Appearing on the latest episode of Bonus Round, games industry analyst Michael Pachter stated that BioWare would likely be porting Mass Effect to PS3 now that the company is under the dominion of Electronic Arts. Pachter's comments came in response to whether or not many recent changes of ownership for 360 friendly developers -- like the independence of Bungie, the Activision's acquisition of Bizarre Creations, etc -- would result in said developers moving to cross-platform development. Pachter stated that EA would definitely be leveraging BioWare on multiple platforms, saying that Mass Effect 2 is a PS3 shoo-in, further elaborating, "I wouldn't be shocked if Mass Effect 1 came to PS3." According to Pachter, cross-platform development will be a must for former 360 developers from an economic standpoint. Of course, this is obvious when considering future releases, but with Mass Effect already released -- and published by Microsoft, no less -- we're anxious to see if Pachter is right.
Appearing on the latest episode of Bonus Round, games industry analyst Michael Pachter stated that BioWare would likely be porting Mass Effect to PS3 now that the company is under the dominion of Electronic Arts. Pachter's comments came in response to whether or not many recent changes of ownership for 360 friendly developers -- like the independence of Bungie, the Activision's acquisition of Bizarre Creations, etc -- would result in said developers moving to cross-platform development. Pachter stated that EA would definitely be leveraging BioWare on multiple platforms, saying that Mass Effect 2 is a PS3 shoo-in, further elaborating, "I wouldn't be shocked if Mass Effect 1 came to PS3." According to Pachter, cross-platform development will be a must for former 360 developers from an economic standpoint. Of course, this is obvious when considering future releases, but with Mass Effect already released -- and published by Microsoft, no less -- we're anxious to see if Pachter is right.
Reader Comments (48)
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 3:49PM (Unverified) said
Ew
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 3:50PM CB said
Funny, I read the latest EGM that stated ME 1-3 will stay only on the Xbox 360 from BioWare themselves.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 3:51PM xenocidic said
Wouldn't bother me
It would mean more budget for ME2
It would mean more budget for ME2
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 3:58PM (Unverified) said
Not according to the latest EGM and their discussion with BioWare where the specifically state that all 3 will remain exclusive to the 360 and that MS will publish them(saving EA $$$) and both BioWare and EA will credited as developers.
Pachter admits himself that sometimes he just throws stuff against the wall and hope some of it sticks.. If we were playing baseball this is about the time the umpire yells "YOUR OUT!"
Pachter admits himself that sometimes he just throws stuff against the wall and hope some of it sticks.. If we were playing baseball this is about the time the umpire yells "YOUR OUT!"
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:00PM will18057 said
Lame! I seriously hope this doesn't happen.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 5:16PM (Unverified) said
Why is that? The more people who get to play it the better. It's not like it can't be done on the PS3 like MGS4 which relies heavily on the SIXAXIS or Blu-ray. They could bring this to the PS3 and not lose anything in the transition.
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Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:01PM Softserve said
Interesting, thanks for this EGM info.
It doesn't seem that Pachter knows much more than any of us, honestly. Back when this merger first happened, one of the first questions a lot of 360 fans posed was "What about Mass Effect?". I think there was a heavy assumption that it'd just wind up on both. I'm sometimes kind of just amazed that is a paid position lol.
It doesn't seem that Pachter knows much more than any of us, honestly. Back when this merger first happened, one of the first questions a lot of 360 fans posed was "What about Mass Effect?". I think there was a heavy assumption that it'd just wind up on both. I'm sometimes kind of just amazed that is a paid position lol.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:02PM DjDATZ said
If EA does this, that would be EPIC FAIL in my mind.
Nice pic Rich. LOL
Nice pic Rich. LOL
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:02PM iFester said
Well as one of those idiots that sold his 360 for a PS3 (don't ask) I would (sort of) welcome this. However by the time it was ported, there's a 90% chance I'll have another 360 to play the game on.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:09PM Phara0h said
Well if they do this I don't think Bioware is going to port it to the PS3, and when they do that the game would probably have so many frame rate problems that the game is almost broken. As the 360 version is sometimes iffy...
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:20PM Jakey777 said
Games that don't have frame rate problems on 360 work shit on PS3 so let's better not talk about the one that doesn't get along with 360.That's just cruel to PS3 fanboys :)
In a few months we're gonna hear about PS3's Red Rings Of Mass Effect :)
PS: I never got any problems with frame rate on Mass Effect, Only the film grain was pissing me off but I didn't realise I could zap it from graphic options.
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In a few months we're gonna hear about PS3's Red Rings Of Mass Effect :)
PS: I never got any problems with frame rate on Mass Effect, Only the film grain was pissing me off but I didn't realise I could zap it from graphic options.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:18PM (Unverified) said
I can't find myself agreeing with the fanboys that don't want this to go cross platform, unless it ends up sucking resources away from ME2 or ME3. From an 'arts' perspective, ME was an amazing game and should have as wide an audience as possible - yes, that includes PS3 owners.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:35PM (Unverified) said
No, sony shouldn't see Xbox 360's "arts". If someone buys a PS3 then it's their own fault for making a bad decision (purchase).
sorry the fanboy came out in me ;)
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sorry the fanboy came out in me ;)
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:18PM mt1 said
Wow thats nice of Microsoft publishing the game on PS£ people do understand that Microsoft owns publishing rights for MAss Effect 1 right?
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:19PM (Unverified) said
The industry is thriving from 3rd party exclusives... over saturating the market will get us back to 1996.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:20PM mt1 said
The main stumbling block is microsoft own publishing right for the first mass effect game, EA takeover or not this is not changed
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 4:56PM (Unverified) said
heh, love the altered ME box pic.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 5:04PM Jayslacks said
All flame war aside, we all win if more and more people support Bioware, no matter what the console. The money people buy the games, the better the games will be. And this is coming from a hardcore 360 fanboy.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 5:04PM (Unverified) said
Meh, Patcher seems to have a less than 50/50 prediction rate. I don't understand why Kotaku and Joystiq hang on his every word.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 5:05PM LetsHaveWaffles said
Pachter = Idiot....
Through the last 3 months , he hasn't given one prediction that was right. I predict him to be 0-12 on predictions.
Through the last 3 months , he hasn't given one prediction that was right. I predict him to be 0-12 on predictions.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 5:07PM johnpaul12 said
M$ has rights to the first game (which has NO chance to go on ps3) but they do not have rights to the mass effect IP as a whole so
there is a chance (though very minuscule) that the sequels may go to ps3 , which ill say again is very small.
i remember reading about this somewhere that MS has publishing rights to the first game but not to the whole series
there is a chance (though very minuscule) that the sequels may go to ps3 , which ill say again is very small.
i remember reading about this somewhere that MS has publishing rights to the first game but not to the whole series
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 5:17PM johnpaul12 said
Patcher seems less informative than a 12 year old kid raiding gaming forums for news
by that i mean, i would rather trust that sort of kid than Patcher
by that i mean, i would rather trust that sort of kid than Patcher
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 8:42PM (Unverified) said
Geez, has _anything_ this guy has said been proven right so far, other than that which was already blindingly obvious? He's like the anti-Jack Thompson, but he still won't go away.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 5:37PM Telprydain said
Despite what anyone says, Bioware is not EAs yet (the deal is ongoing) and Mass Effect one is published by Microsoft. It may show up on PC, but not PS3.
As for ME2/3, it might happen. The only reason I don’t want ME2/ME3 on PS3 is that it will increase the development time, and I can’t wait to get them.
If it is going to happen, my hope is that Bioware focus on the 360 versions and farm out the PS3 ports (like Valve did for Orange Box) so we don’t have to wait longer then we have to.
And to ‘Max’ who said: “yeah just like Komjima said MGS4 was only on PS3.”
Bioware is generally very open about their development plans, unlike Kojima (who has spread misinformation in the past).
As for ME2/3, it might happen. The only reason I don’t want ME2/ME3 on PS3 is that it will increase the development time, and I can’t wait to get them.
If it is going to happen, my hope is that Bioware focus on the 360 versions and farm out the PS3 ports (like Valve did for Orange Box) so we don’t have to wait longer then we have to.
And to ‘Max’ who said: “yeah just like Komjima said MGS4 was only on PS3.”
Bioware is generally very open about their development plans, unlike Kojima (who has spread misinformation in the past).
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 6:43PM (Unverified) said
Patcher? Isn't he the one who predicted the PS3 would trounce the 360 in July? The one who said in 2006 of Xbox Live Arcade "At the end of the day, we don't play games for social interaction … We play games to escape... Microsoft's strategy is "absolutely flawed".
http://stationblog.wordpress.com/2006/09/12/dear-michael-pachter/
This guy is an absolute idiot.
http://stationblog.wordpress.com/2006/09/12/dear-michael-pachter/
This guy is an absolute idiot.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 6:55PM (Unverified) said
Patcher also claimed GTA4 was delayed because of the PS3 (it wasn't.)
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27326
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27326
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 7:06PM Eugimon said
look at the sales ratios between the 360 versions of COD4 and Assassin's creed... despite every AC commercial having a PS3 bumper. 3 to 1 in favor of 360. With numbers like that, is there really a financial incentive to going multi-platform anymore?
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 7:26PM (Unverified) said
actually eugene... worldwide numbers of AC and COD4 are actually pretty close with 360 worldwide for AC and COD4 being roughly 1.9-2.4m and PS3 being 1m to 1.2m.
So for a system with less than half the worldwide userbase as the 360. I think those are dang good numbers. In fact almost identical to 360's attach rate for those games.
So i dont think thats bad at all
Of course i'm getting my numbers from Vgchartz. so they may be a bit off overall
So for a system with less than half the worldwide userbase as the 360. I think those are dang good numbers. In fact almost identical to 360's attach rate for those games.
So i dont think thats bad at all
Of course i'm getting my numbers from Vgchartz. so they may be a bit off overall
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 8:19PM ccc said
Well, If the buyout isn't set in stone between Bioware and EA I would strongly reccommend that MS do the right thing and buy Bioware out from under EA. Anyone that was stupid enough to buy a ps3 dosn't deserve to play a game of Mass Effect's caliber. ANd the last thing the industry needs are companies keeping a pathetic system alive on life support when other wise it would just die. Just die sony, just die. It's pretty clear Bioware dosn't like sony anyways, I seem to remember one of the developers even saying something along those lines.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 8:44PM (Unverified) said
have a lot of pent up anger for Sony eh CCC?
Either way I consider Sony and MS in the same light... just another faceless corporation That in no way shape or form cares for anything other than its majority shareholders.
I have yet to be proven wrong or let down when i view either like that.
But either way Both of the companies have brought great things to the gaming industry and without either... i'd hate to see where we'd be right now
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Either way I consider Sony and MS in the same light... just another faceless corporation That in no way shape or form cares for anything other than its majority shareholders.
I have yet to be proven wrong or let down when i view either like that.
But either way Both of the companies have brought great things to the gaming industry and without either... i'd hate to see where we'd be right now
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 9:08PM (Unverified) said
Lame.
Big budgets or not, if the 360 starts whoring out its titles, it will end up like xbox 1 and I'd rather Microsoft have more of a budget for Xbox 720 than a bigger budget for EA and (maybe) ME2
Big budgets or not, if the 360 starts whoring out its titles, it will end up like xbox 1 and I'd rather Microsoft have more of a budget for Xbox 720 than a bigger budget for EA and (maybe) ME2
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 9:45PM (Unverified) said
Leave it to EA to try and make another buck. It seems to me that EA is more interested in putting out high quantities of games rather than high quality games. Because the hardware of the PS3 and 360 are so different, there is definitely going to be extra time needed to develop the game, extra time = higher production cost. Also we have all heard developers say that the 360 is easier to develop games for and has better AI capabilities than the PS3. By making a game multi-platform you aren't going to be able to focus on developing to the strengths of the 360 as well as you could if you were developing specifically for that platform. Therefore my biggest fears in seeing ME go multi-platform is a deadline set by EA that shortens the production length and results in a less in-depth game and doesn't allow us to use the strengths of the system we love.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 10:11PM ccc said
@34
Yeah I see Ms is little different than Sony, however, MS didn't bring about the fall of Sega. Sony was instramentel in doing this and for that I have waited and waited to see the corporate giant be taken down.
Through the success of ps1 and 2, but now, the beast has been wounded and needs to be finished once and for all, then go back to making walkmans. Its one evil for another I guess, but like I said, MS hasn't done anything nealy as bad as sony has yet.
Yeah I see Ms is little different than Sony, however, MS didn't bring about the fall of Sega. Sony was instramentel in doing this and for that I have waited and waited to see the corporate giant be taken down.
Through the success of ps1 and 2, but now, the beast has been wounded and needs to be finished once and for all, then go back to making walkmans. Its one evil for another I guess, but like I said, MS hasn't done anything nealy as bad as sony has yet.
Posted: Dec 18th 2007 10:37PM (Unverified) said
Well i dont think Sony was instrumental for that... I think that was Sega's mismanagement for their downfall.
Either way i dont blame sony for that, if Sega was a stronger company...they would of weathered the storm like Nintendo did.
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Either way i dont blame sony for that, if Sega was a stronger company...they would of weathered the storm like Nintendo did.
Posted: Dec 19th 2007 3:35AM (Unverified) said
As an aside i think if they WERE to port ME1... it'd better be rather soon, as i believe most multiplat games that come out MONTHS later dont sell nearly as well as ones that come out at the same time as each other.
for instance a GREAT game like VF5 sold like crap on the 360 but it did reasonably decent on the PS3, even witht he online component no one wanted to buy a 6+ month old game, it was already old news at the point.
I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule but i know I for one, usually buy a new game within 2 to 3 weeks after release and if i miss that window...well... i usually just rent
for instance a GREAT game like VF5 sold like crap on the 360 but it did reasonably decent on the PS3, even witht he online component no one wanted to buy a 6+ month old game, it was already old news at the point.
I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule but i know I for one, usually buy a new game within 2 to 3 weeks after release and if i miss that window...well... i usually just rent
Posted: Dec 19th 2007 9:27AM (Unverified) said
I personally will never buy another crappy EA ported PS3 title. I broke down and bought a 360 just so I could play this game and a few others (Orange Box, Gears of War and Bioshock to name a few).
Cheap 'n easy (tm) ports are killing the PS3 because your average Joe would look at these games on the PS3 and think it's underpowered.
Cheap 'n easy (tm) ports are killing the PS3 because your average Joe would look at these games on the PS3 and think it's underpowered.
Posted: Dec 19th 2007 9:35AM Rajko said
LOL @ Cash
Posted: Dec 19th 2007 2:14PM ccc said
@40
How can you not think that was sony's intention? That was thier plan from the get go and they wern't being very quiet about it. As far as Sega management goes it was that dickhead peter moore running sega. Make no mistake about it, Sony did this to sega and sony wanted to do this to sega. Nintendo created the problem and barley cameout of it alive themselves. In fact if nintendo didn't have the game boy I'd be willing to bet right now that they too would have gone 3rd party after the mess sony made. How old are you? This all started going down about 13 years ago and If you wern't all grown up then you'll understand very little about this.
How can you not think that was sony's intention? That was thier plan from the get go and they wern't being very quiet about it. As far as Sega management goes it was that dickhead peter moore running sega. Make no mistake about it, Sony did this to sega and sony wanted to do this to sega. Nintendo created the problem and barley cameout of it alive themselves. In fact if nintendo didn't have the game boy I'd be willing to bet right now that they too would have gone 3rd party after the mess sony made. How old are you? This all started going down about 13 years ago and If you wern't all grown up then you'll understand very little about this.
Posted: Dec 19th 2007 2:31PM (Unverified) said
I'm 25 actually, but seriously if you're gonna hate on SOny for, i guess having a more sought after product than Sega, would it be fair to hate on MS for trying to put other companies out of business too?
Fact of the matter is, Sony (and MS) are strong enough companies that one failure wont shut them down. Same with Nintendo, sure they may have relied on the gameboy but the fact still remains they still weathered the storm and look at them now.
Sure Sega no loner makes hardware, but they didnt totally dissappear. It Could of been worse.
Now Sony's own corporate intention may have been along the lines of what you say, but i highly doubt that they can predict the future and to be honest, it doesnt bother me because...well, thats business and i'm sure if you look at the record books for a LOT of big corporations theres a lot of smaller companies they crushed to get to where they are now.
and hey i liked Sega too, i STILL have my dreamcast and still play it, but if Sony didnt know sega down... i doubt they would of lasted much longer past MS entry into the market.
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Fact of the matter is, Sony (and MS) are strong enough companies that one failure wont shut them down. Same with Nintendo, sure they may have relied on the gameboy but the fact still remains they still weathered the storm and look at them now.
Sure Sega no loner makes hardware, but they didnt totally dissappear. It Could of been worse.
Now Sony's own corporate intention may have been along the lines of what you say, but i highly doubt that they can predict the future and to be honest, it doesnt bother me because...well, thats business and i'm sure if you look at the record books for a LOT of big corporations theres a lot of smaller companies they crushed to get to where they are now.
and hey i liked Sega too, i STILL have my dreamcast and still play it, but if Sony didnt know sega down... i doubt they would of lasted much longer past MS entry into the market.
Posted: Dec 19th 2007 3:55PM mtora83 said
Mass Effect, Lost Planet, Trusty Bell.... then:
Ninja Gaiden II
I'm pretty sure it'll happen
Ninja Gaiden II
I'm pretty sure it'll happen
Posted: Dec 20th 2007 3:29AM BemaniAK said
oh damn! we might lose our best game! time for me to tease the ps3 to stop people from buying one!
lololololololololol no games lolololol load times!
lololololololololol no games lolololol load times!
Posted: Dec 22nd 2007 10:29AM (Unverified) said
Microsoft has the right of first refusal on any Mass Effect games. Unless EA buys the rights to these games (unlikely), Mass Effect has little to no chance of going anywhere other than PC.
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