will be a story about the fears of the plague have been laid to rest.
• If Dr. Wayne isn't killed during the UNC: Dead Scientists assignment in Mass Effect, then there is an investigation under way into Cerberus. The testimony of Dr. Wayne, who was promised immunity, also linked the death of Admiral Kahoku as well. If Dr. Wayne died, Corporal Toombs will have attempted to bring charges against Cerberus but insufficient evidence was found to corroborate his story.
• If Chairman Burns survived during the UNC: Hostage assignment in Mass Effect, then he came through on his promise in getting reparations for biotics suffering from the L2 implants.
• After the completion of Jack's recruitment mission, there is a news story about the Purgatory being destroyed and how ships are moving in to recover prisoners and guards from life pods.
• A story talks about how Sirta Foundation is likely to close by the end of the fiscal year. Apparently the company never recovered from an attack, on one of its outposts two years ago.
• Another ExoGeni survey team has disappeared in the Rosetta Nebula's Enoch system. Apparently there are a lot of pirates in the area.
• After completion of the assignment on Joab, the news reports about how shipping lanes near Omega have been hit by raiders. All ships are being asked to resync their IFF protocols.
• The asari Sha'ira, will be leaving the Citadel after rumors of intelligence leaks and years of bad press.
• After the assignment on Neith, all corporations using security mechs have been asked to check their systems for a virus that causes their IFF protocols to become corrupted and disables their targeting safeties.
  • After the assignment aboard the abandoned Jarrahe Station, it is reported that the VI virus has spread and mech attacks have increased. Companies are being asked to fortify their security systems. Synthetic Insights released a statement that it is a VI programming error and not an AI threat similar to the geth.
  • After the assignment on Capek, the news now reports that the virus affecting mechs galaxy-wide was born in a Hahne-Kedar facility as a result of the misuse of faulty and recalled processors in experimental mech designs. Representatives of the firm declined to comment while the Council is launching an investigation, with possible criminal charges afterward.
• If the assignment on Canalus hasn't yet been completed, planets in the Nubian Expanse are observed to be undergoing drastic climate changes. While initial reports suggest this could be caused by a batarian orbital mirror system, no such technology is currently located in the area.
  • After the assignment's completion, Canalus' weather changes are reportedly reversed. A research team is investigating the strange events.
• If the Zhu's Hope colony on Feros was saved, it has announced plans for an expansion.
• After the mission on Horizon, other species are said to be looking to their own borders for security. The turians are bolstering their crew complements, and the salarian Special Tasks Group is reportedly investigating the colony attacks. However, if the Council was sacrificed, human politicians will blame turian militants for the attack in response to their loss of control of the Citadel. A turian representative will also comment that the humans have seized power, so the responsibility is theirs.
• After the assignment aboard the MSV Strontium Mule, the Blue Suns reportedly suffered heavy losses fighting an unknown merc group.

• After completion of Legion: A House Divided, if the geth heretics were rewritten, Alliance listening posts will report geth ships migrating into nearby clusters. The Alliance will begin bolstering border patrols in anticipation of possible attacks or migrations. However, if the heretics were destroyed, the listening posts will report geth ships adrift in space with all geth platforms on board deactivated.

Rachni Decision

• If the Rachni Queen was allowed to live in Mass Effect, a lot of ships resembling ancient rachni ship profiles have been seen recently but retreat quickly when approached.
• If the Rachni Queen died, the Noveria Development Corporation revealed a report about what happened at Peak 15, but claims no living rachni were produced from the experiments.

Background Stories

• Spacer: Captain Hannah Shepard, Shepard's mother, has turned down an admiral's star and will remain in command of the Dreadnought Orizaba. She said that her promotion was a political ploy and that she can best honor her child's memory as the captain of a ship.
• Colonist: Shepard's home colony of Mindoir has won the rights to use Shepard's likeness on its Colonial Seal. While Shepard hasn't been to the colony recently, Shepard maintains strong relations with the colony.
• Earthborn: The Shepard Memorial Scholarship is sending disadvantaged kids from places on Earth to serve in the Systems Alliance.

Psychological Profile Stories

• War Hero: The Shepard Memorial Plaza on Elysium has become the hottest wedding location. Under the orders of Admiral Hackett, money raised from wedding fees goes to a fund for Alliance Veterans.
• Sole Survivor: The Shepard Memorial on Akuze is almost ready. The opening ceremony will be hosted by Admiral Hackett in 2186.
• Ruthless: The Shepard Memorial Flame on Torfan has had a rush of attempts to extinguish the flame. Hackett has ordered the site locked down until further notice.

Terra Nova

• If the hostages were saved during the Bring Down the Sky assignment, celebrations are planned across the planet. Kate Bowman will read a thank you message to the soldiers who rescued her. The batarian merc leader Balak, is still at large.
• If the hostages were killed or the assignment was never completed, celebrations are still planned across the planet but Michael Bowman, Kate's father, is holding a prayer service for the ones who were lost.

Virmire Decision

• If Kaidan Alenko was left to die on Virmire, by 2185 the Kaidan Alenko Memorial Scholarship is sending gifted biotic children to the Ascension Project.
• If Ashley Williams was left to die, she has become the first Alliance soldier to earn high honors from the turian and salarian governments.

Sightings of Shepard

• After completion of the Freedom's Progress (mission), witnesses report sighting Shepard alive on Omega (this news may be heard on the Citadel even if Shepard has yet to set foot on Omega).
• After completion of Horizon (mission), further sightings of Shepard being on Horizon during the attack will be reported, with Council officials denying that Shepard was either alive or working as a Spectre.
• After completion of Collector Ship (mission), there will be mixed reactions to the revelation of Shepard being alive.
• After the conclusion of Stop the Collectors, there will be a news article on Shepard associating with criminals, killers, mercenaries and other dangerous elements, and that Galactic News expressed a hope that Shepard would grant an interview. Another news article states that strange readings from the Omega 4 relay suggested that it has been used recently.

Illium News

While walking around on Illium, various news stories about what is happening on the planet can be heard. Unlike the Galactic News stories, these are not subtitled.

• An advertisement for Blasto: The Jellyfish Stings, a fictional movie about Blasto, the first hanar Spectre.
  • An announcement dealing with the Hanar Anti-Defamation League's complaints about the aforementioned film includes Illium Entertainment's 'apology', in which they hope that moviegoers will first watch the film before coming to any judgement.
• A news report announcing the arrival of a Justicar named Samara. The report mentions that she declined an interview.
• An announcement apologizing for any unintended offense to the drell community by a report on Thane Krios.
• If his assignment is completed, Conrad Verner's fate is mentioned by Illium News.
  • If Shepard tells Conrad to 'get lost', the news report mentions Conrad Verner's death while trying to stop a misdemeanor.
  • If Shepard allows Conrad to 'help' them solve the problem at Eternity, the news report mentions that Verner has founded a charity named 'Shepherds', dedicated to helping human refugees, former POWs, and war orphans, as his way of helping Commander Shepard.
• An advisement for the Fishdog Food Factory, a restaurant specializing in varren.
• A company called Nava Corp implicated in a massive financial scandal, where its executives refuse to comment on the matter as of press time and its official stance is to blame competitors implementing a smear campaign.

Omega News

While walking around on Omega, you can hear various news stories that are usually modifications of Galactic News Stories. These stories however have a darker tone and are delivered by a male voice.

• After the attack on Horizon, the story will talk about how another human colony was attacked and how the humans deserved it. The story also congratulates the people who attacked the colony.
• After Garrus' recruitment mission, the Blue Suns try and take credit for his death. However the Blood Pack and the Eclipse contest this as there is no corpse, or at least none identifiable so no one can take credit for Archangel's death.
• A batarian group is going ahead with plans to sue the Citadel Council over its suppression of the galactic slave trade which in turn is limiting the batarians' cultural rights. However the group in question does not expect the Citadel Council to take the "culturally-sensitive" option.
• Another report questions whether the vorcha are nothing more than vermin, or in fact are a boon for Omega's depressed labour market.

Mass Effect 3

In Mass Effect 3, news stories are delivered via several vidscreens located across the Citadel. They are reported in a cycle of seven stories at a time by Alliance News Network anchor Azad Carter. New stories replace older ones in the cycle as missions are completed.

After completing Priority: Mars

• "Recent intel suggests that the entire Batarian Hegemony has been destroyed by an unknown force."
• "Early reports indicate that Earth has fallen to the same enemy force that attacked batarian space."
• "Incursions by enemy forces are being reported in turian colonies. Fighting is said to have reached Palaven."
• "Illium is under attack. Although the asari colony is across the galaxy from Palaven and Earth, the invading force appears to be the same that attacked those planets."
• "According to the Council, these galaxy-wide attacks are part of a massive and organized invasion plan."
• "The Council called the invaders 'Reapers', the same term once used by a disgraced Commander Shepard to refer to a theoretical enemy."
• "The Alliance military has abandoned the Hades Gamma cluster to incoming Reaper forces."
• After gaining access to the Spectre Office: "In an apparent bid for self-preservation, the entire raloi delegation has left the Citadel. In parting, Representative Ari'ka said, "We have no wish to battle those who have yet to wrong us, nor have we the capability." The raloi plan to destroy all artificial satellites and observation equipment they currently have in orbit. They say the Reapers will see them as a pre-spacefaring civilization and spare their planet. The raloi species made first contact with the asari, and were formally welcomed into the galactic community last year."

After completing Priority: Palaven

• "Fierce fighting continues as the Reapers occupy most of Palaven. It appears that turian forces may lose their planet."
• "Primarch Victus has requested a war summit of Council races. Reports suggest he has also offered an invitation to the krogan."
• "Asari intelligence is reporting sightings of Reaper forces in the Silean Nebula and the Nimbus Cluster."

After completing Aria: Blue Suns, Aria: Blood Pack, and Aria: Eclipse

• "The Blue Suns, Eclipse, and Blood Pack mercenary gangs have unexpectedly announced that they have united to help fight the Reapers."

After completing Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation

• "Grissom Academy also fell to the Reapers when Elysium was attacked, but Alliance forces were able to evacuate all students."

After completing Citadel: Hanar Diplomat

• If Kahje is saved: "The hanar homeworld Kahje has reiterated its support for Council forces, and has offered extensive medical and technical support."
• If Kahje is not saved: "The hanar homeworld, Kahje, fell to Reaper forces after religious extremists disabled the world's orbital defenses. There were no survivors."

After completing Priority: Sur'Kesh

• "Using Hades Gamma as a staging area, Reaper forces have rapidly expanded into the Gemini Sigma and Voyager clusters."
• "Humanity has suffered a heavy blow as Arcturus Station, capital of the Systems Alliance, has fallen to Reaper forces."
• "The volus homeworld, Irune, has fallen to Reaper forces. Volus refugees are reportedly fleeing to turian colonies."
• "Cerberus forces have reportedly attacked a salarian medical facility on Sur'Kesh. Salarian officials had no comment."
• "Refugees from Reaper-occupied colonies are being placed in makeshift camps in Citadel docking bays."

After completing Attican Traverse: Krogan Team

• "Krogan forces reported heavy casualties in destroying a Reaper stronghold located in what was once rachni space."

After completing N7: Cerberus Attack

• "Cerberus forces have attacked Tuchanka, apparently trying to weaken krogan resistance against the Reapers. Krogan ground defenses repelled the attack."

After completing N7: Cerberus Abductions

• "Cerberus forces have attacked civilians on Benning. The Alliance has deployed units to defend the refugees during evacuation."

After completing Priority: The Citadel II

• "Cerberus' attempts to take control of the Citadel have failed, and C-Sec forces have killed the last invading forces."
• "No replacement has been selected for the position vacated by Councilor Donnel Udina who died assisting Cerberus in an attempted coup against the Council."
• If Ashley/Kaidan survived the coup: "Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams/Major Kaidan Alenko, the second human Spectre, assisted Commander Shepard in preventing Cerberus forces from killing the Council."
• "After obtaining a cure for the genophage, krogan leaders have announced an alliance with the turian military against the Reapers."
• "A joint krogan-turian force has landed on Irune in an attempt to retake the volus homeworld from Reaper forces."
• "Heavy losses are mounting as human colonies Elysium, Tiptree, and Zhu's Hope are hit by Reaper forces."
• "While the Alliance takes heavy losses, turian troops have been bolstered by krogan support on Palaven."
• If Wrex survived the Virmire assault: "Krogan leader Urdnot Wrex stated that his support of the turians proves that the krogan are ready to return to the Citadel."
• If Wreav leads the krogan: "Krogan leader Urdnot Wreav stated that the krogan will show no mercy to the Reapers, or to anyone else that violates krogan sovereignty."
• "Reaper forces continue their assault on asari space, claiming the Nimbus Cluster and the Silean Nebula."

If Balak's support was obtained during Citadel: Batarian Codes

• "In a surprise move, batarian ships from the fallen Batarian Hegemony have joined Alliance forces. Hegemony leaders have stated that defeating the Reapers supersedes old grudges."

After completing N7: Cerberus Fighter Base

• "Alliance forces struck back at Cerberus with a daring attack that disabled a Cerberus fighter base on Noveria."

After completing Priority: Geth Dreadnought

• "Reaper forces have been sighted near the Parnitha System, within striking distance of Thessia, the asari homeworld."
• "Reaper forces have claimed the Argos Rho cluster after heavy fighting. Reports also have them entering the Perseus Veil near geth space."
• "More trouble in the Perseus Arm as Reaper forces now control the Hades Nexus and Sentry Omega Cluster."

After completing N7: Fuel Reactors

• "After heavy fighting, Alliance forces were able to restore power to a vital fuel depot on Cyone."

After completing Priority: Rannoch

• If peace was made between the quarians and the geth: "Putting aside centuries of hostility, the geth and quarians have both agreed to help fight Reaper forces."
• If the geth destroyed the quarians at Rannoch: "After defeating the quarians, the geth announced that they are seeking an alliance against the Reapers."
• If the quarians destroyed the geth at Rannoch: "After destroying the geth, the quarians announced that they would support the fight against the Reapers."
• "With the war between the geth and quarians now ended, the turian military is receiving vital and unexpected assistance."
• "For the first time since the Rachni Wars, the asari homeworld of Thessia has been attacked by alien forces."
• "As the Alliance and asari militiaries face major setbacks, the krogans and turians are still fighting fiercely to keep Palaven."

After completing Priority: Thessia

• "As Reaper forces appear close to capturing Thessia, asari refugees are pouring into the Citadel."
• "Reapers have now taken the Maroon Sea Cluster in the Attican Traverse. The Nubian Expanse and Armstrong Nebula have also fallen to Reaper forces."
• "As fighting continues, the Reapers now control more than half the inhabitable galaxy."
• "With the elcor homeworld taken by Reaper forces, refugees from Dekuuna are fleeing to the Citadel."
• "Refugee camps in the Citadel are straining existing resources, and the Council reports that food shortages may happen in the near future."
• If Wrex survived the Virmire assault and the genophage was cured: "Urdnot Wrex remains adamant that the krogans will continue to support the turians. Palaven has not yet fallen to Reaper forces."
• If the genophage cure was sabotaged and Wrex led the krogan: "The krogan reiterated their support, but after the unexpected death of Urdnot Wrex, their forces have fragmented."
• If Wrex survived the Virmire assault, the genophage was cured, but Tuchanka: Bomb was not completed in time: "Urdnot Wrex reiterated his support for the turians, but the disastrous bombing of the Kelphic Valley is limiting krogan military capabilities."
• If Wreav leads the krogan: "Urdnot Wreav has stated that he will die before yielding. Palaven has not yet fallen to Reaper forces."
• If peace was made between the quarians and the geth: "Quarian and geth ships have given the turians critical support to keep their military functional."
• If the quarians destroyed the geth at Rannoch: "Quarian ships have taken over vital support duty for the turian military in key areas."
• If the geth destroyed the quarians at Rannoch: "Geth ships have provided vital assistance in slowing the advance of Reaper forces."

After completing N7: Communication Hub

• "Cerberus forces have been repelled after attacking a secret Alliance comm facility on Ontarom."

After completing Priority: Horizon

• "Refugees fleeing to Sanctuary have been killed. The Alliance is warning civilians that Sanctuary was a front for Cerberus operations."