Ben-DutkaIt's tough to ignore the chance to expand your fanbase by so many millions, which is why third-party developers almost always stick to multiplatform productions.
BioWare didn't used to cater to the PlayStation crowd but things have changed this generation. PS3 owners already got Dragon Age: Origins , Dragon Age II will launch for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in March, and a PS3 iteration of Mass Effect 2 will be available in January. Therefore, everyone is assuming Mass Effect 3 will be multiplatform as well; after all, ever since EA acquired BioWare, it was almost a foregone conclusion…EA just doesn't do exclusivity. But although the studio won't confirm anything, they've once again confirmed the desire to "hit as many fans as possible." This is what bosses Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka told Gaming Union :
"I don't know, it’s hard to predict all of the future. But part of it I think is that certainly as a company EA is a very multi-platform so it's one of the values of EA is being on as many platforms as possible.
We’re not confirming specific platforms for the future titles we haven’t even announced. Mass Effect 3 is a complete unknown, even though it’s part of the trilogy, it's not officially announced. But it makes sense for us to hit as many fans as possible. I'd chalk that up in the likely category, but nothing’s definite yet."
At this rate, it seems very unlikely that Mass Effect 3 will be exclusive to any one platform, or even that BioWare will make anything exclusive with EA calling the shots. Turns out, that's a good thing for PS3 owners.
I would be very surprised if they released Mass Effect 3 as an exclusive again, even a timed exclusive… it would be suicide after having finally releasing Mass Effect 2 to the wanting PlayStation masses… me being one of them.
I am really looking forward to Mass Effect 2, and will be looking forward to Mass Effect 3 too.
I hope that the Mass Effect 2 port is not shoddy…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
You will really enjoy ME2.
In other words money > art
Putting it on the PS3 means it will no longer be art?
They just have to be certain MS doesn't have a truckload of cash for them before making any assertions concerning the obvious.
I would not put that past them World. MS is losing ground in Europe and they need all the exclusives they can get. I bet right now in their Underground Command Vault they are hatching ways to keep ME3 360 only. (cue James Bond music)
That's it. Of course, they wouldn't have bothered porting ME2 if ME3 wasn't planned for the ps3, as well. But to be safe, after ME2 is released for the ps3, they will compare the profit from sales to what MS may offer them to purchase the publishing rights of ME3. Seeing how Bioware is presently with EA (and though Bioware owns the rights for future iterations of the franchise), this would entail them leaving EA, which is also unlikely.
I imagine they will entertain an option to make ME3 a timed exclusive, and while everyone knows it will come to PS3 with extra content they just say "There are no plans at this time"
Strong possibility.
Strong possiblity.
I believe EA owns Bioware, so it isn't going anywhere.
I suppose if the original Mass Effect made its way onto the PS3 I'd have to give the series another look. As it is, I'm not about to buy ME2 for PS3 when I can't have the first one.
Word on the street is the extra content will cover ME1, even if it isn't the whole game.
Not to sound like a broken-record, but:
ME1 was overshadowed by ME2 in terms of overall quality, and ME2's story was very much self-contained, yet it was supplemented with plenty of backstory. I didn't play ME1, but i still enjoyed ME2 very much. If you don't have a 360, and don't plan on getting one, then you shouldn't deny yourself this very good game.
I have a 360 and I have Mass Effect. I've played quite a few hours of it too. At the time I just felt like I wasn't playing an RPG. It was some weird space exploration/terrible driving/fps that I couldn't get into.
If however, ME came to the PS3 and some trophies were now on the line, well, I'd give it another go. That's all I'm really trying to say.
And besides, who's to say the original ME won't come to the PS3? I'll play my trophy enabled RPGs while I wait for the answer to that question.
Last edited by Alienange on 9/11/2010 1:10:46 AM
So Alien is a trophy whore 😛
nah jk ^^
I own both ME1 and 2 on PC, and even though the franchise 'feels' like a console game, I still enjoy it greatly on PC.
I agree that ME2 can be played without having experienced ME1 before, but lots of revelations and story connections (i.e. immersion) are lost that way.
Just yesterday finished Lair of the Shadow Broker (best spent 10 bucks [6.97EUR] ever) and I was pleasantly surprised when my Shep referred to 2 specific decisions I've made during ME1.
Thus I think BioWare have to include all 'linked' choices in the 'hours of bonus content/seamless introduction into the ME universe' for PS3 owners, otherwise the story won't feel as immersive as the whole ME1-imported-save-game-experience.
I probably am gonna buy the PS3 version as well, unless BioWare really screw up on that very specific part I was talking about.
Last edited by ro kurorai on 9/11/2010 8:47:10 AM
I don't think I'm a whore over the trophies so much as I just enjoy them. I enjoy the challenge of it. The satisfaction of doing everything the devs wanted me to see and experience.
@shams
True, ME2 is definitely a self-contained adventure that doesn't need ME to play. However, after starting a new ME2 character without starting it in ME like I did my first run-through, I find myself wishing I would've taken the time to play ME again. The way some NPCs react are definitely different based on what you did in the first. I know the default choices I was told to have been made were not ones I would've done.
With that being said, ME2 is still a hoot even if you don't have the luxury of being able to import a character from the first ME. If the bonus content for the PS3 contains highlights from ME that allow players to make some of the important decisions, that would make it an even better purchase for those looking to get it.
im glad to see them go MP, there one of the very few excellent developers out there.
bioware wont make a game for the sake of a cash cow, they make games because of a passion and because of that passion there games turn out to be among the best of the industry!