Another new Mass Effect: Andromeda info dump has happened, this one courtesy of an interview between Mass Effect: Andromeda's creative director Mac Walters and producer Fabrice Condominas with Eurogamer.

Here's all the salient information revealed:

• The pirate-like settlement, ran by the character Sloane Kelly, that we were are introduced in the game's first gameplay trailer, was set up by the Milky Way races. What you see in that first trailer is a teaser to a thread of a the central story, and that's how things did not go to plan as the arks made their way to the Andromeda galaxy. You don't know what exactly happened, but you do know people got spread out, and in the first trailer, you see a glimmer of the consequences of that.
• SAM, while still an AI, is not just the Tempest's version of EDI. It's much "broader than EDI," and the relationship is very different. SAM handles a number of things as well as your vessel, and is connected to you permanently. It was also revealed that it was previously connected to your father Alec. According to Condominas SAM is "more of a partner than EDI was - you're way closer emotionally to SAM."
• In regards to a release date, Fabrice Condominas said the announcement will come when the team is 100 percent confident it can go to certification on a certain date. In the meantime, Condominas has said it is focusing on quality, and that the team doesn't want to pressure that.
• In regards to the cut squadmate, Mac Walters revealed that the cut wasn't made because it didn't like the character, but that it was the least developed so far. And because the team decided to bring back loyalty missions and do even more relationship dialogue, a decision had to be made to cut one character (likely do to resources or time), and so the one least developed got the hammer. Walters suggested, we could see the character in the future, whether in the game, in a book, or a comic, but as of right now said character's future is uncertain. Walter also revealed it is possible more characters are introduced -- though, how wasn't divulged -- before Mass Effect: Andromeda 2 rolls around, suggesting some type of character DLC.
• Cultural exploration will be key to the game. On the nexus there is the Cultural Centre, and that is what this area will be there for

And that's it folks. For all of our previous coverage on the game, go here.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is set to release for PS4, Xbox One and PC in sometime in spring 2017.