EA refuses to comment on questions surrounding agreement with Microsoft - PS3 owners left in the dark.
EA has today refused to comment on questions surrounding its deal with Microsoft to "handle future publishing for Mass Effect".
Earlier today EA confirmed that it is to publish sci-fi RPG Mass Effect for PC in May 2008. In the official press release, Frank Gibeau, President of EA's Games Label said: "EA has struck an agreement with Microsoft to handle future publishing for Mass Effect. We are looking forward to releasing Mass Effect on the PC this Spring and brand new titles in the future."
VideoGamer.com contacted EA to ask five key questions relating to the "future publishing for Mass Effect":
Will the PC game include the Xbox 360 DLC?
Is the May release date worldwide? Will the EU release be any different?
Can you give us any further details of the agreement between EA and MS regarding future publishing for Mass Effect?
Does this new agreement limit what platforms future Mass Effect titles can appear on, or is the franchise now free to appear on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC?
Frank mentions "brand new titles in the future". Is he talking about future Mass Effect titles, for example Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3?
Unfortunately EA issued a standard "no comment" to each question, which will do nothing to stop gamers speculating that Mass Effect, which we gave a perfect 10 in our review late last year, will be coming to the PS3 at some point, and that future Mass Effect titles will be going multi-platform too.
Indeed, Xbox 360 exclusivity has been in doubt ever since EA bought the game's developer Bioware. EA is famous for bringing its games to as many platforms as possible to maximise sales and potential audience.
We have, however, been promised a response soon, which we'll report as soon as we get it.
Do you think Mass Effect will be coming to the PS3? Let us know in the comments section below.
Ivan_PSP wrote at 16:49 on 12 February 2008
EA knows some PS3 like Mass Effect a little so they love making billions so it will be coming to the PS3 someday at least i hope. We PS3 owner already got the greatest RPG game ever made Final Fantasy...
Dustin wrote at 17:22 on 12 February 2008
Economically, it makes sense to bring Mass Effect 2 to the PS3. Perhaps a collectors edition for $99 would include Mass Effect 1 along with 2 for the PS3 but at this point, i'm pretty sure it's coming to the PS3.
dudester wrote at 17:25 on 12 February 2008
I think EA have always targeted multi format so i think it will but tbh They should just come out and say thats what they planning.
White_hell wrote at 19:14 on 12 February 2008
yh come on you know EA
they always do ports or multi-platform games, so they can get the most money.
i reckon that EA will proberly announce that its coming to the ps3 soon, perhaps with the dlc thats coming in march.
and hopefully they wont muck it up.
but yh Mass effect 2 will proberly come to the ps3
cause microsoft only published and proberly only had a contract over the first one..... i think
Mulac wrote at 19:16 on 12 February 2008
So long as its good, it should go well multi-platform.
Stefan wrote at 21:49 on 12 February 2008
I would buy it for the PS3
nick wrote at 01:11 on 13 February 2008
Ye it will come to ps3 and i will buy it for sure. I smashed up my BROKEN 360 for a laugh the other day and i have to say it was way more fun than playing it.
sniddles wrote at 03:41 on 13 February 2008
hmmm, lets see, If it does go to PS3, they'll have to base it on a completely different engine than it is now, considering that it's UE3 based and already has frame rate issues, texture pop in on the 360. I can't even imagine it being able to run on PS3 in its current form. Seriously. PS3 is crap at running games based on this engine, let alone with some of the things ME is doing with it...
Jonns wrote at 04:28 on 13 February 2008
No doubt ME2 is coming to PS3. It's EA for god's sake.
Now the issue is whether it'll be up to snuff. UE3 does have problems on PS3, and Bioware are technically inefficient. I wouldn't pick up the game though, I find Bioware's (and 99% of game) writing unbearable. Yes I'm looking at you Half Life. Not Portal though. Good old portal.
Jake wrote at 16:17 on 13 February 2008
i would buy the ps3 version in a heartbeat...
charlie wrote at 23:34 on 17 February 2008
do you think bio-ware would hold up ME2 and 3 just to satisfy PS3 owners! they'd make more cash if they started the game NOW so they can make ME3 later, and more expansions. coordinatig new controlls for a 15 gig game may take a few years.
snakeoil_seaqn wrote at 18:18 on 21 February 2008
Bioware is the key developer. Kotor 1 & 2, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights (for Xbox and Windows) ... any of these ever cross over to other platforms?
You also may have noticed the Microsoft Studios logo in the game's intro. That doesn't necessarily mean they own the game, but it does mean they've got money sunk into it. Money spent not for helping Sony sell PS3s.
jj wrote at 00:37 on 11 March 2008
Microsoft owns the IP, EA can't release it without Microsofts permission.
Same thing happen with goldeneye, microsoft owns the game and company rare, but nintendo own the IP, so neither can release it without the others permission.
xbox rules wrote at 14:04 on 13 June 2008
keep it exclusive to xbox plz plz plz
Woffls wrote at 17:14 on 13 June 2008
As long as It's as good as the first and is released next year, I really couldn't care less ^_^