BioWare Drops Another Hint

[VirusHunter]

Fun theory time!

Shepard and his crew head back to the cidatel to share with the council what just happened between them and the collector ship but without sufficient evidence the council once again dismisses his statements as crazy (again) and now that the threat of human colonies disappearing is over and done with the Illusive Man reduces all of Cerberus's resources towards Shepard's escapades against the reapers. On top of that, some of his squadmates leave after the collector incident now that their mission is over (Somara/Morinth, Zaeed, Thane, Kasumi, potentially Tali, Jack and Mordin) Without any leads or anyone's backing Shepard travels into the far reaches of the galaxy, desperate to find something. After several months Shepard is deemed AWOL and the human council member sends one of the Alliance's top agents to investigate Shepard's last known whereabouts in the Vostok system.

Also guys remember that Bioware was hoping to make some kind of multiplayer aspect in a Mass Effect game? Maybe even...cooperative?

 

[Spencer Petersen]

Its Bioware, so it will be you joining a secretive special-operations branch of the military that is above the law, where you will be faced with maneuvering your way through dialogue trees and gaining party members as well as fighting against a brainwashed or misinformed leader who will admit that they are not responsible for their actions seconds before you kill them right before facing the real threat, preferably in a city or location where you spent a lot of the game in as a quest hub or safe zone. You will at some point be faced with 4 different missions which you can visit in any order and each will end with a moral choice where you decide between "all life is precious" and "get results no matter the cost". You will start with a mentor who is killed after the requisite tutorial and at some point you get the chance to bone a party member. Everything ends with you deciding how the government will rebuild and what-not and with you walking into the sunset as the hero, no matter whose lives you ruined along the way.

I wonder what wrapping paper they'll put over this one, they're all out of space opera and standard fantasy so they'll probably go with spy story.

 

[spectrenihlus]

I still think it is a Mass Effect spin off

Yes I got it from Kotaku

 

[HyenaThePirate]

I'm thinking it's some sort of Prequel to Mass Effect.
Perhaps something Earth Based. Set in the same universe, but far earlier, maybe around the discovery of the first alien artifacts.

 

[ExaltedK9]

Idon't care if it doesn't come as a surprise, I hope its the announcement of ME3. But if it does turn out to be some un-numbered addition to the Mass Effect stable, then I wouldnt mind that. The pic does ook a bit like something out of the ME universe, but from an earlier time, like possibly the first contact era.

I just hope the when Mass Effect 3 does come out, its based around Shepard.

 

[ExaltedK9]

I am immune to your silly hype machine, Bioware. I don't care how many cryptic hints you drop. I can wait patiently for the actual reveal, you're not going to get me playing your little "guess what?" game.

Hear, Hear! Har, Har! Things are starting to get really bad when they're teasing the announcement that will most likely contain a teaser trailer teasing the game, which probably won't surface for years. I suppose that's just cause it's Bioware, people think that they're going to come out with an announcement that's going to be the next gaming revolution.

Even if it turns out to live up to the hype and excitement you've set for it, good luck maintaining that level of excitement for the next 3 years while it's actually getting developed. We have nothing better to do than sit in anticipation, wasting our attention and time resources, for something we know nothing about, nor do we know it will actually be any good?

If you can't find a better use for your time and energy than gawking, slack-jawed, at some future possibility, I don't really know what else to tell you... but it would probably be written off as trolling, so I won't go into it.

The hype machine will turn and sputter ever onward, and it remains for the few not throwing ourselves willingly into it to rant like madmen about how it's a pity.

What are they thinking, trying to draw attention to their work like that? Dont they know that thats a terrible advertising move? Who do they think they are? A game company?!

And youre right, I'm sure that when everybody catches wind of their new project, they'll drop their lives to stare at a wall in silent anticipation until the thing is finally released.

The crafty bastards...

 

[el_kabong]

I am immune to your silly hype machine, Bioware. I don't care how many cryptic hints you drop. I can wait patiently for the actual reveal, you're not going to get me playing your little "guess what?" game.

Hear, Hear! Har, Har! Things are starting to get really bad when they're teasing the announcement that will most likely contain a teaser trailer teasing the game, which probably won't surface for years. I suppose that's just cause it's Bioware, people think that they're going to come out with an announcement that's going to be the next gaming revolution.

Even if it turns out to live up to the hype and excitement you've set for it, good luck maintaining that level of excitement for the next 3 years while it's actually getting developed. We have nothing better to do than sit in anticipation, wasting our attention and time resources, for something we know nothing about, nor do we know it will actually be any good?

If you can't find a better use for your time and energy than gawking, slack-jawed, at some future possibility, I don't really know what else to tell you... but it would probably be written off as trolling, so I won't go into it.

The hype machine will turn and sputter ever onward, and it remains for the few not throwing ourselves willingly into it to rant like madmen about how it's a pity.

What are they thinking, trying to draw attention to their work like that? Dont they know that thats a terrible advertising move? Who do they think they are? A game company?!

And youre right, I'm sure that when everybody catches wind of their new project, they'll drop their lives to stare at a wall in silent anticipation until the thing is finally released.

The crafty bastards...

I guess it's kind of like that really lonely girl at the bar who's trying so hard to get guys to sleep with her to fill some untold void in her soul left by some traumas in her past that she thinks she can replace with booze, rampant sex, and the unhealthy attention garnered for being drunk and promiscuous.

Oh, she'll get the sex and attention she wants, but it's still sad and pathetic. The girl's sense of fulfillment won't last, prompting her to be back doing the same routine, but the guys she hooks up with will have to live down sleeping with a bar skank and possibly STDs.

It's not that Bioware isn't fully capable of showing a fella the night of his life, but it's not flattering for them to be what is essentially the equivalent of "that drunk girl". Branding isn't just about getting people's attention about your product, but also maintaining the integrity of your company and that product. Shameless, pointless marketing can effectively hurt your brand because there are those (like me) who view these ploys as a little insulting because Bioware apparently isn't giving it's potential market much respect and that they have nothing better to do than play Bioware games and wait, with baited breath, for the next Bioware game.

Any company that begins viewing their demographic less as people and more like walking wallets will begin to make inferior products because they're not in touch with said demographic. Again, they may sell well to the population, but the actual good games will begin to be buried under a bunch of mediocre garbage that panders to what's normal and acceptable (in other words - no more innovation). Then again, Bioware now being affiliated with EA, I guess that would make sense.

Anyway, I'm done discussing the matter. I've said my peace and I'll leave it at that.

 

[sosolidshoe]

Most obvious(and therefore like incorrect) interpretation is:

Clue 1 - Iron Curtain
Clue 2 - <url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_Station>Vostok Station
Clue 3 - MI6

So, Cold War-era sci-fi spy RPG?

 

[Caradinist]

Is that not the Incisor rifle from the Mass Effect seri-

Oh, somebody already pointed that out. I guess the puzzle has been solved.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Maybe Bioware bought Alpha Protocol, are fixing it, and then re-releasing it.

If it is a Mass Effect MMO/Online FPS I will be severely dissapointed.

 

[ExaltedK9]

I am immune to your silly hype machine, Bioware. I don't care how many cryptic hints you drop. I can wait patiently for the actual reveal, you're not going to get me playing your little "guess what?" game.

Hear, Hear! Har, Har! Things are starting to get really bad when they're teasing the announcement that will most likely contain a teaser trailer teasing the game, which probably won't surface for years. I suppose that's just cause it's Bioware, people think that they're going to come out with an announcement that's going to be the next gaming revolution.

Even if it turns out to live up to the hype and excitement you've set for it, good luck maintaining that level of excitement for the next 3 years while it's actually getting developed. We have nothing better to do than sit in anticipation, wasting our attention and time resources, for something we know nothing about, nor do we know it will actually be any good?

If you can't find a better use for your time and energy than gawking, slack-jawed, at some future possibility, I don't really know what else to tell you... but it would probably be written off as trolling, so I won't go into it.

The hype machine will turn and sputter ever onward, and it remains for the few not throwing ourselves willingly into it to rant like madmen about how it's a pity.

What are they thinking, trying to draw attention to their work like that? Dont they know that thats a terrible advertising move? Who do they think they are? A game company?!

And youre right, I'm sure that when everybody catches wind of their new project, they'll drop their lives to stare at a wall in silent anticipation until the thing is finally released.

The crafty bastards...

I guess it's kind of like that really lonely girl at the bar who's trying so hard to get guys to sleep with her to fill some untold void in her soul left by some traumas in her past that she thinks she can replace with booze, rampant sex, and the unhealthy attention garnered for being drunk and promiscuous.

Oh, she'll get the sex and attention she wants, but it's still sad and pathetic. The girl's sense of fulfillment won't last, prompting her to be back doing the same routine, but the guys she hooks up with will have to live down sleeping with a bar skank and possibly STDs.

It's not that Bioware isn't fully capable of showing a fella the night of his life, but it's not flattering for them to be what is essentially the equivalent of "that drunk girl". Branding isn't just about getting people's attention about your product, but also maintaining the integrity of your company and that product. Shameless, pointless marketing can effectively hurt your brand because there are those (like me) who view these ploys as a little insulting because Bioware apparently isn't giving it's potential market much respect and that they have nothing better to do than play Bioware games and wait, with baited breath, for the next Bioware game.

Any company that begins viewing their demographic less as people and more like walking wallets will begin to make inferior products because they're not in touch with said demographic. Again, they may sell well to the population, but the actual good games will begin to be buried under a bunch of mediocre garbage that panders to what's normal and acceptable (in other words - no more innovation). Then again, Bioware now being affiliated with EA, I guess that would make sense.

Anyway, I'm done discussing the matter. I've said my peace and I'll leave it at that.

I fail to se how dropping a hint as to what they are doing to be tasteless, or pointless, especially they're going to announce it in the near future. And yea, Bioware has to make a living, just like everyone else, but they do their job extremely well for the players sake, and they have definitely yet to sell out.

And again, since it apparently didn't sink in the first time: Just because Bioware is promoting it's newest product (not a sound financial move, according to you) doesn't mean they expect everyone to "Sit around playing Bioware games all day." like mindless sheep.

I hope you're aware that you're using some pretty fucking soft science when you say that this hint of Bioware's will through some chain of events, flood the market with mediocore products and advertisements, and destroy innovation as we know it.

I'm goiing to give you the benefit of the doubt here and assume that you've been struck in the head recently, and you aren't just this naturally retarded. I genuinely hope you never go into advertising.

So, lets review: Bioware is NOT being tasteless by advertising their usually above-par work.

But what I do find tasteless is your flashing back to your college bar-hopping days.

PS: I hope its not syphilis.

 

[Smallells]

My guess? Alternate Cold War scenario where you play as an MI6 British Operative against the USSR. Which I severely hope *isn't* the case. I'm getting sick of the Russians becoming antagonists in video games. If they drop a nuclear bomb in this game - urgh, I'll lost respect for the video game industry. At least in COD4 it was Russian insurgents and not the country.

Meh, going off on a rant. It definately won't be Mass Effect 3. All this about Sheperd's replacement as a main character is wrong - you're meant to keep him alive for a reason. I hope it's not a prequel. From my limited Mass Effect knowledge, there wasn't actually an battle on Earth which would make the whole London setting a moot point. Personally, I hope it's not Mass Effect related at all! Give me my third then stay awaaaay from the franchise. It'll only ruin you in the long run.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Question: If it's so sensible to dismiss various clues (like the link to SIS) because "that's clearly an Incisor," why isn't anyone suggesting the opposite: That the Incisor is the red herring? It's clearly the better candidate, since it's right there, front and center. Why bother playing this whole hype game if you're going to lift the curtain with the very first step you take?

 

[tigercrews]

It's possible all the numbers mean something put together, like a code or something atomic mass of iron, coldest recorded temp (most likely the Celsius reading) and the 6 from MI6

 

[Terminal Blue]

This my friends, is VERY clearly an Incisor Sniper Rifle, and it is a weapon in Mass Effect 2.

Aww.. and there I thought I was being clever by spotting that.

The storyline from 2 is so far removed from what happened in 1 (the machine baddie suddely working with organics,

Cough cough.. Saren, Matriach Benezia + Asari Commandos and an entire army of cloned Krogan..

I think His/their personality was quite well established from day 1. They don't really give a crap what people are made of so long as they can be controlled. Besides, it's not like you can't just pull the thinking bits out of organic beings and replace them with tech anyway.

 

[Gerrawn]

Robot James Bond takes on the Reapers. I'm just calling it.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Iron (Curtain), Soviet research outpost, and British SIS, I'm going with Cold War.

That....actually sounds superbly plausible and well-defined. but if it is true, then this combined with Black Ops will probably usher in an age of over saturation of cold war games though.

 

[Silver Patriot]

I don't think they'd be sneak revealing Mass Effect 3, everyone expects them to reveal Mass Effect 3, it's not a very good surprise, it'd be like "surprising" someone with cookies they knew were in the pantry.

Also it doesn't help that ME3 is NOT A SURPRISE. Everyone knows it is coming. Bioware isn't denying it [http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/interview-bioware-greg-zeschuk-on-mass-effect-2-and-3/] and ME2 was pretty much built on that assumption.

Too bad Sony Russia occasionally confirmed that it's Mass Effect 3 on Twitter. And as it happens with Sony, a screenshot has been taken before they removed it.

It says "Bioware company showed a teaser for VGA award in which you can see first footage of Mass Effect 3.
It's a Sony, people. PSP Go leaked, PSP2 leaked, now they leak even third-party announcements.

That doesn't look like Shepard though. At all. So dubya tee eff?

Shepard could die in ME2. Most likely ME3 is about new hero, like Dragon Age 2.

Read this: Why You May Not Be Able To Import Your Mass Effect 2 Save To ME 3 [http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/02/05/news-why-you-may-not-be-able-to-import-your-mass-effect-2-save-to-me3.aspx]

 

[Rossiar]

Isn't it like a cryptic clue? Fe (Iron) - rvs (Russion Voltok Station) - sis (Secret Intelligence Service ? FERVSSIS? - type that into google and you get Fervis which is an free online strategy game.

I know my example is pretty ridiculous but it is probably something like that. Likely a new game, or the title for some DLC. But the codes all relate to such random elements, and they wouldn't just give it away if it were a spy game. This is a safer way to do it because even if the online community figure a name out it won't mean anything.