A movie would be great. I'm just hoping they wouldn't mess it up. Loved the game and read the two novels.

ndvt

One of the best games and storys ever, love the books. I dont know about a moive Mass Effect is a very interactive experence.

sargemat

I love this game. (I'm completely boggled when I see someone's only earned the first achievement for the game. How can you not keep going?) First book was pretty good. Need to pick up the sequel still.

Though I hope this isn't another cram the game into a movie project. Games are games, movies are movies. Rarely can you cram one into another with decent results.

KeeganTheBrain

I love this game and a movie is a fantastic idea...

But I'd rather have a sequel than a movie. Any word on ME2?

romBox

They could save money on effects for the movie by reusing the same planet landing animation over and over and over and over and over...

I keed. I did quite like Mass Effect.

Yonderboy

Do something in the universe but leave Shepard alone. Shepard is supposed to be a character we uniquely created.

hagridore

SCENE:

INT. SPACE ELEVATOR

SHEPARD, flanked by WREX and GARRUS, waits patiently as the elevator ascends. (SCENE TIME: 00:02:00)

FightingChance

Ridiculous, they can't make a movie out of Mass Effect... Mass Effect was a game made out of movies! Practically everything in it was cribbed from some sci-fi classic or other. I don't say that disparagingly, it was a patchwork of all my favourite sci-fi, including the pseudo-Syd Mead design and pseudo-Vangelis/Tangerine Dream score. It's way too incestuous to turn all that stuff back into a movie, though.

Bogart Shwadchuck

The game had some shortcomings, but the story, characters, and universe were not among them. Mass Effect strikes me as at least as appropriate for a movie adaptation as BioShock. And probably more.

Vaegrin

@Cakey4242564: Me too! I really liked the plot in the game. Sure the story was told in a way that a sequel was inevitable. But I still enjoyed it.

@goddessakasha: Exactly! Though I know a couple of people who didn't it because of all the "talking" it had.

@alaren: Yeah. Bioware did an amazing job on Mass Effect's universe. The sheer amount of data that the game had was astounding. I admit I finished the game without reading any of the races,planets or whatnot. The dialogue and other chatter were enough for me.

It would be amazing if they adapted all of this if they made a movie. Reapers,alien races,etc. It's like a whole new sci-fi movie franchise stemmed from a game. Who would've have thought?

Hopefully a new Star Wars-esque sci-fi trilogy in the works...Yeah I know I'm being too giddy and optimistic. =D

excaliburps

I guess I may actually have to go back and finish this one... darn it....

I just couldn't get into it, and I like RPG's .

I like anything with a good story and half decent art direction, but for some reason it reminded me of Star trek, (I hate Star trek).
Sorry to all the Trekies... (I was a B5 and Farscape fan)

I will give it another go, and try to put whatever biased feelings aside and try to delve deeper into the world of Mass Effect.....

But mark my words if I see one fucking Tribble you will all pay dearly.....

Zatoichi666

I really enjoyed the game.

Still waiting for some fucking news on the sequel.

TK423

The whole world that Bioware created for Mass Effect was just stunning. Equal parts Star Wars and Babylon 5 all rolled into a coherant and cohesive universe of their own creation.

I can only hope that a Mass Effect movie would do the material justice.

qhue

Yah, Unfortunately the game couldn't hold my interest. The story was great, but the game play didn't excite me enough to continue. Maybe some day I will pick it up and keep going, but at the moment I have too many other games that I am working on.

Shifty203

Definately didn't win me over, but it was one of the better games of 07. Repetitive gameplay, glitches, and sparse environments really kept me from giving it the full applause some did, but it was still a great game, and none of those issues couldn't be addressed in the sequels.

Hope the movie doesn't suck because the backstory is amazing.

PATSCRU

How does the movie DRM work? Do they take a sample of your blood for DNA analysis when you go in the theater?

durrem

Couldn't get into the books, but loved the game, I think it could make a really well paced movie.

drifter13

Hey, why not? I'd watch it.

Christian Bale as Shepard please.

hansamurai

Mass Effect, as a game, was quite good--but a little too repetitive, ultimately. The universe as revealed in the background reading, however, was awesome. If this is done right, it could easily be the next big sci-fi franchise.

Of course, it could easily be the next sci-fi flop, too, but the potential for greatness is definitely there. The backstory on Mass Effect was amazingly well done.

alaren

Yeah this could be good. Robert Downey for Commander Shepard anyone?

DigitalHero

@Vecha: Agreed the books were amazing.

Cakey4242564

The game totally won me over. This movie could very well be EPIC !

Nexus6

A Mass Effect movie could be awesome. If it's about Shepard, I wonder what kind of character he or she will be.

FreakyFavabean

How could this game not win you over?!?

goddessakasha

I would be all about a Mass Effect movie :) Damnit give it a television series, anime, and graphic novel as well.

Cakey4242564

the game deserved GOTY in 07 so a movie would be awesome

ZetaCrossfire

Man...I loved the game and books...

Vecha

Mass Effect a/k/a Game of the Year 2007

ckranger11

@Dejanus: Don't think it would have to be shepard in order for it to be good, and i also hope they don't use shepard.

Haven't started reading Ascencion but Revalation was good, just being set in the Mass Effect Universe, and if the movie is a stand alone film I think it could still be succesful.

Also this generations lacking that one great Sci-fi movie, and this would be a good start.

Cakey4242564

@Zatoichi666: I didn't really get a Star Trek vibe at all except maybe for the warping ( Star Trek doesn't own the technology ). If anything it's a hybrid between 2001: A Space Odyssey , Blade Runner , 5th Element & Battlestar Galactica.

Nexus6

@Zatoichi666: You should definately try to finish it, the last hour or so of the game was pretty amazing. Also if anything the game reminds me a lot more of Firefly/Serenity then anything else.

@FightingChance: I can see the trailer now.

Shepard, Wrex, and Talim enter an elevator.

Wrex: So tell me. Who'd win in a fight between you and shepard.

Cakey4242564

It could be great, but absolutely could NOT be about Shepherd. I suggest a kick ass Admiral Hackett movie with a plethora of well-known actors as Voice talent for Cg aliens.

Dejanus

Huge fan of Mass Effect but making a Sci-fi movie out of it kinda completes the circle as ME is somewhat of a homage to older Sci-fi pictures.

NorthernAvengeR

@Bogart Shwadchuck: AGREED. It really did comb through every great sci-fi franchise and story and mix and match parts. Sometimes, i'd argue, that melding ended up being sophomoric compared to the stories from which it was inspired. Some parts were great though.

PATSCRU

Great game, I just hope it doesn't get dragged down with the failures that will be the majority of these game to movie adaptations. I don't think any major game from the past two years isn't getting a movie deal, hell that fool wants to do a Guitar Hero movie.

I can see a Mass Effect movie doing well, if done right that is. There's about as much room for error as there is the BioShock movie. Do it just right or not at all.

Hey_guy

I loved the first game, can't wait for more. If this does come true, I'd rather have a TV show than a movie.

mikeko10

The game was great, one of the few games that really managed to get me emotionally involved in the story and characters, and the ending was brilliant. But that's the problem, the ending that I played was different than the ending that could have been chosen by someone else. This game grabbed me because I chose who lived and who died, I chose the tone of Sheppard's voice, and ultimately I chose how the galaxy was shaped in the aftermath. Without that interactive element I don't think it would be as good.

GodBen

Mass Effect fricking rocked, it was awesome on all fronts, and I have been waiting patiently for news of and about Mass Effect 2.

The story could work in a movie, but it would have to be made right, and given the track record of game movies I would not give much chance of that happening.

WPack911

A conversation I just had:

g: "Avi Arad, the man behind the recent spate of good comic book movie franchises, is rumored to have optioned the rights to Bioware's sci-fi role-playing game Mass Effect, Variety is reporting."

d: it would be hilarious if the movie modeled the game's camera system.
"why does this movie look like it was directed by kevin smith?"

g: It'd also be hilarious if the movie followed the game's re-use of side-mission levels. "Did they only build one set for this movie?"

d: "was the 'driving around and looking for minerals' subplot necessary?"

d: "this is the first action movie ive seen where nobody jumps."

wonderfoo

I think we all know from experience that these things never work out. I myself, being a huge fan of Mass Effect, really don't want this.

ReconToaster

**Possible spoiler**

I hope they include all the similar moments in the game like when at the end of the game the lift stops and they have to stick their magnetic boots on and go out fighting along the inside of the citadel, or when on they move along the road on feros with the clouds and spires all around them.

**End possible spoiler**

The gameplay in some ways was repetitive after you 'new game plussed' your old save a few times onto the hardest level, but the scale of some of the environments was impressive even if you obviously couldn't go to that place you could see in the distance. If they could add those into the movie I'd watch it just for those moments alone.

Pudgey

@Nexus6: I didn't even make it as far as the "warping".

I guess the problem was it's a little too clean. I like my scifi dirty to hell with shiny .....
But please keep in mind I'm only going by the couple of hours I played it.
I'll be the first to admit I didn't give it a chance.

Hell I even liked Advent Rising, I don't think it did to well , but a good game is a good game...

later....

Zatoichi666

Now this is the kind of game we need a movie of.

It's pretty cinematic already, and it has a strong story and awesome cast of characters. Actually, those were good enough to carry over any quirks and issues with the actual "game" aspect of it.

With Arad guiding the reins, it seems like it'd be worth my place in the line on opening day.

Grive

@FreakyFavabean:

Let me tell you; male, paragon, & war hero. Probably romance Ash and/or Liara depending on how ballsy the writer/director is.

siempre

What would be ironic is if they cast Matthew Fox as John Shepard instead of Mark Meer (highly possible).

Comments 'rnt Us (usually)

If a movie were to be made it would be best if it was made after Mass Effect 2 came out to allow more back story and provide more options of when to set it. Personally i'd prefer a comic. A movie only has a limited time for a story, the effects would be too high a budget for a weekly TV show but a comic doesn't have to worry about special effects budgets and length isn't an issue (i.e. TV shows get 24 to 26 episodes a season).

Davizias

@GodBen:

While I didn't get as emotionally involved with the game as you did, I understand what you're saying.

I also understand many people adhering to canon, which is probably what the movie would become. Though, I think as long as the canon does not affect the second game in any way, it should not affect your play-through.

I'd consider the movie to just be one person's play-through and interpretation of the story, which they were than able to make a movie out of. It has nothing to do with our own games. It will just be one way of going through the story.

Phantom6612

The game would be much better suited as a tv series. It would allow for the depth that the series has to be fully explored, as well as tell an excellent narrative.

goboard117

This news is nowhere near as exciting as information about Mass Effect 2 would be. Come on BioWare, let's make with the info.

FigNewton

I can't wait for all the cut-scenes of the characters riding elevators.

GrandfatherParadox

The game had its flaws but I haven't met anyone who played it that denied that the story was one of the best in recent years.

Could it possibly be that the first "good" video game movie may be in the works soon? Because right now Mortal Kombat tops the list and if Hollywood can't improve on something that only ranks because of it's "so bad it's good" value with material like this, then there's no hope.

Of course, there is the fact that half the movie will just be Shepard standing in elevators not doing anything, but that alone should be enough to put it ahead of anything Uwe Boll was involved in.

TrjnRabbit

I'm the opposite.

I thought the prequel book was a snore-fest. The game had me hooked from beginning to end though.

belo

This was one of the best games I've ever played, if only the side quests were a little less repetitive, it would have been near perfect.

I am always scared of video game movies, especially when it is a video game I like.

zdevex

What a waste if time. The game was already an awesome movie-like-experience. Why ruin it with a crappy movie experience ?. It wouldn't be the same without my Commander Shepard anyways.

Armans

Loved the game, haven't picked up the book yet. Hopefully with the movie they did the same thing I did in the game which was to go with the female version of Cmdr. Shepard.

fox01313

I love Mass Effect and it's rich universe, but I don't think a movie is needed at all. The game itself more than sated my desire for a cinematically delivered narrative.

Still, this is a neat idea to draw in new audience and possibly revive the scifi genre in movies after Lucas and his awful Death-quels have all but nailed the last coffin into the real of science fiction.

JAcK0R

The story and characters were unbelievably rubbish for a company that prides itself in "creating the best story driven games."
The only appeal is its classic RPG faceless character fantasy.

Sci-fi channel puts out enough original movies. Make no mistake, that's what this will be competing for, and not proper attempts at the sci-fi genre.

losplagos

Sorry for the double post, but I forgot my last insult.

They should go to the Sci-Fi channel. I am sure they can fit Mass Effect in between Mega Snake 2 and Horror Rock of Doom.

If not, perhaps on Saturdays between 'Snake' and 'Bear'.

All creative, well funded masterpieces!

NintendoFanBoy64

There is a problem. Movies need a good plot.

Mass Effect does not supply a good plot.

Result?

Another 'video game movie'.

NintendoFanBoy64

Mass Effect would make for probably the best videogame movie ever made. The game itself is almost a movie. Incredible game.

kadaj24

@NintendoFanBoy64:
Just what I said.
Seriously, the people thinking this has a good story need to read a book. And not the Mass Effect books. Or the Halo ones.

losplagos

Another example, the 'best video game movie yet' Max Payne - is it out? How did it do? Critics raving?

If you are as in the dark as most you have no damn clue!

NintendoFanBoy64

@NintendoFanBoy64: Yeah I guess theres no good storytelling in videogames.

Nexus6

@NintendoFanBoy64: Have you played Mass Effect? It has a great plot.

And don't compare it to Max Payne, because most people even Max Payne fans would admit it didn't deserve a movie.

Although I admit, a Sci-Fi channel miniseries/movie would be most appropriate for Mass Effect, probably not the big screen. Mass Effect on the silver screen would require a big budget in order for it to be any good.

kadaj24

Considering Mass Effect's GODDAMN BRILLIANTLY AMAZING story, in the game and in the two novels, I think a movie would be pretty amazing as long as it kept true to the level of detail and history the Mass Effect world is based upon, instead of it being dumbed down for retards who want to see a 'pew pew pew pretty lasers and ooh, big explosion' movie. And if it's got the game characters in, Ashley shoud just be tied up, shot in the head and dumped in a storage locker in the Normandy so we don't have to hear her stupid bitchy irritating racist remarks all the time.

Ursus-Veritas

Reading Ascension right now and it is not too shabby. Revelation good in my opinion, although a pretty run-of-the-mill SciFi book.

As for the game, like many people pointed out, the story was respectable but there was some terrible usability issues with the game itself (notably how you drive the Mako, how they handled the RPG/FPS aiming and the whole inventory interface).

Now, the question is not whether or not a movie "is needed" (of course it's not, a movie IS NEVER needed), but if it could be a blockbuster, and yes it probably has all that it needs to become one plot-wise. And remember, people won't stop from making a movie out of it just because you think that the game is "sufficient" or because you don't want to see "a different Sheppard", the only thing that counts is if it can make money.

Of course, I'm also in the camp of people who would prefer a TV show, but that's not surprising since ME is just another Stark Trek in a different universe with different people (and don't bother with the differences, what counts here are the similarities).

In the end, if the rumor is real and the movie materializes someday, I can only hope that it'll be a good one.

WhiskeyJak

@FightingChance:

I lol'd.

/Hollywood, please don't cock this up like Doom

MasterThief

I loved the game, even though I'm not a big sci-fi fan, liking the idea of a movie.

MPSai

@Ursus-Veritas: You're part of the problem. ME was a shallow, pewpew laser game with a story of equal quality. The story was atrocious, not "brilliantly amazing." The novels were worse.

losplagos

I just finished the other day (Lv. 44 Soldier Paragon).

About halfway through the game, I started to wonder if I was having fun. I had been running around the galaxy doing most of the side-quests, and undeniably there were big honking issues with the gameplay--boring planets, repetitive combat, etc.

So instead I started going back to the story worlds at about level 30 or so. And what I found there completely changed my opinion of the game. The challenges were more intense, the attachments more intruiging, and after maxing out the friendly persuasion skills I found some shocking twists that could be unlocked. My opinion of the game completely turned around over the last five or six hours of my 23 hours of play. I would encourage the haters here to give the game another chance and take their time through it, especially when it comes to unlocking the additional dialog options. You might find that the game really improves as a qualit experience.

I look forward to Mas Effect movie done well, because I think that it is at least on par in quality with a number of other iconic sci-fi franchises.

thecactusman17

@losplagos: Hang on what? You sure you were playing the same game and reading the same novels? As far as recent RPG's go, Mass Effect's story was brilliant - deep, engaging and most of all, fun to read and experience. At no point whilst playing through the game or reading either of the novels did I feel that the story was shallow.

Maybe you didn't get to experience that while you waded through the shit that was MGS4's story or something.

Ursus-Veritas

Intersting. great game. I'd watch it.

usermike

This is one of the only games that could make a great movie. But of course, it will suck. Such is life.

thenino85