Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/BioWare has 'never confirmed any plans' for Mass Effect 360 exclusivityhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/bioware-has-never-confirmed-any-plans-for-mass-effect-360-excl/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/bioware-has-never-confirmed-any-plans-for-mass-effect-360-excl/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/bioware-has-never-confirmed-any-plans-for-mass-effect-360-excl/#commentsFiled under: , ,


"Dude, I totally heard that Mass Effect 2 is going to be an Xbox 360 exclusive. Not only that, but my friend's brother's girlfriend's chiropodist who worked with guy who played a BioWare game with me says that the entire trilogy will be exclusive to Microsoft and will eventually cross over with the Halo and Viva Pinata universes. It's going to be an awesome dose of rad-tacular sweetitude." - Hypothetical Joystiq tipster.

While there's no question about the rad-tacular sweetitude that's bound to emanate from BioWare's future entries in the Mass Effect franchise, it's time to hang up on another telephoned rumor -- this one has the unannounced trilogy locked into Xbox 360 exclusivity. According to the eloquently named Australian blog, XboxOZ360-gamer, BioWare bigwig Ray Muzyka told Australian 360 magazine that the RPG developer was committed to bringing the Mass Effect trilogy exclusively to the Xbox 360. Yeah, not so much.

Speaking to Joystiq, a BioWare representative deemed the information "incorrect," noting that Muzyka has "never confirmed any plans of Mass Effect exclusivity for the trilogy." So ... there is a trilogy, right?

[Via X3F]

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]]>BioWareEAMass-EffectMass-Effect-2Mass-Effect-3Mass-Effect-47Ludwig Kietzmann2008-07-22T18:55:00+00:00BioWare to combat piracy through customer loyaltyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/bioware-to-combat-piracy-through-customer-loyalty/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/bioware-to-combat-piracy-through-customer-loyalty/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/bioware-to-combat-piracy-through-customer-loyalty/#commentsFiled under: ,


Ask a hundred PC game developers about piracy, and you're likely to come away with at least as many ideas on how to keep games from being flown beneath the Jolly Roger. There's even those who have thrown up their arms already, sailing instead for calmer console waters or opting just to keep piracy 'in perspective.' However, when it comes to Mass Effect dev BioWare, fighting piracy is as trivial as simply making games that people want to buy by nurturing customer fidelity through DLC and engaging multiplayer options.

"That's ultimately the best, most successful path to prevent piracy," noted BioWare's co-CEO Ray Muzyka, "to have players that want your games, want to believe in them and think they're high-quality and realize they're going to get a lot of value out of them as platforms for long time afterwards." It's a great theory, though we imagine that getting players to want your game isn't exactly the problem; it's getting them to open their wallets for them that's the trick.

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]]>biowaredlcmass-effectmultiplayerpiracyJason Dobson2008-07-09T10:30:00+00:00BioWare eyeing iPhone developmenthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/bioware-eyeing-iphone-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/bioware-eyeing-iphone-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/bioware-eyeing-iphone-development/#commentsFiled under: ,

Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, the developer of such epics as Mass Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic confirmed that it is looking into games of a much smaller (physical) scale. Specifically, BioWare co-CEO Greg Zeschuk states that he finds Apple's iPhone "intriguing" as a games platform. Mind you, he's not saying development is underway, but he is a fan.

"Something that's as big a cultural and technical success as the iPhone is something you've really got to take a close look at," explains Zeschuk, adding that, "We've got a lot of folks looking at it." Zechuk's statements come just a few days after the project lead on BioWare's Nintendo DS RPG, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, revealed that the company is also investigating Wii and PSP dvelopment. Now BioWare just needs to look into developing for those LCD games you see at mall kiosks and it'll have all bases covered.

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]]>biowareiphonekotormass-effectsonic-chroniclesRandy Nelson2008-07-01T18:25:00+00:00PSA: Mass Effect PC still locked at 3 activations, uninstalling won't helphttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/psa-mass-effect-pc-still-locked-at-3-activations-uninstalling/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/psa-mass-effect-pc-still-locked-at-3-activations-uninstalling/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/psa-mass-effect-pc-still-locked-at-3-activations-uninstalling/#commentsFiled under:


When we first reported on EA's reworked DRM scheme for Mass Effect PC - one that removed the onerous 10-day re-validation process but now only allows a maximum of three activations - we teased that we were ready to "pick up our torches and pitchforks and join the mob outside."

Now, a little over a month later, that mob has grown to some considerable size, spurred on by a forum thread on BioWare's site being referenced on consumer-advocacy blog The Consumerist. The problem: some confusion over whether or not uninstalling the game reinstates one of your three activations. After some wrangling (you know how support centers can be) EA confirmed that "unfortunately, you will not gain an activation by uninstalling the game." So, be stingy with those installs, gamers.

Gallery: Mass Effect (PC)


[Via Consumerist; thanks, Eric]

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]]>BioWareDRMEAElectronic-ArtsMass-EffectChristopher Grant2008-06-17T22:31:00+00:00Amazon has Mass Effect and Gears of War for $35http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/amazon-has-mass-effect-and-gears-of-war-for-35/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/amazon-has-mass-effect-and-gears-of-war-for-35/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/amazon-has-mass-effect-and-gears-of-war-for-35/#commentsFiled under:


Thrifty (and, if you've yet to play either of these, add negligent to this list of adjectives) gamers take note: Amazon's offering two great Xbox 360 games at a pretty steep discount. Both Mass Effect and Gears of War are only $35 (that's down from $60, people!) just for today; keep in mind, both of these games were amongst Joystiq's favorites in their respective release years.

Now, if you want our advice, we're gonna say to hold off on Gears of War - what with the two-disc special edition being released later this month for just $40. Don't care about all that "special" crap, just want to shoot bug monsters in the face? Then place your order, friend. We like your style.

[Thanks, Curtis]

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]]>AmazonGears-of-WarMass-EffectChristopher Grant2008-06-04T13:56:00+00:00The Best Of Big Download: May 23-31, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/the-best-of-big-download-may-23-29-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/the-best-of-big-download-may-23-29-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/the-best-of-big-download-may-23-29-2008/#commentsFiled under: ,


Who says PC gaming is dying? We don't. The new Big Download blog site continues to gain readers and post up exclusive news and content on all aspects of PC gaming. This week we have a ton of Mass Effect PC features as well as other content for you to check out. Here are the highlights from the past week:

Exclusive Features
Downloads
News

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]]>abusemass-effectpenny-arcade-adventurespostalpostal-moviewarhammer-onlineJohn Callaham2008-05-31T12:30:00+00:00Mass Effect PC DLC right around the cornerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/mass-effect-pc-dlc-right-around-the-corner/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/mass-effect-pc-dlc-right-around-the-corner/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/mass-effect-pc-dlc-right-around-the-corner/#commentsFiled under:


Mass Effect PC players will soon have a chance to "Bring Down the Sky" (did you see what we did there?), as BioWare has announced that the free downloadable content will be available very soon for the PC version of the giant space epic.

The content -- available on the Xbox 360 since March -- includes a brand new uncharted world, and the inclusion of the ass-ugly Batarian race. And did we mention that it's free? That's incredibly good per-eyeball value.

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]]>biowaredlcmass-effectScott Jon Siegel2008-05-29T23:00:00+00:00Metareview -- Mass Effect (PC)http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/metareview-mass-effect-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/metareview-mass-effect-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/metareview-mass-effect-pc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We always thought BioWare's galaxy-spanning RPG, Mass Effect, was just a teensy bit too epic to fit into that whirring beige box beneath the TV. Now, the game has been enhanced -- improved inventory, expanded squad control and less clunky interface, all check -- and released roughly six months later on a computer that doesn't sound like it's constantly sawing the disc in half. The first batch of reviews seem to approve.
  • IGN (92/100): "This is easily one of the best RPGs on the platform in recent years, delivering a terrific new universe, a fun blend of action and role-playing, and a deeply satisfying story. If you have any love of science fiction or space opera, then you owe it to yourself to check it out. There are hours upon hours of joyful discovery here, and an undeniable love for science fiction, as well."
  • GameDaily (90/100): "Although the game suffers from a few minor bugs, including a small number of missions that don't show as completed when finished, some computer controlled teammates that have trouble following orders and occasional glitches when switching between movement and hacking mode, the PC version of Mass Effect is superior to the Xbox 360 release. The mouse and keyboard controls are so natural that they improve the game's performance at practically every level."
  • Eurogamer (80/100): "It's an incredibly ballsy game, not afraid to take on any of its competitors, in any field. Story-lead games? Shooters? Even genuine, non-game populist sci-fi? Mass Effect has a try at them all, and leaves more wounds in them than they leave in it, before blasting off into a space all of its own."

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]]>BiowareEAMass-EffectSpace-AlienzLudwig Kietzmann2008-05-29T21:00:00+00:00BigVersus pits Mass Effect PC against Xbox 360 versionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/bigversus-pits-mass-effect-pc-against-xbox-360-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/bigversus-pits-mass-effect-pc-against-xbox-360-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/bigversus-pits-mass-effect-pc-against-xbox-360-version/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Much like they did with Penny Arcade Adventures, the mouse-loving folks at BigDownload have pitted both version of Mass Effect - Xbox 360 and PC - against one another to see which is the best portrayal of Prothean technology. The verdict is probably unsurprising, given the new version came out some six months after the original (and with a vastly improved inventory system). Head over to BigDownload for all the details.

Gallery: Mass Effect (PC)

Much like they did with Penny Arcade Adventures, the mouse-loving folks at BigDownload have pitted both version of Mass Effect - Xbox 360 and PC - against one another to see which is the best portrayal of Prothean technology. The verdict is probably unsurprising, given the new version came out some six months after the original (and with a vastly improved inventory system). Head over to BigDownload for all the details.

Gallery: Mass Effect (PC)

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]]>big-versusbigversusbiowaremass-effectRoss Miller2008-05-29T14:30:00+00:00Counting Rupees: Digital Rights Madnesshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/counting-rupees-digital-rights-madness/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/counting-rupees-digital-rights-madness/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/counting-rupees-digital-rights-madness/#commentsFiled under: ,

Each week Jeff Engel and Geoff Brooks contribute Counting Rupees, a column on the business behind gaming:

When EA announced that Spore and Mass Effect (PC) would have a DRM program that did performed online verification every 10 days, it generated a massive backlash amongst the gaming community. Many people, who were originally excited about Spore and Mass Effect, now claimed that they would not purchase the games, solely because of the DRM. To be honest, I'm no fan of DRM either. It basically treats all legal customers as potential criminals, and seems futile anyway, as anyone with an internet connection can typically find ways around the DRM. The only people it probably deters are those with little technical savvy and who just want to share a game they bought with their friends and family. The amount of actual sales that would be lost to this is probably pretty limited. With all that said, I'm glad that EA has backed off this new DRM and scaled it back to just an initial online verification. Given the current state of PC gaming as well as the traditionally more "accepted" versions of DRM (like the initial online verification), however, I didn't find this new DRM to be all THAT much worse, particularly with some slight improvements to it, such as allowing a manual verification and extending the timeframe for re-verification slightly (say, to 30-60 days instead of every 10).

The reason for this has a lot to do with what's been going on with PC gaming in the last few years. While the "death" of PC gaming has been talked about for years, it isn't quite here. The landscape is just shifting. While the total NPD sales for each year has been decreasing, other avenues of making money have been developed. For instance, subscription-based games (mostly MMOs, but also games available on GameTap), cheaper more casual downloadable games (eg, PopCap Games), and even free, ad- or feature-driven games (eg, Dungeon Runners, Battlefield Heroes, Quake Zero) make up an ever increasing portion of PC-based revenue. Thus, the actual retail sales are taken up mostly by a few casual games, MMO starter kits or expansions, and maybe the occasional shooter or RTS game. Take, for example, the most recent NPD PC numbers for the week of May 4-10:

1. The Sims 2 Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe
3. World Of Warcraft: Battle Chest
4. The Sims 2: FreeTime
5. World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade
6. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
7. World Of Warcraft
8. Sins Of A Solar Empire
9. Hoyle Card Games 2008
10. Warcraft III Battle Chest

Seven of the top ten games on the list could probably be classified as either "casual" or as an MMO. The other thre games include an FPS that's also available on consoles (and sold far more on them), an old RTS associated with the extremely popular World of Warcraft, and a new, positively reviewed RTS. While FPS and RTS games will probably always maintain some popularity on the PC, particularly when hugely popular developers like Valve and Blizzard continue to make them, the MMOs and casual games have begun to dominate the PC arena. Outside of The Sims, which will continue to do well (and basically uses several retail expansion packs as its "subscription" model), it seems like most PC gaming requires some kind of online component now. That's not to say that every game has some sort of multiplayer component to it, but playing an MMO, browsing over to Desktop Tower Defense, or maybe just downloading the latest game from PopCap Games, all require internet connections.

Which is why, when I saw the newest DRM-scheme, it didn't seem like such a massive extra burden to me. When a publisher's game doesn't have a centralized multiplayer component that could help prevent piracy (like an MMO), it's bound to try and find a scheme that reduces it as much as possible. In an ever-increasingly online, connected world that can support 10 million WoW players (as well as players of other MMOs), it probably just seemed like it made sense to use that online component to try and keep people honest for their own more single-player oriented games. Sure, there is going to be a subset of people that probably couldn't play the game without a hassle, but for the seeming majority of the current PC gaming public, it probably wouldn't be that much bigger of a deal than, say, Steam having to register and unlock my retail copy of The Orange Box. That being said, the less obtrusive and more transparent DRM is to the end user, the happier I'll be.

As co-editors of A Link To The Future, Geoff and Jeff like to discuss, among many other topics, the business aspects of gaming. Game companies often make decisions that on their face appear baffling, or even infuriating, to many gamers. Yet when you think hard about them from the company's perspective, many other decisions are eminently sensible, or at least appeared to be so based on the conditions at the time those choices were made. Our goal with this column is to start a conversation about just those topics. While neither Geoff nor Jeff are employed in the game industry, they do have professional backgrounds that are relevant to the discussion. More to the point, they don't claim to have all the answers -- but this is a conversation worth having. You can reach them at

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]]>Counting-RupeesDRMjoystiqfeaturesMass-EffectSporeJeff Engel2008-05-26T20:30:00+00:00New games this week: Enemy Territory: Quake Warshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/new-games-this-week-enemy-territory-quake-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/new-games-this-week-enemy-territory-quake-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/new-games-this-week-enemy-territory-quake-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


This was a close call this week, because the offerings are very ... how to put it politely? ... Porty. Which is to say, if you were interested in them, you've probably already played them. There's even Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition, which is a port onto the SAME SYSTEM! C'mon, feel the synergy!

But we decided to go with Enemy Territory: Quake Wars largely because it's on two platforms this week instead of one like Mass Effect PC, and we're all about pleasing the masses. Check out the full list after the jump.

Gallery: Enemy Territory: Quake Wars


Xbox 360:
  • Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
  • Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition
PS3:
  • Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
Nintendo Wii:
  • Death Jr.: Root of Evil
  • Monkey King: The Legend Begins
  • Kawasaki Snowmobiles
  • Emergency Heroes
PSP:
  • World Championship Cards
Nintendo DS:
  • Super Dogdeball Brawlers
  • USA Today Crosswords Challenge
PC Games:
  • Mass Effect
  • Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition
  • Stronghold: Crusader Extreme
  • Bus Driver
  • Dracula: Origin

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]]>enemy-territory-quak...mass-effectnewgamesJustin McElroy2008-05-26T10:30:00+00:00Joystiq interview: BioWare's Ray Muzyka talks Mass Effect 2, DLC and his favorite interfacehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/joystiq-interview-biowares-ray-muzyka-talks-mass-effect-2-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/joystiq-interview-biowares-ray-muzyka-talks-mass-effect-2-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/joystiq-interview-biowares-ray-muzyka-talks-mass-effect-2-dlc/#commentsFiled under: ,


Normally, when we want to talk to Ray Muzyka, General Manger of BioWare, we have to camp outside his palatial mansion and wait for him to get his morning paper. He's pretty spry though, so we can usually get out "When is Mass Effect 2 go--" before he slams the door in our face. But this time, EA actually asked us to pick the good doctor's brain. Here are the results:

BioWare has worked in several fantastical settings. How did working in a sci-fi world like Mass Effect differ from some of your earlier titles?

That's a great question. The creative inspiration for both fantasy and sci-fi, and contemporary settings for that matter, certainly come from very different sources on different projects - for example, we're inspired by the classic fantasy novels for our fantasy games like Baldur's Gate or Dragon Age, and by classic science fiction films for science fiction IPs like Mass Effect, and by contemporary setting movies and novels for other titles. We're always striving to deliver powerful emotional experiences to our audience.

With a game like Dragon Age, we're creating a rich fantasy universe that's equally compelling and deep compared with a science fiction universe like the galaxy of Mass Effect - both are different, but there are certainly a lot of similarities in terms of gameplay, and the characters, even when alien or non-human, still need to evoke an essential humanity, and make you feel something. With our future DS title, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, we're pursuing a brand new direction that's really fun to play. Whatever universe you're exploring you need to feel powerful emotion as you explore strange lands, fight awesome battles, converse with compelling characters, or progress and customize your character.

Do you prefer creating stories in the confines of someone else's mythology (Star Wars, etc.) or the freedom of making your own?

Both choices have their own unique appeal. In the end, both are ends of the same spectrum, since successful new intellectual properties become licenses. In the case of Star Wars, it was an incredible honor to work with LucasArts as we were - and are - huge fans of the Star Wars IP! Lucas has created a universe that allowed us to be very creative, so it really wasn't confining when we considered the freedom available in the Knights of the Old Republic setting, some 5000 years before the movies. The other side of the equation, creating new intellectual property, is literally creating your own fiction and is a lot of fun as we are starting from scratch for new IPs like Mass Effect or Dragon Age. Dragon Age is awesome by the way - I was playing it just the other day and it's shaping up pretty marvelously - we're looking forward to showing more on DA later this year. But the ultimate answer to your question is, we love working on both types of properties and you can expect both kinds from BioWare in the future.

It seems that a higher percentage of video games (as compared to movies, TV) skew towards a sci-fi universe. Why do think that is?

In science fiction a key concept is exploration and discovery. This really lends itself to interactive entertainment as it is a more personal experience. In other words, the audience is taking the role of director and the star, which means they are both discovering and shaping the experience. A good example for me personally was the first time I set foot on Luna, the Earth's moon, in Mass Effect. I looked up in the sky and could see the Earth - that was a pretty incredible experience; it made me feel like I was part of the NASA Apollo program!

I know that Mass Effect PC has a new interface, but I'm curious: Which do you prefer -- Xbox 360 or PC?

First off, I'm very proud of what both teams accomplished, and I've played both SKUs extensively, but from a personal perspective I have to say that I really am enjoying the new PC controls. The platform really lends itself to control customization and some of the new features we have like the new Tactical HUD with individual squad command and the ability to map Shepard's biotic powers to hot keys are really fun, particularly when you combine them together.

Is there more DLC being planned for Mass Effect? What can we expect?

We are definitely planning on doing more DLC, but we haven't yet announced any details. Stay tuned for more information later this year!

Where does Mass Effect 2 stand in terms of production phases?

We are working on future installments in the Mass Effect franchise and the team is implementing some very cool stuff that we aren't ready to discuss yet. Hang tight; we'll have more information as we get closer to formally announcing new products in the Mass Effect franchise!

The new interface is pretty PC-centric, how much of it will you be able to roll into Mass Effect 2?

Each platform has inherent strengths. The Xbox 360 control is really strong in the fact that it is very easy and intuitive to control. Comparing the Xbox 360 version versus the PC, we are looking at two different audiences with different expectations and needs. That being said, I really like what the team has done with the PC version and we are looking at implementing mechanics in future Mass Effect products where they make sense. However, we'll continue to support our fans on both PC and Xbox 360 in the future, so both SKUs need, and will have, different core interfaces.

Will Mass Effect 2 be an Xbox 360 exclusive again? Will they bring a PC port day and date for Mass Effect 2? Any plans for a Mac port, since EA has pledged support for that platform?

We haven't announced any specific plans yet with Mass Effect 2, so other than saying that I love the Mass Effect universe, I'll have to plead the fifth on this one!

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]]>biowaredragon-agejoystiqfeaturesmass-effectmass-effect-2ray-muzykaJustin McElroy2008-05-23T14:25:00+00:00BioWare drops 10-day validation from Mass Effect PChttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/bioware-drops-10-day-valdiation-from-mass-effect-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/bioware-drops-10-day-valdiation-from-mass-effect-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/bioware-drops-10-day-valdiation-from-mass-effect-pc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


After stirring up a hornets' nest of gamer contempt last week by announcing that the forthcoming PC flavor of Mass Effect would require re-validation every 10 days, BioWare community manager Jay Watamaniuk has come forward as the voice of reason on the game's official forums, stating that the developer has now removed the "feature" from the game.

Instead of employing the previously revealed DRM madness, Watamaniuk explained that Mass Effect will include just a one time online authentication, allowing players to play the game once validated without the disc in the drive at all. That said, if any new content is downloaded, the game will again have to bite the disc to make sure it's real. The caveat to all of this, however, is that each Mass Effect purchase will only be able to be installed a maximum of three times, news that has again incited us to pick up our torches and pitchforks and join the mob outside.

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]]>biowaredrmeaelectronic-artselectronicartsmass-effectmasseffectsecuromJason Dobson2008-05-10T09:25:00+00:00Spore, Mass Effect to require online validation every 10 dayshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/spore-mass-effect-to-require-online-validation-every-10-days/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/spore-mass-effect-to-require-online-validation-every-10-days/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/spore-mass-effect-to-require-online-validation-every-10-days/#commentsFiled under: ,

BioWare technical producer Derek French lit up the Mass Effect forums this past week announcing that both their game and (on page 2) fellow Electronic Arts title Spore come with SecuROM, a DRM system that requires activation the first time you play the game and then a re-check every ten days, with the first check on the fifth day.

French explained that there is no external program installed and the check will be run through MassEffect.exe (or Spore.exe, presumably), the data transfered will be the CD key and a "unique machine identifier of some type" and that he has been told, "there will be clear labeling on the package."

Despite all these reassurances, an unfortunate scenario brought up by one poster -- of ignoring the game 11 days and then trying to play with no internet -- was proven true, as French confirmed you wouldn't be able to play the game under that situation. Of course, it's not like you're gonna put any of these games down for ten days, right? Right? Eh, we hate DRM.

(Note: We do understand the irony of making a Samara/The Ring joke when -- spoiler -- her primary goal was to have people make as many copies as possible.)

[Via Shacknews]

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]]>biowaredrmeaelectronic-artsmass-effectsecuromsporeRoss Miller2008-05-07T14:00:00+00:00Bioware devs debate whether Wii is part of gaminghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/bioware-devs-debate-if-wii-is-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/bioware-devs-debate-if-wii-is-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/bioware-devs-debate-if-wii-is-gaming/#commentsFiled under: ,

CEO Ray Muzyka and President Greg Zeschuk of Bioware, a company founded on narrative-centric RPGs, can't seem to decide if the Wii is a game (as opposed to, from what we gather, a toy). In an interview with GameDaily, Zeschuk said, "If gaming is defined by story, then generally Wii may not be," though he immediately expands on that, "The game [4 to 5 people together are] playing is actually very different than the rest of us. What they're doing as a company is like a different flavor."

Providing a counterpoint, Muzyaka noted that the Wii experience is "more toy-like" but also said, "there's also a narrative between the players outside the game and kind of fulfills the same things games do. Games are 'toys' in the sense that they're fun." Warren Spector had made a similar designation in an Escapist piece last year, categorizing games like Tetris and Madden akin as "retold" narratives. The above is a rather bare-bones highlight of their discussion, so check out the full interview for more.

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]]>biowaregamesgreg-zeschukmass-effectnarrativenintendoray-muzykarpgstorystorytellingtoyswiiRoss Miller2008-04-23T17:30:00+00:00Mass Effect's 'Bring Down the Sky' DLC free on PChttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/mass-effects-bring-down-the-sky-dlc-free-on-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/mass-effects-bring-down-the-sky-dlc-free-on-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/mass-effects-bring-down-the-sky-dlc-free-on-pc/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Though they've had to wait several months before experiencing the thrills of chatting up aliens and gallivanting across the galaxy, PC gamers are going to receive yet another bonus alongside their version of BioWare's planet-hopping RPG, Mass Effect. The first batch of downloadable content, entitled "Bring Down the Sky" and available on Xbox 360 since March, will be offered for free to registered members of BioWare's community website. The 90-minute, $5 add-on won't be packed inside the box, but we imagine you PC folks can handle an internet registration and download.

Provided your system meets the technical requirements, you can also look forward to an improved inventory system, an enhanced HUD and (hopefully) much shorter elevator rides. Mass Effect PC is out on May 28.

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]]>BioWareBreakingNewsBring-Down-The-SkyDLCEAMass-EffectRPGLudwig Kietzmann2008-04-18T13:30:00+00:00Mass Effect PC requires 'processor,' 'memory' and 'video card'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/mass-effect-pc-requires-processor-memory-and-video-card/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/mass-effect-pc-requires-processor-memory-and-video-card/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/mass-effect-pc-requires-processor-memory-and-video-card/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While scouring the Mass Effect forums for a guide on how to place our girl, Beyoncé, into BioWare's space epic (found one!), we stumbled across the "system requirements" of the PC version. Not only will you require a PC, but one filled with the following rams, gigabytes and geforces:

Minimum System Requirements
  • Operating System: Windows XP or Vista
  • Processor: 2.4+GHZ Intel or 2.0+GHZ AMD
  • Memory: 1 Gigabyte Ram (XP); 2 Gigabytes Ram (Vista)
  • Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6 series(6800GT or better); ATI 1300XT or better (X1550, X1600 Pro and HD2400 are below minimum system requirements)
  • Hard Drive Space: 12 Gigabytes
  • Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card and drivers
Recommended Real System Requirements
  • Operating System: Windows XP or Vista
  • Processor: 2.6+GHZ Intel or 2.4+GHZ AMD
  • Memory: 2 Gigabytes Ram
  • Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX or higher; ATI X1800 XL series or higher
  • Hard Drive Space: 12 Gigabytes
  • Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card and drivers - 5.1 sound card recommended
Mass Effect PC is out on May 28th.

Gallery: Mass Effect (PC)

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]]>BioWareEAMass-EffectRPGSci-FiSpecsLudwig Kietzmann2008-04-16T21:00:00+00:00Mass Effect PC will 'Bring Down the Sky' at launch [Updated]http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/10/mass-effect-pc-wont-bring-down-the-sky-at-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/10/mass-effect-pc-wont-bring-down-the-sky-at-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/10/mass-effect-pc-wont-bring-down-the-sky-at-launch/#commentsFiled under: ,


Don't expect to play Mass Effect's "Bring Down the Sky" downloadable content on the day the game releases for PC. Developer BioWare tells IGN that the DLC will not be included in the PC release, though there will be an "announcement soon" about "additional content" for it. Update: The DLC will not be included in the box, but will be offered for free to BioWare community members

BioWare dodges the question about whether future DLC will be staggered and released on Xbox 360 first, followed by PC. Either way, the PC gamer race is sure to giggle with delight as they experience less texture popping and shorter elevator rides when Mass Effect launches May 28.

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]]>biowarebring-down-the-skyDLCmass-effectmasseffectAlexander Sliwinski2008-04-10T14:25:00+00:00HUDs up! This is what Mass Effect PC's HUD looks likehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/huds-up-this-is-what-mass-effect-pcs-hud-looks-like/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/huds-up-this-is-what-mass-effect-pcs-hud-looks-like/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/huds-up-this-is-what-mass-effect-pcs-hud-looks-like/#commentsFiled under: ,


click to enlarge

"But how could the PC port of a game that was released in November be delayed?" you moaned, upon hearing the unfortunate news that Mass Effect would be delayed from May 6 to May 28. Beats us, but we've got three letters to make it all better, friend. Aich. You. Dee. Put it all together, and that spells HUD. And then, err ... break it all apart again and you've got heads-up display, an "entirely new" one of which BioWare wants to share with you after this morning's downer.

The new HUD, activated with a simple slap of the space bar, brings up access to squad commands ("Get your ass behind that rock, Williams!"), Biotics powers ("Get thrown, Geth scum!"), and abilities and weapons interfaces (sorry, it's hard to narrativize this one). Hey, we're already sold. We're just wondering if any of this lovely UI work will find a place in the (for a time) gamepad-saddled sequel.

Gallery: Mass Effect (PC)

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]]>BiowareMass-EffectChristopher Grant2008-04-08T18:27:00+00:00Mass Effect PC slips to May 28http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/mass-effect-pc-slips-to-may-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/mass-effect-pc-slips-to-may-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/mass-effect-pc-slips-to-may-28/#commentsFiled under: , ,


BioWare's community coordinator, Chris Priestly, has announced via the official Mass Effect forum that the PC version of the interstellar RPG has experienced a slight delay. Originally scheduled for release on May 6th, Mass Effect's retooled conversion will now arrive on May 28th in North America and June 6th in Europe.

Reasons given for the extra development time include the incorporation of further play-testing feedback, the tuning of additional features and, of course, the ever-popular application of "extra polish." Trust us, PC gamers, the wait will be worth it. You'll forget all about these extra few weeks once you're having a gas with our old pal, Saren.

[Thanks, Matt]

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]]>BioWareBreakingNewsDelayEAMass-EffectLudwig Kietzmann2008-04-08T10:30:00+00:00