Rumor: Mass Effect 'delayed', due in September [update]
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Apr 23rd 2007 at 2:05PM }
A CVG report asserts that the Xbox 360's role-playing space opera, Mass Effect, has been "delayed" until the horrifyingly distant month of September. Of course, having never had an official release date to begin with, it seems exceedingly impatient to consider the game delayed just as its first potential release window is revealed. Though there have been hints pointing towards a May or June release, September would be the first month Microsoft and BioWare have openly committed to -- if indeed the report is wholly accurate.We'd prefer a month that was sooner (like April), but it seems the utterly blinding level of light bouncing off all the shiny spaceships, futuristic weapons and revoltingly moist aliens in the game just isn't enough for BioWare to stop polishing. The only worrying aspect of such a September release is that it would be awfully close to the August arrival of Hironobu Sakaguchi's Blue Dragon. Having access to both time-consuming RPGs within 30 days could prove socially, economically and hygienically disastrous for fans of the genre.
Curiously, when asked for comment on the September date (which could specifically be for Europe), the Mass Effect publisher only offered, "Microsoft has not announced a release date for Mass Effect."
Update: "We have not made any official announcements regarding release timing for Mass Effect," adds Microsoft. "At this time, any information about the game's release date is purely rumor and speculation."
Joystiq contacted CVG for clarification. We were politely informed that the information originated from a Microsoft employee and that it has yet to be "officially" announced. In other words, we're waiting on that official announcement letting us know we have to wait until September for the game -- point being, we're waiting.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:11PM
Bioware makes excellent games. I know this will be worth the delay
Digi Smalls @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:11PM
this could also be a strategic delay. maybe to bridge a gap so they can delay Halo3 to the holidays.
.
Ken @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:13PM
"A delayed game is eventually good; a bad game is bad forever" - Miyamoto
Take your time gentlemen.
Matters @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:13PM
Impossible. It's my understanding that only Nintendo delays games. There are no exceptions to the rule.
hvnlysoldr @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:14PM
Maybe they're making sure they don't have to patch anything.
Intentless @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:14PM
Keep in mind it was never given an official date so it technically can't be delayed......
cheater @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:15PM
delayed for port on PS3?
Aex @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:16PM
Maybe they are using stratigery.
Lehti @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:19PM
From the Mass Effect message boards:
http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=489430&forum=104
5. When is the release date of Mass Effect?
Bob McCabe: We at BioWare do not know the exact date of release yet ... I prefer to be conservative in my guessing. If I were a fan, and not an employee of BioWare who gets to look at the schedule, I'd probably like the sound of March & April.
Chris Priestly: Once again, until you hear it from us NO DATE anyplace or any details are correct. Everything is estimates or guesses until WE know what it will be.
So yes, no official release date, but they've certainly suggested a possible release since March. September is pretty far from that, although they're naturally releasing the game as soon as they can.
polly @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:21PM
September? That fuggin blows.
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:22PM
I think they are having difficulties on trying to compress the game onto a DVD without making it look like shite. If only the 360 used a larger disc format....
Intentless @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:23PM
"If I were a fan, and not an employee of BioWare who gets to look at the schedule,"
Basically he is not in any way commiting to that date. As a fan that is what he would say but he also hints that it isn't relevant looking at the schedule....
Digi Smalls @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:26PM
an extreme roll of the eyes at justin
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:26PM
I'm afraid that's not the case, Justin:
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/27/mass-effect-to-fit-snugly-onto-one-disc/
If that was really a problem, they'd likely go for two discs instead of one.
Shmil @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:26PM
@11
yeah if they used a different disc format then all of the games could come with a bunch of unnecessary pre-rendered cut scenes that no one really wants
baby sea tuna @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:27PM
11
...then it would have come out a year later, been rougly $200 more expensive, and had about 3 decent games on it by now.
I think they made the right choice.
Lehti @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:28PM
Intentless:
Yep, it definitely doesn't mean that even April would ever have been a plausible release date. I just wanted to mention that Bioware themselves have been involved in making up an early release date.
NewbieZilla @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:41PM
I've scoured everywhere, and i'm seeing "According to CVG...." everywhere. Oh, XboxAddict didn't say their source, but its highly likely it was CVG too.
Am I strange in thinking that if this was some Microsoft event, people would have this info themselves, as opposed to "According to IGN"?
Also, if MS had confirmed it, wouldn't they have been a bit more open to prying questions? And wouldn't Bioware be more open to discussing September on their official forums instead of locking threads with a this is speculation type response?
Joystiq, I see you noted this as Rumour, and I thank you for that. I also thank you for realising a game with no set date can not be delayed. I'm sure if that point had been neglected, it'd be mentioned many times in the running of the comments here.
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:32PM
haha good god. First off, you dont want multiple discs if its going to be a free roaming world. Secondly, remember when we saw the screenshots before and after the compression? Go back and check it out. You could fit anything on one disc, but at the expense of graphics and sound. The "art" of fitting it onto one disc is just the so called "art" of compression. Yay for compression! In that article it also says "just barely fit." Really? Sucks for the future...just sayin..
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:33PM
@ 16.
Better go get that 180 dollar hard drive.
sheppy @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:34PM
Wow, 360 is really packing the RPGs close together. That makes Eterna Sonata, Culdcept Saga, Mass Effect, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and likely a couple others I forgot about all ending up September-October.
Aex @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:35PM
I love a good fanboy argument thread, but can we please keep the "format" fight out of this one. Just this once...
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:36PM
Can we just keep pricing out of this one? Just this once...
Digi Smalls @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:39PM
format and pricing are the same argument Justin. stop and think about that for a minute.
.
Aex @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:40PM
@Digi Smalls
He can't think properly! He is being mind controlled by the fanboy puppet masters! GASP! RUN! AIIEEE!
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:40PM
I was imitating AEX. You cant leave out the two most important factors in an argument. Then what would we have to argue about? What fun would that be? I loved my 360..until it broke..and broke...and you get the point.
NewbieZilla @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:44PM
Oh, crap, I meant CVG. I have about as much trust in both of them now.
Digi Smalls @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:45PM
2004 sony fanboy comments: "it's all about the games"
2007 sony fanboy comments: "it's all about everything else"
Aex @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:46PM
@Justin
You know in a thread about Mass Effect I don't really see where the place for an argument of fanboy format wars is. I mean in the last one thread (fits snuggly in one disc), it was directly related. In this one, there is no evidence that the format is causing the delay, hell, we don't even know if it IS a delay since there was/is no official date
We have no idea what bioware is working on right now, they could be focused on getting bioshock out the door, or they could be tweaking some of the character interactions, or working on the cutscenes, or sticking thumbs up their asses for enjoyment. No one knows anything about this, and to claim its being delayed because they used DVD is idiotic, fanboyish and really doesn't belong in this thread.
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:49PM
haha you guys get so worked up..the fact is, I really really want this game. It sucks that my Xbox's break. Maybe they will port it over to the PS3, I dont mind waiting. There isnt much that Im interested in for the 360 but this is definitely one of them. Yeah, the PS3 doesnt have many games (none that are great except for Oblivion). But Im patient, we'll see what happens. Once again, I wanted a 360, it just didnt want me.
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:50PM
@29
I made a comment, nobody had to respond.
Aex @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:54PM
@Justin
Your right. Nobody had to respond. What was I thinking, fanboy comments don't lead to stupid flame wars, responses do! Wow, such an idea. My eyes are open now... I completely forgot that the cycle goes Effect AND THEN Cause. Boy do I feel silly now.
Jake @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:55PM
Justin, you do realize you are totally speculating on the disc format having anything to do with this game being out in September, right? You just speak about it so matter-of-factly. Also, it would be September 2008, if ever, had the 360 waited a year to add HD-DVD.
And, as Joystiq stated, this game technically isn't delayed because it never had a date. But I was definately praying for June or July. It would have just been such great timing for an Epic Space RPG with tactical shooter gameplay components. I was really hoping this would quench the summer drought. I guess I'll be getting really good at Forza2 (and others, but expecially Forza) this summer. ;)
Having my personal most anticipated game "delayed" from when I was hoping it was out just gave me a cold prickly. I'm sad.
NewbieZilla @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:59PM
"And none are great except for Oblivion"
LOL, yeah, you got that right, Oblivion, the game i've had since... Oh, its April now? 13 months?
sheppy @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:12PM
You know, I'm a proud PS3 owner. Never hid this fact, would never sell the console away just because I'm enjoying the hell out of it now and stuff further down the pipe makes it look even better to me. But then I've also had a PSP, DS Lite, DS, Wii, and 360 since launch and none of them would leave my collection either. Having said that...
Even I'm getting annoyed at the PS3 fantards starting flamewars and everyone taking the bait. This place is starting to resemble gamefaqs more and more each day.
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:18PM
Even I'm getting annoyed at the PS3 fantards starting flamewars and everyone taking the bait. This place is starting to resemble gamefaqs more and more each day.
Oh come on Sheppy, you know you love it ;)
cheater @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:22PM
there are xboys and wii fanboys are retards too, not just PS3 fanboys.
Therefore, it is fanboyism problem
Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:22PM
I wish there were more sensible posters like Digi Smalls, Jake & Dolla Dolla. They always seem to make relevant posts.
Adam G @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:32PM
This really irritates me, there mayn't have been an official release date, but when the president of Bioware claims it'll be out before E3, I think it's rational for people to begin forming expectations.
That said: I was worried about the last movie, the voice-overs still seemed like placeholders and the face textures looked a lot worse than the previous videos.
dmek @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:24PM
2004 microsoft fanboy comments: "Microsoft cares about gamers because they give us a choice as to what add-ons we need, most of which are unecessary and we'll never need"
2007 microsoft fanboy comments: "Do you take credit card?"
Digi Smalls @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:28PM
um, which add-ons in 2004 would that be eh, dmek?
any of them game related per chance?
.
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:31PM
Just read the fuc*ing news if you dont like the comments.
Im gonna go read through the comments and then make a comment bitching about the comments. I have to read them! It matters so much to me!!
NewbieZilla @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:38PM
"42. This really irritates me, there mayn't have been an official release date, but when the president of Bioware claims it'll be out before E3, I think it's rational for people to begin forming expectations."
Yeah, well, on the official forums........
http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=553215&forum=104&highlight=
polly @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:42PM
Justin, DIAF, troll.
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:47PM
#44
Im not up to par with your acronyms and words that describe fantasy creatures. Do you want to say something to me in English?
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:48PM
woot! A flamewar that didn't need my assistance. Justin for president.
Jake @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:51PM
Mass Effect is a monster game. It looks awesome and is being made by an awesome development team. Its launch date is huge news for KOTOR fans, Bioware fans, 360 owners, and just to gamers in general. This thread is actually about a very important thing to me. That is, whether or not I am playing 50+ hours of Mass Effect this summer or becoming a Forza2/Gears pro.
But for some reason, the majority of the posts here are about MS HDD size, DVD9 storage size, the possibility that the PS3 will someday have more games than it does now (jeez, ya think), etc. I mean, those are important topics, but they are getting damn old and have plenty of dedicated threads.
Seriously, I'd pay $100 just to never have to hear "gamers" bitch about non-gaming centric features on next gen consoles at a damn gaming site. I really think HDD/DVD9/etc. are constantly brought up by PS fanboys because that is the one area in which the PS3 is superior. They don't want to talk about this awesome game that will be, at the time it drops, better than everything on the PS3 platform. It is the same reason they dodge how popular and fun Gears of War is by saying the single player is short. I still love gears and have logged over 80 hours of it. 8 hours long my ass. Mario 1 can be beat in about 5 min, and I still play it once in a while 100 hours and 20 years later.
Last gen, it was the other way around. MS fanboys (all 100 of them) were all about the hardware and PS fans all about the games.
Stories about kickass games like Mass Effect and what they mean towards the present and future of our hobby should be what we talk about. I mean, none of this fanboy MS periphreal crap is new. I know Xbox and Wii fanboys are just as bad, but PS3 fanboys are the worse imo. I'd rather hear an xbot say FFXIII is crap and there is nothing good on PS3 till Christmas than hear a PS3 fanboy say your HDD isn't big enough to support purchase of online video at inflated rates, 360 ftl.
All I care about is the games. Last gen I was a PS2 fanboy. Currently I'm a 360 fanboy. In 3 years I may be a PS3 fanboy. (by fanboy, I mean that I just prefer a console overall at that particular time, based on how much enjoyable gaming it can offer me)
Has anyone visited the mass effect website lately? They have info on the character classes that was new to me last night. Man that game looks friken sweet. Visuals that rival Gears, deep conversation system, open world gameplay, tactical shooter based gameplay, vehicles, rpg elements, etc. God I am so pumped for this game. September is too long to wait. I might have to freeze myself for 4 months.
sheppy @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:02PM
@Jake, you had me until you mentioned the ability to beat Mario 1 in 5 minutes. jk... but not really.
I do, however, want to know why in the hell a short game is a bad game. I thought Wind Waker was too damn long (they could have skipped the Triforce hunt and not missed a thing) and I'm rather tired of games artificially extending their length (Metroid Prime:hunting for artifacts, DK64:colored Bananas, any racing game with a money system) just for the sake of saying "hey, we have 30+ hours of gameplay."
A good game is good no matter what length it is. I enjoyed both ZOE games so much, they've both enjoyed multiple playthroughs. While I'm not a big fan of Gears, I can see how, if someone loves it, playing the game again is not that big of a dealbreaker when dealing with it's game length. After all, I would gladly take a very straight forward campaign like Gears Of War or God Of War over an excessive drawn out or redundant experience like Motorstorm or Oblivion anyday.
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:10PM
You want to know why longer games are better?
You know that feeling you get when you play a game that you like. With a longer game you experience that feeling for a longer time. I would rather have a fighting game with 60 characters than a fighting game with 10. Same goes for racing games. More car/tracks=better. Unless you have ADHD then maybe shorter games would be for you.
Jake @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:14PM
sheppy,
I totally agree with you on game length. Oblivion was a great game and I had plenty of fun with it, but it was too long for me to complete all of it. It got boring before I was done. I would rather feel like a game was too short than too long.
PS
I didn't mean I could do it, but it can be done. And it was just to illustrate a point about game "length"
Behold!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMzXMq1DYbI