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Joystiq

BioWare opens new studio in Montreal, Mass Effect 2 up first

by Ben Gilbert on Mar 2nd 2009 5:01PM

GameDaily is bringing us news hot off the presses that BioWare has just announced the opening of a new studio within EA's Montreal studio. The new group will be comprised of 30 people and "about half the staff will be brought in from BioWare's Edmonton studio," the studio that worked on the original Mass Effect, BioWare co-founder and CEO Ray Muzyka told GameDaily. The game they're starting with, you ask? Why it's none other than the recently teased Mass Effect 2.

"We're really excited about it, and we think it's going to be a huge opportunity to tap into the talent base in Montreal while supplementing our existing teams in Edmonton and Austin, which are doing some great stuff on all the other projects BioWare's working on," Muzyka noted, adding that other than Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare has some "super secret projects." As you might expect, Muzyka and co. are holding their tongues on those announcements for another day.

Source

Tags: bioware, ea, ea-montreal, Electronic-Arts, gamedaily, gamedaily-biz, mass-effect-2, Microsoft, ray-muzyka, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (44)

Jade Empire 2 perhaps?

I think so too. It's one of the games I'm almost 100% sure they are going to announce a sequel for at E3. June can't come soon enough.

CANT WAIT!

Been playing though mass effect for the 3rd time now. Man it's a great game One more level up and I reach Level 60. Got to get those last 50 gamer score points.

So, does this mean development has not even started yet?

OK, I read the article. Did I say something stupid?

no, they are sad that production has not started yet.

Was thinking that.. they've had a while. Suppose Dragon Age has been keeping them busy though.

= (

My tears of sadness are ever so large and salty =(

They said they had started work on it just as ME1 was released, i'm hoping so at least =(

sadface

Cannot wait for Mass Effect 2, over the got my last few achievements.

no chance of November then...

It's been confirmed for an April 2010 release which isn't too bad provided it doesn't get delayed

AWWWW YEAH

Ever since that ME2 teaser came out, I've been replaying Mass Effect. Goddamn I forgot how fun that game was.

One thing I forgot was " I WILL DESTROY YOU!"

What can you tell me about the beacon?

- We must save them!
- We should probably save them!
- I'm a racist.

- Conrad, it's great to meet a fan.
- What? No, you can't sleep in my bed, or water my plants while I'm away on intergalactic duty.
- Sure you can have an autograph!
- You have a tattoo of me wear?
-

- You did the right thing.
Investigate - - (Let her continue)
- You're an Alien!

Damn it.
You take a risk, formatting wise, and the 'stiq will screw ya every time.

I HATE THIS. Bioware is the only thing I can brag about living in Edmonton but now they are opening shop all over the place :'(

Oh well, at least that means more games, hopefully.
The fact that there are 30 people working on the game in MTL (Montreal) makes me think that quite a bit of the game has already been made. Obviously they have the engine and all that in place but still, 30 people seems like a low number for an entire game, sequel or not.

Wow somebody else from Edmonton here. My friend got to visit Bioware's studios months before Mass Effect was even previewed. He got to play the game and see their secret projects. Which ended up being Dragon Age and KOTOR MMO.

@ Jason-

I'm guessing (maybe) the small number could be due to the fact that this branch is just opening up. I'm sure the ME2 team will grow and expand over the course of production until it's simply gargantuan! At least I hope that's the case

I doubt that the The Old republic was playable back then.

It probably wasn't but he got to see what they were working on. Because when I asked him about a new KOTOR he just smiled and said he couldn't say anything.

Which lead me to believe KOTOR 3 was in development and I was excited. But then we got some shite MMO instead.

are they hiring??? >.>

Super Secret Project = Sonic Chronicles 2.

BELIEVE

hopefully this will usher in some job opportunities here in montreal, even if it's coffee bitch, i'd love to get my foot in the door.

This is great news! But I am afraid that means they may not have even started much yet, which would be rather disappointing. Which could mean it very well may even miss that beginning 2010 date they talked about :(

Well I want a quality ME2, and by the teaser, looks like they have already started down that road.

So yay for more Mass Effect!

Yeah I got the same feeling, too. But knowing Bioware, I wouldn't mind a delay or two. I'd actually HOPE for a delay 'cos first quarter 2010 seems a bit unrealistic to me if they've indeed just gotten started on the sequel, and I wouldn't want to trade an unfinished product for an early release!

YES

Is it just me, or did they steal that "2" from Gears of War?

Hah! I said the exact same thing when they showed the teaser trailer on this site.

It's dead on except that the ends of the two curve on the Gears 2 and this one is straight edged. Other than that, it's practically identical. Glad I'm not the only one who noticed.

MASSZ EFFECT

Bioware is currently my favorite western developer.

KOTOR 1 and Mass Effect were both near-perfect experiences, and I'm really looking forward to Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age. Maybe The Old Republic will be good, too?

They've at least been in the planning stages for some time. EA sent me a survey about a year ago as to what I liked about Mass Effect and what I thought they should change/add for ME2.

Don't worry I told them to rework the inventory system and make the uncharted worlds a lot more interesting; add some towns and quests. Among other things. I also said they should kill off everybody and start fresh, just kidding.

So which studio is developing which game now?

What I know: Autsin, TX for Star Wars The Old Republic, Montreal for Mass Effect 2, what's Edmonton doing? Dragon Age?

Man I can't wait!

WTF?? they havnt even started it yet?!?!

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BioWare opens new studio in Montreal, Mass Effect 2 up first

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