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Apparently we haven't seen everything Mass Effect 3 will have to offer. During today's EA investor conference call, they hinted at "new ways to play Mass Effect 3" and other innovations be revealed at E3. They also mentioned their plans for ME3 to appeal to an even wider audience. That recently announced delay, for instance, was because they are "purposefully shifting it to address a larger market opportunity." Mass Effect 3 will belong in both genres, shooter and RPG. As a die-hard Mass Effect fan I have to speculate what this means for ME3.
NEWS: Mass Effect 3 Delayed Into 2012
I imagine the "new way to play" and making the game appeal to a wider audience must be connected. Let's start with the obvious: multiplayer. Both competitive and cooperative multiplayer would be new to the series but BioWare has denied Mass Effect games would feature multiplayer in the pastt. However, Casey Hudson recently said a Mass Effect MMO "would make sense." Plus, what's more mainstream than a shooter with multiplayer? It makes the most sense but I personally think it would be a terrible idea.
Another option is kind of out there, so brace yourself. Nintendo is planning on launching a console in 2012 with HD graphics that will be able to compete with PS3 and Xbox 360. In the conference call EA said Mass Effect 3 would "launch simultaneously on all platforms." Could they mean Nintendo's upcoming console too? If that new console is capable of playing a game as powerful as Mass Effect, EA would have no reason not to publish this game for it if they want to expand their audience. Plus the Nintendo announcement came just a week before BioWare confirmed Mass Effect 3 was getting delayed. Coincidence? And how long does it take to make a port?
Mass Effect mobile games haven't been successful in the past but that doesn't mean EA is over the idea. Mass Effect Galaxy wasn't the iPhone RPG gamers wanted but according to a chart on EA's site a handheld or mobile Mass Effect property will be out by the end of the fiscal year. A mobile game, or even a 3DS game could be possible, although an interactive graphic novel might be more on par with the iPhone's capabilities. On the subject of 3D, Mass Effect 3D isn't far-fetched.
Both Xbox 360 and PS3 have motion sensing peripherals that for the most part go unused. BioWare could develop planet mining mini-games where you use your body and arm movements to mine planets for Palladium. Okay, I'm mostly joking, but they have expressed interest in taking advantage of the Kinect and Move's capabilities, motion Mass Effect is possible.
One of my fears is that when EA says they want to appeal to a larger market it actually means more shooter and less RPG. Mass Effect 2 lost many of the features that made ME1 a more hardcore RPG, such as inventory menus and character customizations like charisma. Mass Effect 2 on the other hand walked the fine line between RPG and shooter. The only way Mass Effect 3 could be less RPG is by taking out some of the dialogue and character choices, two defining features of the series. While all those words may not appeal to a more casual audience, it would infuriate the RPG fans who have carried the series from day one id they cut back.
We'll know for sure in a few weeks when E3 gets started and you can guarantee I will be talking about it.
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Comments
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ChiefN602
The inventory menus sucked in mass effect 1, who the hell is sad that was missing. The problem with ME2 there wasn't enough variety of guns.
RPG-fan
Why are people surprise at the news of Bioware reaching out to a larger market. The likes of Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age II are proof of that. At least, ME2 was a great game, while DA2 was ass. If they weren't making The Old Republic, Bioware might as well be now known as a developer who makes action/adventure games and not RPGs that made the company successful in the place.
Zauberine
I honestly don't think it's going to be anything negative. Well, I know they don't go in planning to piss off fans, but I mean I'm pretty sure they aren't going to "casualize" it or anything ridiculous like that.
Also, and I say this with my flame shields up, I don't really have a problem with them adding multiplayer, Co-op OR competitive. I never really understood how it would ruin a single-player centric series. I understand the argument that it takes time away from making the main game, but I don't think that would be a problem. Is it more of an ideological thing?
"Don't you dare put multiplayer in my game. It's a matter of principle."
RickAstin
I don't think that's the case....simply because the next Nintendo console has been announced and will be playable at E3 doesn't mean it's coming this fall.....or even next spring.... so the delay to the three other skews wouldn't really be logical.....especially as ME2PS3 shows that they have no problem bringing an "Enhanced" port out later on....
similar idea with the move and kinect.....they could have brought that into development..if they wanted....quite a while ago.....maybe 3D? tacked on gimmick of the hour...
"The Old Republic is coming and we don't want to cannibalize ourselves" line is a good one...but that too is a bit odd....does a PC only MMO really compete in the same space as Mass Effect3?...(aside from the pc version)
Perhaps something to do with an updated Cerberus network....could tie in to the portable titles, facebook games and whatnot ala Uplay.....EA has been dipping it's hands into expanded online functionality....
firetiger7
There's to much speculation in this article. Kasey Hudson already said that it has more RPG-ish quality's like the customization of weapons with different parts.
Price.....
just remember that custimization is supposed to be more complicated than me2
Vladucard
I don't think they'll change anything, maybe a tweaks here or there to make new RPG gamers understand it better, but nothing MAJOR.
JustTheBeginning
I always love co-op.
Stellerman7
Mass Effect 3 on a Nintendo console... depending on what the next console from the company is going to bring to the table, this is either going to be a great business venture or a major flop.
Renigade16
I would love if the Kinect sensor could scan me into the game instead of me taking 3 hours to make myself.
Mobe81
They make it into less RPG, it will not be a Mass Effect game, and I will lean towards the side of not buying it. I really hope they don't butcher this game when as of now because of the previous, from the story and track record, it could be a contender for game of the year.
TheBRADLeyB
Oh Gee Golly Wiz! Wouldn't it be Swell if EA/BioWare had shot their mouths off about a release time table and then completely changed it (disappointing people when they should've just never set a time table for release) just so the people on the New Nintendo Console wouldn't lose out on playing ME3?!
Oh Gee Golly Wiz! What if BioWare was trying to market ME3 as an RPG?! Well that'd be nuts! I mean ME2 certainly wasn't RPG really!
Gee Golly Wiz! BioWare's DA2 Sales must be down pretty bad if they are afraid to release ME3! Golly Wiz!
I just wish Game Companies didn't set release time tables and then end up breaking them. If you don't know when you can finish your game, then simply keep it as TBA until it's 99.8 Percent Complete, because there is no benefit from us being told January 1st 2011 that a game is going to come out November 15th 2011 and then having to be told in June 2011 that the game won't come out that day. (dates picked out of air). The only thing that does is serve to frustrate us.
Twilight Movies don't pull that garbage. I mean what kind of Industry has less integrity/professionalism then Twilight which they divided the 4th book (which i'm told takes 1 day or two to read) and put it into 2 Movies for extra Profit.
KingofNubs
I doubt Bioware is going to "casualize" ME3, after reading the Game Informer interview (which I understand took place a while ago) it seemed as though they were going to put more emphasis on the RPG aspect of the game, not less. Also, if multiplayer is included, I hope it is just co-op, they could make that fun, but I feel like any attempt at competitive multiplayer would be a flop.
wolf365
they wouldnt dare take out the dialogue and character choices. they are basically the trademarks of the series.
GamebustaZX
There is no damn way Bioware will destory Mass Effect for casul gamers im REALLY TIRED of Casual gamer destroying game series because everyone looks at how much money nintendo made and say "hey why dont we try that" it will be a nightmare if I go on Mass Effect 3 and there is barely any Dialogue and everything is dumbed down for the stupid casual gamer out of all realness I will cry if I turn that on and thats what I get
Brizzak
"purposefully shifting it to address a larger market opportunity"....it's called ToR is coming out and it's going to own and we don't want to release another Bioware title at the exact same time. They just don't want to compete with themselves. This way you delay it until spring when there aren't a lot of other big title games and less competition. It adds up to more sales.
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