BioWare: Mass Effect for iPhone is 'side story,' series 'branching out'

BioWare has broken its silence over last month's obviously unintended reveal of an iPhone / iPod Touch Mass Effect game via on online survey. Community coordinator Chris Priestly has confirmed that Mass Effect: Jacob's Story is "not a hoax or fake story" via the series' official forums. Priestly goes on to clear up some details concerning the title.

He denies speculation the game is a prequel to Mass Effect 2, saying, "[The game] is not a 'bridging' story between Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2. It is a cool little side-story about one of the upcoming Mass Effect 2 characters. It is not 'required reading' to enjoy the core trilogy, but if (sic) a fun optional 'extra' game."

Among other details revealed in the post is the fact that Jacob's Story is "being done by a separate, dedicated team with no connection to any Mass Effect DLC development or patches," stressing it's not the reason there hasn't been any more Mass Effect add-on content since the release of Bring Down the Sky. Finally, Priestly notes that "BioWare and the Mass Effect team want to branch out in a number of ways with the ME universe, and this is just one example of such branching out." More details on the title are said to be inbound "later this month." (That'd be late May for those disoriented by the end-of-week month change.)

[Via VG247]

Reader Comments (32)

is it like Chinatown wars? with the camera view from the top?

yeah it's a top-down shooter

They are owned by EA so when can I expect Mass Effect on my toaster?

While the Bread is toasting it plays the long elevator music.

The only thing I read is that there is a team working on dlc, and not being distracted by this. More ME is always a positive development, though.

That chick on the title screen his HAWT

Ohhhhhhhh god

Uhhhhhhhhhhh

maybe you can audition for this version sex scene since they need everything small.

How about they branch out onto something I actually own?

More overpriced Apple iPhone trash.
Generic role-playing game Caucasian space marine number 145?

Mass Effect.. generic..?
Now you're just looking at the pictures and making up comments, huh?

I don't understand games like this for iPhone...the battery life is crap, and it's not exactly a fun experience having your finger(s) obscuring the playing area.

For casual games the iPhone is great...but for RPGs, shooters, etc? Gimmie a break...

Same thing with getting eBooks on iPhone. Who wants to stare at a 2 inch screen and try to read a novel which expires their mobile phone battery in 20 minutes?

This is why the iPhone can't replace EVERYTHING. It does quite a freakin bit, but some things just aren't suited for it, no matter how much people want to deny it.

I'll reserve judgement for when it comes out tho.

You will never understand. Don't worry about it.

"Mass Effect for the iPhone is a [retarded idea]" "When our producer asked us to develop a port for the iPhone I [reached for the nearest office supply and bludgeoned him to death]"

Do you think if Joystiq were to actually create an iPhone spoke, that you might actually just spontaneously combust?

Can we stop covering the iphone as if it were in the same league as the DS and PSP? It has one touch screen with no buttons,crosspads,stylist,or even nubsticks to play the damn thing with. Using fingers to emulate real play control on the same screen your looking at is beyond retarded! Cover the iphone games when they make one with standard control buttons and features! Untill then just let it fade away!

[This comment was deleted for being far to truthful and because we have our hands in Apple's pockets.]

I'm with you man, it's so hard scrolling down an extra quarter of a page in Google reader. Dear Joystiq: My scrolling finger isn't made of titanium you know!

Hell no, please cover iPhone games MORE! A lot of people like me want to know what's happening with games on the platform (myself more than the DS or the PSP anymore). It CO-EXISTS with the DS and the PSP, it's not trying to replace them, so why panic? EVERYONE other than 'tweens and kids has their phone on them more often than their DS or PSP - The point of games on the iPhone or any other phone is for people that want to game a little bit on the device they have with them.

Maybe you just don't like Apple or the iPhone - fine. But that's not a good enough reason to NOT cover it.

Major platform, quality developers, affordable titles, interested readers... viable argument for more coverage. Sorry, haters.

"create an iPhone spoke"

I'm not sure what an iPhone spoke is. That like when you have rims with spokes fashioned from iPhones? If there were to do that I may spontaneously combust.

I just get fed enough "Apple is better than you so buy some iShit" from engadget each day so I don't really need it from Joystiq.

Forgot to click reply twice, was directed at Markez.

Like up at the top, they have dedicated tabs for xbox/PS/Nintendo that they've dubbed spokes. So imagine they had a dedicated tab for the ol' iPhone. Having rims lined with iPhones would be siiiiick.

You ever seen the iRack bit? Swear it's the only quality thing MadTV has ever done... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw2nkoGLhrE

@Markez

Clearly you've never seen Prehistoric Glamazon Huntresses AD.

Yes the day Joystiq adds and Apple/iPhone tab is the day the rivers will run read with the blood of the Joystiq bloggers. I will slaughter them like a wolf among lambs!

They already have a segment devoted to iPhone games. I don't expect to see a tab here on the site, though. Maybe something like that on TUAW.

Red* also.

I agree about the "that will be the day it is 'read'" part...

Man I love me some Mass Effect and some iPhone games. Rolando, Zombieville, Fieldrunners, Hero Of Sparta, Payback, FF Crystal Defenders, MGS Touch, Oregon Trail and Diner Dash are my favorite games and they are all super fun. I want to find a good turn based RPG on the thing. I've seen a few that looked decent but nothing that got me excited enough to make a purchase. It's certainly a viable portable gaming platform. Best. Phone. Ever.

I'm a little excited.

Me too, although the games I have purchased on my Ipod Touch leave MUCH to be desired. Like others I will wait for the reviews to lay judgement.

So far the only game I found myself really enjoying is HERO OF SPARTA which is a cheap GOD OF WAR knock off that is dumbed down to a hack n slash on the Ipod.

I'll repost what I already said since this is beyond stupid and just another one of EA's corruption techniques.

This trilogy was supposed to be an Exclusive to the Xbox... and while I can understand it making a port to the PC now I hear that people are having ME2 go to PS3 and possibly the "Wii"? This isn't right at all, and is in fact the reason some of the better game series are becoming so warped and rotten... I blame EA since they acquired Bioware, and I always figured it would destroy the company, just like every other series and company they bought.

ME2 and 3 and other versions should go to the Xbox first, then the PC through a port.

I shouldn't have to get a mobile phone and play a game to read about story that isn't located in the books or the game.

This is a waste of time and I fear that a series with such potential is now going to become rotten and warped... sigh.

BioWare: Mass Effect for iPhone is 'side story,' series 'branching out'

Reader Comments (32)

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:09PM The MARIO said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:42PM ziggy82323 said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:11PM KingJD said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:25PM The MARIO said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:11PM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:25PM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:30PM The MARIO said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:34PM Nier said

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Posted: May 1st 2009 7:59PM Snowblind said

Posted: May 1st 2009 7:46PM Liekos said

Posted: May 1st 2009 11:46PM Levi said

Posted: May 3rd 2009 3:02AM hey buddy said

Posted: May 1st 2009 8:04PM Anticrawl said

Posted: May 1st 2009 8:56PM MarkezJM said

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Posted: May 1st 2009 8:35PM Anticrawl said

Posted: May 1st 2009 8:38PM smcn said

Posted: May 3rd 2009 3:21AM hey buddy said

Posted: May 1st 2009 9:09PM Anticrawl said

Posted: May 1st 2009 9:10PM Anticrawl said

Posted: May 1st 2009 9:20PM MarkezJM said

Posted: May 1st 2009 9:25PM Nier said

Posted: May 1st 2009 9:32PM Anticrawl said

Posted: May 1st 2009 9:59PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: May 1st 2009 10:00PM Anticrawl said

Posted: May 3rd 2009 3:02AM hey buddy said

Posted: May 1st 2009 10:03PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: May 2nd 2009 4:27AM Laser Sanchez said

Posted: May 2nd 2009 12:30PM (Unverified) said

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