IIRC MS still owns the publishing rights for ME1

astrixzero

Ya keyword --- FOR NOW. Im almost convinced EA will make this game multiplat and bring it over to the PS3. Not that i would care if it does, i could live without.

PSN: Lp47

@Phenom88: I could be wrong about this but when a company buys another company they also take over any previous legal obligations from the previous company.

y2julio

@y2julio: That was with BioWare not EA. They're all kinds of clauses and outs in a contract like that. They probably could just pay back the money paid by Microsoft if they felt they'd make more money by going multiplatform.

Phenom88

@Phenom88: IF BioWare had previous agreements with Microsoft, EA has to honor them.

y2julio

EA didn't spend all that money on acquiring BioWare to have one of their most popular titles be on one system, it doesn't make any business sense. They're going to maximize their profits by making it multiplatform. I dont see EA really giving a shit about what Shane Kim or Microsoft has to say about it.

Phenom88

@goddessakasha: *shrugs* I can live with it. Didn't spoil the game for me. But I've enjoyed countless games through the years that looking back were flawed as hell, even at the time. It was still a pretty fine slice of 'gaming pie' (the pie that contains twice the game of regular pies).

Nice name btw. Anne Rice is awesome.

TearsandScreams

So I guess more texture popping and slow load times are in our future too, huh?

Whoopie.

goddessakasha

@y2julio: *wasting. Man, Kotaku needs to add some sort of option to edit your previous posts.

y2julio

@beem: My point is that it's a Games for Windows release. It's still a Microsoft product. Microsoft is still cashing in money regardless. Either from PC sales or from X360 sales. Remember not everyone has uber l33t gaming PCs. Those people will just get Mass Effect on the 360. I'm a proud 360 ownner but you just seem bitter. I don't mind that it's coming out for the PC. So unless you have anything intelligent to add to this conversation I will stop wasint my time on you.

y2julio

@beem:

But it's still a Microsoft platform. It's like the show Dexter coming to CBS as it's exclusive to Showtime. CBS owns Showtime so it doesn't really take away from the exclusivity as much (in my eyes it doesn't). Plus not everyone has a killer PC that can even run it as well as the 360. More people get to enjoy it and that's a good thing right? :)

ichiban1081

Mass Effect has been announced for Windows, coming in May. There's a news item on Gamespot about it. Follows in the footsteps of Bioware's other RPGs then; 360 first then PC a few months later.

gaijira

@y2julio: Your point? While they're making money off the PC version, they won't be so much so for the 360 one. They're supposed to be establishing the 360 as their primary console. How do they expect to do so when they port all of their top titles over to PC?

beem

@ClementXVII: whoa!

tk.

I hope that PC "issued by EA" link is legit. It sounds like based on the problems of the game working around a harddrive, the PC version will 10 times better (and usually the PC ver of a game is only 5 times better, haha)

GhaleonUnlimited

Just finished ME this weekend. Took me 40 hours and I did most of the side stuff. It really is a great game, technical issues aside.

I have an Elite from May of last year and it really isn't that loud at all but my launch 360 that RROD'ed on me was pretty loud.

Gray665

Sorry Microsoft, but Mass Effect is heading to PC sooner than you may think: May 2008 !

ClementXVII

---> Bioware

-

"Sorry folks, this is just another rumor at this stage. Could BioWare make Mass Effect for the PS3 (or the PC, or some other platform) in the future? Yes we could, but we are not working on a PS3 version currently.
-
I don't know who Mr Pachter is. Maybe he's a PS3 owner who wants to play Mass Effect. "

Clarified.

kNZA

I still havent even finished Mass Effect, my brother's POS 360 keeps breaking. It pisses me off.

PSN ID: Kadaj24

Why does it always come across that it's somehow wrong and questionable if MS keeps games exclusive? Nobody makes stories at every turn of Japanese devs like Konami and Square/Enix snobbing MS development at every turn...

jynxce

@Hatchetforce:

"And it's for 3 games on 360, since Mass Effect is already announced as a trilogy, just to be clear. - Chris Priestly"

The question really should be dead, but no matter how many times people make these points, it keeps coming back.

justhesh

LOL, I guess everyone missed that I have 2 360's. A near launch console(with best buy 2 year warranty) and a elite(wit wal-mart 3 year warranty, no MS hassle unless I choose so). But yeah Witzy, it's DW6 and I am very ready for it

I_Hate_This_Place

Honestly, I hate Mass Effect. Its just not my type of game. But I can't stand if it goes to 360. If its exclusive, it should stay exclusive at least 1 year minumum.

nujabes02

Bioware has left the possibility open for over a year:

That's a crock. On Mass Effect's own forums back in 2006

[masseffect.bioware.com]

Now:

[forums.bioware.com]

Hatchetforce

@beem: It's still a Microsoft exclusive :p Windows is still a Microsoft product.

y2julio

@Mikazukinoyaiba: The PS2 definitely does not get louder the longer you play it. The getting louder phenomenon is a PC thing and should not be brought into the console realm.

sauvage

I guess ME isn't gonna be an exclusive for much longer since word is; M$ is planning to pull another "Gears" by releasing a PC version with superior content over the 360 one, sometime either later this year or early next.

beem

@manjikengo: The reason MGS4 was questionable as a multi-plat release is because they left the question out there for a while. Mass Effect, however, has been touted as a 360 exclusive for the longest.

Further more, it's a trilogy. Logic dictates that you can't start a trilogy with the second installment of the series. If the property was going multi-platform, they'd have to make the first one multi-platform before they did anything with second and third games. And they're not doing that with the first game. So obviously the second and third games can't do that either.

justhesh

@SumDum_Guy: At least you got that nice 3 year warranty still. ;D

Im personally worried if my J system is covered under that also. :x

Hopefully since I have good luck with hardware I wont need it though. Been playing Ace Combat 6 a lot reciently and have been hearing funny noises from the drive during that time tho. :x

Witzbold

Microsoft has gone to great lengths this generation to get to the top. I'm sure they will do the same to keep this important IP on the 360. Even if they have to give EA big trucks full of money lol.

y2julio

First thing I noticed when I got my 360 this past December - the noise

SumDum_Guy

@spork: The 360 noise level used to bother me, seeing as how it's much louder than my PC, which seems ridiculous to me. But I don't even notice it ever anymore. And yes, mine is one of the launch "jet engine" 360s.

dowingba

@goldwings: Ah I see. That would have been nice to know. ;)

dowingba

Anyone who's played the first ME on the 360 would stick to the 360, wouldn't they? I know I'd want to carry on my character and my choices to my next playthrough.

And the PS3 version would most likely be buggy as hell - I mean, even buggier than the 360 version.

All About Lily Chou-Chou

My Elite's never seemed very loud, but maybe the external HDs sitting near it and the loud stereo drown it out.

As far as gun types, maybe I'm still a lowbie, but how many categories do you have in COD4? Machine gun, SMG, shotgun, rifle, and pistol? And the only improvements there are cosmetics, damage, or accuracy, right?

Even if some weapons like the SAW take longer to reload... Not having to worry about ammo in my futureweapons was definitely nice, though.

tk.

At the end of the game I just loaded everything up with explosive rounds. Good times that was.

Id still prefer a proper grenade launcher or a rocket launcher though.

Witzbold

I don't think it would make much sense for it to go multiplatform on its sequels, and not the first game. I definitely think it'll stick with Microsoft.

ThisCharmingMan

@Saith17: As a vanguard, the shotgun was my primary weapon, but for non-close combat, the pistol was my most relevant weapon. I never used the assault rifle or the sniper rifle. So to me there were 2 weapons only. Shotgun and pistol. Pistols did some pretty significant damage later in the game too.

spork

@Saith17: You have any idea how many different styles / models of guns there are in the world in just those 5 or 4 categories alone?

My main problem is that everything pretty much looked the same which was irritating. There was no satisfaction with getting a new weapon asides from doing more damage or having more accuracy.

Witzbold

@Witzbold: I dunno. It made sense. Pistol doesn't quite count. When you think of weapon types you think the three most relevant weapons, you know, the real ones.

Saith17

I don't think we'll see this come to the PS3. PC yeah, but honestly I don't think bioware are very good engine/technical programmers. (they sure can write one hell of a story though!) They barely got the thing working on the 360 I doubt their ready to tackle the complex beast that is the ps3.

greeble

It can't hurt to get the IP into more peoples' hands. Its not like the 360 has anything else it needs to catch up to.

hagridore

I still have a good feeling that this will come to PC, but with a Games for Windows tag, and maybe Vista as a requirement. That way they still keep cushy with MS and can let the PC lads get their fix (i.e. me).

drifter13

@I_Hate_This_Place: Um, the PS3 will eventually have games but the 360 will always be disgustingly loud unless you're fortunate to get one of the quieter 360s. There's no downloadable upgrade to make the 360 quieter. So for people like me, we're stuck with loud 360s until we're forced to buy a new one.

And you better believe it's loud. It really annoyed me the first time I played a game on it. My roommate walked by when I was playing once and said "is that the xbox?" When i said "yes" he replied "damn, that's the loudest console ever."

I've had other friends comment on how goddamn loud my 360 is too. Personally, I think the 360 is easily the worst console out of the 3 build wise. Course having the best games (so far), XBoxLive (though I don't pay for it), and Achievements make it a must buy in my opinion.

spork

This makes me sad. Can't afford to support all 3 systems at this point... Hm. Well... I'm not shocked that it'll be X360 exclusive, but I AM disappointed.

Ah well. In between crying in my milk, I'll be playing MGS4... Which is somewhat of a consolation... At least my PS3 has SOME exclusive titles that I care about...

2NinjasTapedTogether

@Witzbold: Not compared to the Dreamcast! I love that familiar garbage disposal-like grinding whirr whenever I play MvC 2.

TheCleaningGuy: is Maximum Risky!

MS will just take the money they were going to buy Yahoo with and give it to EA. Although, you do have to take into account that ME as a multiplat game could possibly make more than MS could pay.

Wai, my bad, this is the company that didn't make a profit and still made another console. My bad!

WillSerenity

I own neither a 360 or a PS3, but from my vantage point, it would be absolutely stupid to keep it exclusive to one system.

phinehas

Hey, I'm not gonna hate. PS3 owners that can't (not won't) afford a 360? I hope you get a chance to play it someday. Its fantastic.

DARTH_TIGRIS

How do you even play games on the other consoles? /sarcasm

Allen750

@I_Hate_This_Place: My advice, if it's out of warranty... trade it in, before it dies on you. You'll get a lot more trade in money for it now than after it finally dies. Think of it as getting your new 360 at half price.

Insomnia Bob

@Cerif27: jade empire did eventually. took like 2 years but it came.

manjikengo

@Mikazukinoyaiba: ugh. The hard drive is an acessory.

meaning edge card works with it.

I'm not trying to sell it. Refer to why I started talking about used 360s anyway.

"Don't buy used xbox 360s is all I can say. if you do, make damn sure you get it at a gamestop and get the prp."

manjikengo

@gamadaya: Valid point there. But for a 3 month exclusive deal, money is still involved. mgs4 I mean. Remember e3 2005 it was stated it would be exclusive to ps3 for 3 months.

Anyway, yeah MS will dish out the cash if customers ask enough for the game.

Anyway guys and gals...I gotta gooo. Study time for ole manji. I got a programming exam tomorrow. Thank god it's the day before Lost Odyssey comes out.

manjikengo

@manjikengo: If I recall correctly the Edge Card discount doesn't apply to systems. I remember that being specifically noted everytime.

Still, you don't get the headset or ethernet cable correct? I think with a system like the 360 it is best to try and deal with Microsoft directly instead of Gamestop.

Mikazukinoyaiba

It'll come to PC eventually. Mark my words. There hasn't been a blockbuster bioware game that hasn't as far as I can remember.

Cerif27

@boopadoo:

seXps3

doesn't work too well.

manjikengo

If MS pays them enough I guess it will stay exclusive.

atomos

@manjikengo:
I don't think Sony paid Konami to keep it exclusive. The reason I think MGS4 may go to the 360 is that Sony isn't going to pay Konami, Microsoft might, and the 360 has twice the PS3 instal base. The reason I think Mass Effect 2 will be 360 exclusive is Microsoft will pay EA lots of money. They do this kind of thing all the time. In fact, they're the best at it.

gamadaya

It better be 360 exclusive, or how else will we get classy taglines like "seXbox?"

boopadoo

@Mikazukinoyaiba:

Actually...no you wouldn't.

249.99 wireless, 199.99 wired.
59.99 20gb hdd used. we send them off to get wiped.

Add an edge card in there and you're looking at for a wired system and a hdd for around 260.

304 or so for the wireless system. But then there is the prp for it LULZ.

manjikengo

I am not saying Mass Effect will come to the PC but nowhere in there does Kim state that it is exclusive. Rather he sounds as if he is musing over matters but not actually saying anything. He states that it is the way they think about it.

Stating that it is a trilogy on the 360 does not preclude it being on other platforms such as the PC or PS3. Trilogy on the 360 is a far cry from exclusive trilogy on the 360.

Hatchetforce

@Furious_Liver: Oh god, whenever I turn on my DC it sounds like someone is inside my ears scraping a chalkboard.

manjikengo

@manjikengo:

To buy a used 360 at Gamestop is pretty stupid though, you'd have to buy the harddrive and end up spending more and getting less if you have simply bought the Pro package.

Mikazukinoyaiba

How many copies did ME end up selling?@gamadaya: half the time you worry if your 360 will explode?

you might need some anti-anxiety medication =)

magically_delicious

@justhesh: Honestly, one of the reasons the 360 owner camp say MGS4 will come to 360 is because it's strictly third party. I do wonder what kind of cash was sent to konami from sony as incentives to keep it "exclusive".

Don't forget ladies, Tretton claimed UT3 was ps3 exclusive at e3 2007. boy was he wrong.

manjikengo

@Witzbold: 6. Heh, even the fans are starting to lose count it seems. XD

Oh nono wait I see. 5 in Japan, 6 in America. Understandable. ;]

Oh, and I personally don't find the 360 to be noisy at all, but then again I still have my Dreamcast hooked up. First time I turned that thing on, my parents yelled at me to lower the volume. The sound on the TV was muted by the way. >_>;

Furious_Liver

Of course it's as far as Bioware is concerned. It's what has been said the entire time: Mass Effect is a 360 exclusive, it's part of a trilogy, and it's published by Microsoft. End of story.

The only people that even mention other platforms are the ones asking that same damn question over and over.

justhesh

@dowingba: Perhaps it was his friends Xbox and he wanted to play?

I forced my dumb ass friend off my xbox when i saw him doing things I hadn't done my 2nd play through ME.

Also, goldwings, the rrod with always happen. It's a general hardware failure diagnosis.

The issue was the widespread rampancy of the problems. I think it went down from a 33% defect rate to maybe around a decent 5-10% defect rate after August 2007.

Don't buy used xbox 360s is all I can say. if you do, make damn sure you get it at a gamestop and get the prp.

manjikengo

@I_Hate_This_Place: you better fix that shit soon man since doesnt DW6? or was it DW5 I forgot what number it is in the US comes out soon mate! lol

Witzbold

@dowingba: I should make it clear that I stayed at his house for 3 days playing HIS 360 because I don't have one. He made me stop because he wanted to play something else. 14 hours is a long time on when a buddy of yours has nothing to do but watch you do what he finished a long time ago, also he didn't his 360 to heat up again.

goldwings

There's hundreds of ways to shut the Xbox up; easiest way is to put it in another room and shut the door. Extension cables and wireless controllers were made for this kind of shit.

muu

how about.....Ea talks the talks and threatens MS with jumpin ship.

MS would then dish out ass tons of cash like they did with the all their exclusives and sony did with all their exclusives for the past 12 years or so.

manjikengo

@goldwings: You put...14 hours into a game and that prompted your friend to "make you" stop?

Wha?

I don't think I've ever put less than 14 hours into a game.

dowingba

@symphony_of_the_night:
That's a shame since one hasn't been announced and you're missing a hell of an epic story, fairly fun gunplay and a pretty shitty inventory system. Of course i'm the say with waiting for MGS4 to come to the 360.

I kidd plzz don't flame to death.

WickedSack

@I_Hate_This_Place: The noise actually did affect my play. I Still enjoyed it, but I play mostly at night and have to be quiet. I could hear but not as well.

Rurik

i will wait for the pc version :P

symphony_of_the_night

@EnigmaNemesis: I figured. They needed to. The dvd on my near-launch 360 sounds like it's eating the disc. On top of that, I have to tap the drive after I push the open button to get the damn thing to open.

I_Hate_This_Place

@goldwings: The 360 is so much damn fun it is well worth the risks. I took the risk and I only had the send the console in once, never had scratched disks, and the sound is not loud enough to wake a baby. And even if you got hit by all 3 you'd have so much fun you'd forget about it.

CollapseControl

I stopped playing ME because my friend made me stop :(
I understand why because I had 14 hours on the thing and he was getting tired of me sucking and taking my time :p
I want to get a 360 (being an Xbox owner before), but things like RROD (3rd one for my friend), stratching disks and annoying engine sounds want to make me wait until I see a Kotaku article stating something like "NO MORE RRODS! MS BEAMS, PEOPLE CRY WITH JOY"

goldwings

@I_Hate_This_Place:

I know they use different DVD drives in the the 360's compared to the launch ones. They are much quieter I noticed.

EnigmaNemesis

Mass Effect is one special RPG, it is the first one ever I actually enjoyed and completed. Final Fantasy is the other major RPG I tried once, got so bored I feel asleep.

CollapseControl

@ shin: heh.

awesome, awesome game. i was just hoping to see how itd play on a system that'd (ideally) let you install to the drive, mebbe got a bit more polish, but again, im really nitpicking here; what the narrative did for me more than made up for it.

TheIrishNinja

I really do hope that in Mass Effect 2 they add more to the planet exploration itself. Since the planets felt kinda barren, granted I know thats what it was suposed to be like and all that.

Plus more weapons for the love of god, and being able to buy grenades would be great. Since having to only "find" them was a little silly.

@gamadaya: Yeah thats whats been going on with mine reciently. Truthfully Im a bit worried since its never made those noises before. :/ Ill be even more sad if it dies on me since the 360 is what Im currently playing on the most atm. Love me some PokerSmash right now! Good stuff that XBLA game is! Gets pretty damned hard too!

Witzbold

@Mikazukinoyaiba: My 360 sounds like a rocket when i have nothing running, but when i play games i don't notice a thing. weird, huh?

If ME goes multi plat, and the ps3 version proves to have less texture pop and loading times then thats the version I'll get.

I'm pretty sure that MS will fight to the bitter end to keep this one though.

TheHun

Yeah anyway I'm totally for more people getting to play Bioware games so here's for it to being on the PS3 and PC.
Also if we could get some hi-res BG2 or even better a new BG, tho it would have to be with a new main char, as long as they have Drizzt i'd be on board.

WickedSack

@tehFluffz: No. The first game's all Microsoft's, any future multiplatform titles would be sequels-only.

Luke Plunkett

Bioware: As far as we're concerned, absolutely.

Electronic Arts: As far as we're concerned, Theres gonna a DS version too!

dadeisvenm

I guess my elite is just weird, as it barely hums. Now my near-launch console(the wife's 360) makes a shit-ton of noise while a disc is spinning, but not any other time.

I_Hate_This_Place

@Witzbold:
Same here. Sometimes, it honestly sounds like my 360 is scratching my disk with a razor. Most of the time, half my attention is devoted to playing the game, and half is devoted to worrying about whether or not my 360 is going to explode.

gamadaya

In theory, if ME was to come to the PS3 it would be EA porting it, right? NOTY

tehFluffz

I'm pretty sure Mass Effect will remain 360 exclusive. MS is really good at making sure that they obtain and retain exclusive rights. Sony, on the other hand, sucks so bad at it that at times it seems like they want more of their games to go to the 360.

@Witzbold:
The reason is because the game was rushed out to market by about 6 months, and they didn't have time to fine tune the combat and weapons systems. It's painfully obvious that it was rushed too. One of my favorite games to play in Mass Effect is "Let's time how long the textures on this rock take to pop up." Often times, they just don't.

gamadaya

@Mikazukinoyaiba: No 360s are loud. It just sounds softer the farther away you sit from it. When its right next to you like mine is with my current setup I get worried about the sounds I hear at times.

Witzbold

@Nex Antonius: So true, so very true!

@Insomnia Bob: I know eh? D:

Witzbold

What do you mean the 360 is loud?

I bought mine this Christmas and I haven't understood the complains at all. People made it out as if the sound interfers with the games volume and would cause me to turn it up, which isn't true at all.

The 360 isn't quiet but it surely isn't friggin louder then the television. I fail to see how it is a problem unless you have been playing the 360 for hours on end, in which then don't all game consoles start to get a bit loud as they heat up?

Mikazukinoyaiba

@WickedSack: Oh yeah thats right.

Witzbold

@Nex Antonius: hahahahahaah

Luke Plunkett

@I_Hate_This_Place: Those lines might be old... but their also both true.
The 360 IS loud. And the PS3 IS short on quality games.

Well, unless you like EA Sports. Man, can they ever crank out the titles.

Insomnia Bob

For the record, I'm all for Mass Effect on the PS3. My chief complaint with the game was the constant loading. Aside from that, it was just about flawless, so if a PS3 version can alleviate some of that, I'm all for it.

Screw fanboy loyalties. I want better GAMES.
@Witzbold: pistol, ar, shotgun, sniper. 5 if you count grenades.
But I see your point. I was confused as to why EVERYONE was carrying all those guns.
"Oh, your a mechanic? And you might be able to provide logistical support? Super. Here's your sniper rifle, assault rifle, combat shotgun, and pistol. What, you don't have any idea how to use the sniper rifle? Well, dont worry about it. Sign here, please."

Insomnia Bob

@almypal: "Mass Effect would have be nice if the 360 wasn't so loud."

Consider it to be akin to the beautiful hum of warp nacelles echoing through the ship! ;D

I kid.

Arttemis

@almypal: WHAT I CAN'T HEAR YOU?

Shindokie: Kotaku's Whore

@almypal: Yes, I'm sure it ruined your experience. Seriously, that line is 2 years old. Almost as bad as saying the PS3 has no games.
--------------------------------
On topic, I think EA are going to push pretty hard to make this multi-plat. That, or they are going to hit up MS for some "exclusivity funds".

I_Hate_This_Place

@Witzbold: Because the Protheans focused mainly on those awesome elevators.

Nex Antonius

@Witzbold:
Umm, shotgun, pistol, assault rifle and sniper makes 4?

WickedSack

Mass Effect would have be nice if the 360 wasn't so loud.

almypal

Good to see Microsoft is trying to keep this important franchise an exclusive.

lifeinthefridge

One thing I always wondered about the mass effect universe is why in the name of god are there only 3 weapon types.

Witzbold