Update: BioWare Teases Release Date for Next Mass Effect

[Marshall Honorof]

Update: BioWare Teases Release Date for Next Mass Effect

Another Mass Effect title is underway, but it won't be out for a while.

Fans of the Mass Effect series probably already know that Mass Effect 0 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120596-BioWare-Montreal-Takes-Over-Mass-Effect]) is already in development, but won't be ready for quite some time, aiming for release between late 2014 and early 2015.

"I honestly can't tell you an exact because full development on the game started a month or two ago," says Mike Gamble, a producer at BioWare, but explains that the game is still at least two years off. Since the game is still extremely early in development, Gamble doesn't expect too much more news to surface about it for the remaining few weeks of 2012. He assures fans that BioWare will reveal more information about the new Mass Effect entry sometime in 2013.

Fans will surely debate whether or not Mass Effect needs another entry, as well as whether such an entry could prove itself a good game. Given its projected two-and-a-half-year development time, however, few could accuse it of being rushed. Love it or hate it, all indications point towards BioWare Montreal doing its best with a popular franchise.

Update: The original interview at GamerSyndrome [http://gamersyndrome.com/2012/video-games/gamersyndrome-talks-with-bioware-about-the-mass-effect-series/] has been removed due to inaccurate sourcing. The information about the next Mass Effect's release date was "NOT an official Bioware or EA interview response," according to the site.

Source: GamerSyndrome [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/next-mass-effect-game-receives-tentative-launch-window/0108107]

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[Soviet Heavy]

I'm just concerned about the development time. ME3 was also in development for nearly three years and it still managed to have a ton of issues.

 

[Fappy]

I'm just concerned about the development time. ME3 was also in development for nearly three years and it still managed to have a ton of issues.

It is more time than EA usually gives developers these days, but yeah, it could use another year at least.

This is Bioware's last chance for me.

 

[INeedAName]

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

 

[StormShaun]

This is Bioware's last chance for me.

I agree with that.

With both Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age 2, they are only getting on chance from me.
It will either be in Dragon Age 3 or Mass Effect 4.

And they better pray they don't screw us again.

The scar has healed Bioware... but not forgotten! V.V

 

[Eri]

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

They already did. Sorry they can't ever satisfy you.

 

[Acton Hank]

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

It's really sad that you're still bitter.

Here's your happy ending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSwpxbSzf20

 

[Acton Hank]

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

They already did. Sorry they can't ever satisfy you.

Well there's that happy ending mod someone on BSN made, if that doesn't make them stop crying...

 

[Doctor Proctor]

I can't wait to see where Bioware goes for the next game. I love the universe that they've created in Mass Effect, as well as the brilliant gameplay. While I'm *slightly* worried about where they can go story wise, if anyone can figure out it's them.

 

[The.Bard]

I can't wait to see where Bioware goes for the next game. I love the universe that they've created in Mass Effect, as well as the brilliant gameplay. While I'm *slightly* worried about where they can go story wise, if anyone can figure out it's them.

Agreed. I'd love to see a game based around CSEC. The citadel is plenty large enough. Maybe make it an LA Noire detective style game. It could have some real potential. Just no more "save the galaxy" type plot. I thiink it's safe to say we're collectively good without more of those for awhile.

 

[Doctor Proctor]

I can't wait to see where Bioware goes for the next game. I love the universe that they've created in Mass Effect, as well as the brilliant gameplay. While I'm *slightly* worried about where they can go story wise, if anyone can figure out it's them.

Agreed. I'd love to see a game based around CSEC. The citadel is plenty large enough. Maybe make it an LA Noire detective style game. It could have some real potential. Just no more "save the galaxy" type plot. I thiink it's safe to say we're collectively good without more of those for awhile.

Yes, that's definitely something I'd love to see Bioware do is play around with other genres. They could even do something like keep the numbered entries as big, sweeping space operas, but then do side games like "Mass Effect: CSEC Noire". There's just so much potential in that world for everything from Tycoon style games, GTA/Mafia crime games, Police Procedural/Noire to RTS. Making ALL of those might get a bit tedious, but at least expoloring a few of them would make for some great diversions that further flesh out that world for the fans.

 

[fix-the-spade]

They already did. Sorry they can't ever satisfy you.

No they didn't, they extended the cutscenes slightly.

It still boiled down to a simple color coded choice and the game play leading up to that point was still a huge let down. Where was the massive boss fight? Or the hard decision(s)? Up until that point you've played laser chicken with a Reaper, fought off infinite Brutes between the legs of another and run for your life from the middle of Vancouver. Then the ending has you run round a tank in circles for a few minutes, followed by an extended quick time event (with some running forwards).

It's rubbish. What's more the two expansions so far have also been complete rubbish. After Overlord I thought any Mass Effect expansion could only be amazing, unfortunately that appears to have been the high water mark.


As far as the next one goes, we'll see. I'd quite like to see a galaxy with the Reapers in it and how that plays out, not some cop-out of a prequel. I won't be getting it on release day though...

 

[INeedAName]

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

They already did. Sorry they can't ever satisfy you.

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

It's really sad that you're still bitter.

Here's your happy ending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSwpxbSzf20

That was a pretty good mod, but the problem isn't that it isn't happy. If anything, I would have loved a self-sacrificial end for Sheppard. Just... not the way they pulled it off. I don't want to argue over how much the ending sucked, or how self-entitled I am for suggesting that I dislike the ending to a series I like (used to love). Suffice to say, I hope they do it better next time.

 

[Nihlus2]

Giving Dragon Age 3 an isolated chance, that's the last for me, I know the studio responsible for Mass Effect has some great writing talent, like Patrick Weekes and John Dombrow, those two wrote a lot of your favorites like Garrus, Wrex, Legion, Mordin, Thane and a lot more. They also were responsible for Tuchanka/Genophage Arc and Rannoch/Geth and Quarian Arc (they were not the only ones, but they wrote the main parts and storyline for these parts).

To me those two were the saving grace of Mass Effect 3, but I cannot condone what they are being forced to work with so... I'll watch them, but have no faith in the people making the decisions at that studio anymore.

Dragon Age 3 though has one final shot, especially since the studio of Dragon Age actually did admit, that Dragon Age 2 was a flawed and rushed game. Still found it alright myself, not replayable, but still more compelling than ME3 as an isolated game (although the Tuchanka and Rannoch Arcs were the best in recent years from Bioware).
And for all its flaws, it did have some redeeming elements, it was like a failed Mass Effect 2 fantasy game, but it was also an isolated story, which makes it a bit manageable to recover from.

Oh well, with that said, let's wait and see what they bring to the table to show.

 

[Nghtgnt]

This is Bioware's last chance for me.

I agree with that.

With both Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age 2, they are only getting on chance from me.
It will either be in Dragon Age 3 or Mass Effect 4.

And they better pray they don't screw us again.

The scar has healed Bioware... but not forgotten! V.V

SWTOR already was that for me, though for me "last chance" simply meant I will no longer automatically assume a Bioware game will be good - "Bioware" is no longer synonymous with "quality". Don't get me wrong, their games are still pretty decent (yes, even SWTOR has some pretty good qualities), it's just that I'll wait for reviews and for the price to drop from the absurd $50 games tend to be released at as well as the first couple of inevitable DLC packs.

 

[Acton Hank]

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

They already did. Sorry they can't ever satisfy you.

Just fix the ending. Retcon it if you have to.

Yes... I'm still bitter.

It's really sad that you're still bitter.

Here's your happy ending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSwpxbSzf20

That was a pretty good mod, but the problem isn't that it isn't happy. If anything, I would have loved a self-sacrificial end for Sheppard. Just... not the way they pulled it off. I don't want to argue over how much the ending sucked, or how self-entitled I am for suggesting that I dislike the ending to a series I like (used to love). Suffice to say, I hope they do it better next time.

Suggesting that you dislike the ending doesn't make you entitled; demanding that it be changed to suit you does.
I didn't like the ending either, but it didn't cause months of bitterness.

 

[2clueless]

Kill it with fire!

Sorry, knee jerk reaction.

I agree with most thoughts here. Endings, regardless of extended cut scenes, were utter abominations, complete with lies, scandal, and mis-marketing. Up until that point, I was completely in love with the games. Mass Effect X will be Bioware's last chance to woo me back.

Bioware has bled a fair amount of top notch people. I have no confidence that they can continue to make the type of games that made them a beacon of story-telling light in the gaming universe. I have hope though, but it is dim.

 

[TIMESWORDSMAN]

Really, I think it probably needs more than two and a half years.

I'm new to the series, and just played the first two games back to back, and the differences between dev times and freedom was glaring.
It seemed in ME2 that a lot of elements and expansions from ME1 were planned, and some even made it to playable versions, but were cut out for whatever reasons. Characters felt like they should have more to say, environments and hubs felt empty and devoid of life(despite many a useless NPC), and upon playing the Hammerhead segments it seems as though it was intended to replace the MAKO at one point, implying more planet-side exploration was intended.

Popular theory at the time was that it had been 'dumbed down' to make more money, but I think that's unlikely. What sane producer would water down a formula that had already become manically popular and acclaimed? No, it seems more like they just ran out of time, money, or both.

As such, I would allot as much time and cash as possible to this game rather than pushing for a quick release or, god forbid, a Holiday Deadline. I feel that such it would be 'worth the wait'.

 

[search_rip]

I would buy an unrelated sequel based on the Mass Effect universe but not a prequel, I don't see the point on that, unless is set on The First Contact War, does not mention The Reapers at all or have a "save the universe" theme... like some people said Mass Effect X will be Bioware´s last chance for me to still like/love them, I gave up on Dragon Age already and most probably won't buy the 3rd

 

[deathbydeath]

Here's an idea, EA/Bioware, fire Casey Hudson and Mac Walters, hire Drew Karpyshyn back, and remake Mass Effect 2&3, and this time don't piss on the established plot, lore, and gameplay. Prove to us then that you're worthy to handle the Mass Effect ip, and how about then you try to expand your sad, sad universe.