BioWare prepares to conquer portable gaming

by Alan Rose { Sep 19th 2006 at 3:30PM }

Baldur's Gate and Knights of the Old Republic developer BioWare has announced that their newly-formed handheld game development group is working on an untitled Nintendo DS project. No further details about the game have been revealed, but this will be the Canadian developer's first handheld effort, and they currently have some open positions in the group.

Known primarily for their deep, engaging role-playing titles, BioWare had recently sent out a community survey soliciting fan interest in handheld versions of their previous Dungeons & Dragons and Star Wars-based games. However, given the company's new focus on homegrown properties, it's more likely we can expect a portable derivative of Jade Empire, Mass Effect, or Dragon Age. What do you think it will be?

Tags: BioWare, ds, ds lite, nintendo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

jc @ Sep 19th 2006 3:40PM

NWN, and I might have to buy a DS for my gf... MassEffect and KotOR and I would be tempted in one for myself.

Sinnix @ Sep 19th 2006 3:48PM

This... this is the best news I've had all day. Bioware on my DS??! HECK YEAH!

Ironically, I was just talking to my wife about how I wish there were more DS games oriented towards adult gamers like myself. Here's hoping Bioware can deliver!

Richard Mitchell @ Sep 19th 2006 3:48PM

I dream of WiFi Baldur's Gate...mmmmm....Baldur's Gate...

Beano @ Sep 19th 2006 3:52PM

It's great to hear that even a company like Bioware is getting into the DS. Who would have thought that developers like that would one day be making games for a Nintendo handheld? If they manage to bring NWN to the DS then I am shure that at least half a dozen of my pc-fanboy friends will be buying DS's.

Jay @ Sep 19th 2006 3:53PM

Baldur's Gate, or a similar RPG, would be awesome on the DS! Their real-time w/ pause battle system would be excellent for the touch screen, imho. This is great news!

Actually, I just re-loaded Baldur's Gate on my PC :D It's a classic!

P.S. If any of you guys are on MySpace and want to add me or my blog, I've got it on my link below!

Jeff @ Sep 19th 2006 5:09PM

"it's more likely we can expect a portable derivative of Jade Empire, Mass Effect, or Dragon Age. What do you think it will be?"

I think it will be another nail in the PSP's coffin.

jp007 @ Sep 19th 2006 5:14PM

Unfortunatly, I don't think NWN is in the cards. Doesn't Atari own the NWN property? Obsidion is developing the sequel as can be seen in an earlier story. I don't think BioWare has much to do wiht it though. This is however great news for DS owners. I just hope we get a cool original property designed from the groud up for the DS, and not just a gimped version of an XBox game.

phillosmaster @ Sep 19th 2006 5:25PM

I'm hopeful. I would be so happy if a western RPG made it to the DS and didn't suck. Certainly a touch screen would work nice with an Aurora/Infinity Engine type game IMO.

cringer8 @ Sep 19th 2006 5:31PM

I can't wait for the "DS Lite 2.0" (it *has* to be coming by next Christmas). If Nintendo can include at least 1 gig of internal memory on the next iteration, we could see some *longer* games on the DS.

I know it's a handheld meant for short sessions and blah blah blah, but I would appreciate not having to replay levels to "lengthen" the game and beating said games on the first day of ownership.

The system is soooo close to being perfect; the stylus is way more accurate than an analog stick, having two screens is genius, the battery life is amazing, and weight & balance are perfect. Just add some damn memory. If I could download (via WiFi) chunks of the game as I progressed, it would be perfect. The game could be a 500 hour game if the developer really wanted.

I'm so damn clever.

Dylan A. Nickels @ Sep 19th 2006 5:49PM

I would be so painfully happy if they made planescape torment for the DS. And I know Bethesda has the rights, but a fallout style game would also rock really really hard.
But yeah, I'd settle for some mass effect type stuff.

Brian @ Sep 19th 2006 6:31PM

I know that people won't like this, but I think a BioWare game would work better on PSP.

I know, just hear me out. With the PSP they have more storage space and they can use the MemoryStick to save new levels and modules (much like in MegaMan" Powered-Up). Granted loading times have the potential to be bad, but Bioware games have always had long loading times on X-Box and no one seemed to mind too much. Just a thought.