EA owns Mass Effect ... so, what now?

by Christopher Grant { Oct 11th 2007 at 7:00PM }

Also discussed during EA's BioWare/Pandemic conference call was the fate of the (thus far) Xbox 360-exclusive Mass Effect. While Microsoft is still publishing the first installment of the game (which is due November 20) – now that the previously BioWare-owned IP belongs to EA – Gamasutra notes that it "would conceivably from here out be EA published."

If one examines EA's publishing practices, it isn't difficult to assume that this would also conceivably be a multi-platform title, meaning Microsoft may have just lost one of their biggest exclusives. Will we see a PS3 sequel at parity with the 360? Or perhaps a Wii version: Mass Wiifect ... over a dozen minigames ... in space!

Update: A Microsoft spokesperson tells Joystiq that while the publisher has not "announced specifics regarding sequels" to Mass Effect, it will be "talking to EA and BioWare in the weeks to come." In addition, Microsoft remains "committed to the franchise's long term success."

Update 2: BioWare tells GameDaily that the developer's "focus is pure and simple; it's to deliver the best game possible for our fans with Mass Effect, and that's an Xbox 360 exclusive." Currently, there are no plans to extend the franchise to PS3.

Tags: Bioware, BreakingNews, ElectronicArts, MassEffect

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Oct 11th 2007 7:05PM

"If one examines EA's publishing practices, it isn't difficult to assume that this would also conceivably be a multi-platform title"

doubt it, but it's possible

Grey Fox @ Oct 11th 2007 7:47PM

Same here because when you plan for a trilogy that large and you sign a publisher like Microsoft it is logical to assume the deal is locked in.

zwarrior @ Oct 11th 2007 7:07PM

A wii joke in a Mass Effect thread? Grant is a fanboy >:(

Christopher Grant @ Oct 11th 2007 8:14PM

Oh noes! A joke! Call the authorities!

colin @ Oct 11th 2007 10:56PM

i thought you were the authorities ....

Jack the Ripper @ Oct 12th 2007 6:59AM

Well, RPGs are basically algebra with graphics, so I'm thinking Brain Age: Mass Effect Edition will be a huge success.

Juni @ Oct 11th 2007 7:09PM

oh oh... well... im a moderate ps3 fanboy, but I dont understand why there are so many of these types of games coming out. We got halo, cod, mass effect, haze, unreal, and orange box, arent these games really similar?

But no doubt this game was waited for by so many xbox fans, but this still wont ruin the hype for them (i think)... it might not be a exclusive but after all, the game will be coming out for xbox, just might not have alot of bragging with this news.

colin @ Oct 11th 2007 7:11PM

because we like them

Agent4187 @ Oct 11th 2007 7:12PM

Your a bit off, Mass Effect isn't even in the same genre. What's the similarity? They all have guns?

whatever @ Oct 11th 2007 7:46PM

They're all games...Oh, that's right Sony fanboys don't quite understand that word...

syco @ Oct 11th 2007 8:07PM

Portal (which is the highlight of orange box as far as I'm concerned) is not at all like Mass Effect or anything else really other than nabtacular drop.

vinny @ Oct 12th 2007 10:31AM

whatever wins

losttoys @ Oct 11th 2007 7:10PM

Unless EA made another purchase, Mass Effect is still owned by Microsoft.

nzero @ Oct 11th 2007 7:50PM

DUDE diud u even read the article. Bioware OWNS Mass Effect. And since EA bought out Bioware that means that EA now OWNS Mass Effect. Read before u post dude.

Anonim @ Oct 11th 2007 7:10PM

Exclusive contract and Mass Effect 2 and 3 stays with Microsoft.
And that what Microsoft will do if Mass Effect won't flop.

Sam @ Oct 11th 2007 7:22PM

are you just making this up or do you have actual proof because from what it sounds like Mass Effect 2 and 3 are up in air regarding their exclusivity.

Agent4187 @ Oct 11th 2007 7:10PM

Wow, this is a big, BIG news day.

Considering how Microsoft published 90% of the game, I'm betting against Multiplatform.

sheppy2.0 @ Oct 11th 2007 9:59PM

Out of curiousity, how does one PUBLISH 90% of a game? Unless that was a DLC crack but you don't seem sharp enough for that.

Do you even know how the publisher/developer relationship works? Allow me to explain. A publisher, for the most part, finances the title, but that's in much more established houses. Lower tier houses finance themselves. Anywho, a publisher dictates X amount of game done by X day. That's why you hear about multiple crunch times during development cycles. Essentially the progress made queues the next check for the workers. The publisher, in turn, has rights on a ton of the money made from the game. If a studio has a high enough revenue to fund the game themselves, they'll opt instead for a "cut" rather than deadline based paychecks. This is why many studios do not pay their overtime, because it's simply out of the budget. The overtime put in is to get that financing check.

Now, the publisher holds the publishing rights only to a game unless the franchise was sold directly. This is something that hardly EVER happens. The biggest example off the top of my head being Halo, but lesser examples would be Starfox.

Bioware holds the property on Mass Effect. Period. Microsoft owns a cut of the money in exchange for financing and distributing it. Hell of a deal if it has legs. So with EA buying out Bioware, EA bought out Mass Effect.

Publishing rights for the original Mass Effect remains with Microsoft. In other words, now that EA signs the check, if EA says put it on PS3, it will be put on PS3. EA is a terrible force to tempt into just getting rid of you by remaining strong and trying to retain your independance. I had some friends at DICE who can confirm that.

dsub @ Oct 11th 2007 10:57PM

I was about to say the same thing. You can't really partially publish a game. You can partially develop it.

Lex @ Oct 11th 2007 7:11PM

Mass Effect on the PS3 in 2008. Woot woot woot yay.

Well I hope anyway. If these companies can merge then anything is possible.

Dave @ Oct 11th 2007 10:30PM

Expect delays.

Jake @ Oct 12th 2007 8:37AM

The problem is that MS is the publisher for the first Mass Effect game. It would be kind of weird for Mass Effect 2 to come out on the PS3 when number 1 never did.

My guess is that EA will try to squeeze some exclusivity money out of MS if the first one is a success. That, or maybe they will change the title so that PS3 owners don't know they are getting a sequel.

colin @ Oct 11th 2007 7:13PM

Mass Effect 2008 Coaches Edition: with updated rosters and Mass Effect challenges

ill trooper @ Oct 11th 2007 7:14PM

"Or perhaps a Wii version: Mass Wiifect ... over a dozen minigames ... in space!"

Who said that!?! Oh boy... Prepare to dive! Wii torpedo boats filled with fanboys sweeping around the stern! Radio silence! Go dark! DIVE!

Rapture @ Oct 11th 2007 7:20PM

EA is going to ruin Bioware and Pandemic, I guarentee it. Just like they ruin everything else. Why did they have to buy Bioware?? WHY :(

Azerael @ Oct 12th 2007 2:07AM

Yeah. Bioware is dead.

RIP Bioware.

Lone Starr @ Oct 11th 2007 7:23PM

EA has a chronic Ass Effect.

Negativecool @ Oct 11th 2007 7:22PM

I think it's fair to say we will be seeing Mass Effect on the DS.

KBeat @ Oct 11th 2007 7:22PM

And if my Aunt had a pair of testicles, she could conceivably be my Uncle...

Come on Chris, you're better than this. Aren't there enough topics that are actually happening to write about? I mean, it's only one of the finest seasons ever for game releases. You have to write about what might happen one day if maybe?

Christopher Grant @ Oct 11th 2007 8:19PM

What? Seriously? This was brought up in a conference call with investors after the world's largest video game publisher purchased one of the world' best developers who are making one of the world's most sought after IPs. Yeah, really stretching incredulity here.

DemonGSides @ Oct 11th 2007 7:27PM

IT won't happen because it doesn't make sense to have a 360 exclusive first game, with a multiple game spanning story, to start on a different competitions console.

Fox318 @ Oct 11th 2007 8:54PM

This is EA your talking about.

Sense is not a quality that they have.

DemonGSides @ Oct 11th 2007 9:24PM

OH.

I forgot. Thanks for that.

I honestly have no idea what I was thinking.

Dimsumx @ Oct 12th 2007 4:05AM

If it does ever come out along with PS3, it'll probably run at half the framerate of the Xbox 360 version. ;)

MYPS3KilledMy360 @ Oct 11th 2007 7:29PM

not if moore has anything to do with it.

Count Noobula @ Oct 11th 2007 7:34PM

Look at Bungie splitting from MS, and MS gets the rights to the Halo franchise still because they published it. MS is also getting publishing rights to Ninja Gaiden. SO I don't think we will see Mass Effect on PS3 or anything. As for other new games, who knows. Maybe Bioware will be making more multi-platform games after Mass Effect.

Christopher Grant @ Oct 11th 2007 8:24PM

MS owned Bungie who owned Halo. MS is *publishing* Mass Effect. They *do not* own the property.

See here: http://www.bioware.com/bioware_info/about/

"In October 2005, BioWare announced Mass Effect™, a science fiction action RPG for Xbox 360. Mass Effect will be based on another new, BioWare-owned IP."

Meep @ Oct 11th 2007 7:35PM

Mass Effect 2 being multiformat? I reckon slim as hadn't it already been announced this would be a trillogy? Knowing that MS must of had a "first dibs" contract with BioWare for the next two games, especially if they didn't do the usual thing of taking ownership of the IP that game was about.

But it seems the MS Mergers and Aqusitions department has been sleeping over the summer as they just lost sudo 2nd party Bizarre Creations to Activison, now they've lost BioWare to EA and last week they "evolved" away from Bungie and just before that they killed FASA.

So who we left with? Rare? nice.

Mark @ Oct 11th 2007 7:36PM

I bet Microsoft owns the exclusive rights to the IP. They'll make sure Mass Effect doesn't get onto anything other than the 360 and PC.

nzero @ Oct 11th 2007 7:50PM

Dude did you not read the above article. IT is a Bioware IP. Not a MS IP. That means that Mass Effect is now owned by EA since they bought out Bioware. Read before you post stupid shit like this.
If EA has anthing to do with it they will make Mass Effect multi platform. This generation the only exclusives are going to be First party dveloped in house titles. Not 3rd parties.

mirage @ Oct 11th 2007 7:41PM

So with all of the spit-swa... I mean exec-swapping going on between EA and MS, along with EA now buying MS's biggest RPG developer, when is the merger between EA and MS going to finally be announced?

Efren @ Oct 11th 2007 7:44PM

What now? This is what:

You land on a new planet in Mass Effect 2, and in the corner pops up:

EA Trax
Crappy Ass Song
by Shit Band No One Gives a Shit About

Lex @ Oct 11th 2007 7:44PM

MS doesn't own the IP they own a license but those can be bought back and with EA's bank account they can afford it if they want to.

All EA would have to do is leverage Madden against MS and whamo Mass Effect on the PS3 and Wii.

Sam @ Oct 11th 2007 7:46PM

ok, i'm going to go out on a limb here and say that MS is not in a lot of trouble. Think about it, Microsoft probably made certain arrangements to have the Mass Effect title (and its subsequent sequels) within the Xbox environment. Maybe there will be a PC version, but that is just speculation. Also, EA and MS exchanged powerful executives (Peter Moore and Don Mattrick) so there is possibly some exchange going on behind closed doors on how to handle the acquisition of Bioware and the future of its games on the Xbox 360 and 720(?). With the 10 games in 4 years plan; I think either EA is going to speed up the development process of Bioware-created games because of more manpower from EA or Bioware will come on as an advisory body and will help create better EA games. This is also a big plus to Bioware as they now have one big publisher, and don't have to worry about trying to find one. So I think everyone should just take a chill pill and calm down, because nothing is happening just yet.

cc123 @ Oct 11th 2007 7:47PM

Ok so in the past couple of weeks we've had:
Bungie go third party.
Bizarre get bought by Activision.
and now Bioware get bought by EA.

Microsoft's strategy of buying exclusives instead of studios might come back to bite them in the ass.

Digi Smalls @ Oct 12th 2007 11:22AM

really? why?

as long as games are multiplatform, MS retains the significant price and install base advantage, making them the primary SKU.

PS3 needs exclusives now, not 360.

.

cc123 @ Oct 12th 2007 11:41AM

Because this generation just started and 3 of MSs biggest developers are most likely going to be doing multiplatform games instead of developing exclusively for MS.

The PS3 exclusives are starting to come out now and the lineup is extremely strong in 2008. The 360 has jack shit for 2008 compared to PS3.

The price advantage is about to decrease by $100 or more depending on region.

And unless the 360 beats the PS3 in NA this holiday by a gigantic margin the install base advantage is going to start to decrease thanks to Europe + Japan.

Digi Smalls @ Oct 14th 2007 9:07PM

you're right this xmas will tell a lot.

like you said, PS3's lineup is strong in 2008. with all the bundles and pricecuts aimed at this holiday, it's going to be very interesting to see if people buy consoles for the current game lineup and features, or those promised future.

now's the most crucial time for sony marketing (and their fanboys) to be on their A game.

.