Between the sixteen threads and blog posts about the Mass Effect jump to the PlayStation 3, it's clear that this is a divided issue. After marinating in the news for the better part of the day, I've decided that I see this as a poor move for the Mass Effect franchise because there is a very real possibility this will give PS3 owners who haven't played an ME title before a bad taste in their mouth.
 
Mass Effect 2 is a phenomenal game in context. The mechanics and aesthetics are top notch, and it is a very fun game to play and experience, but a lot of the enjoyment for me was seeing the references of the first game, both those that were dependent on my choices in the original Mass Effect, and those that weren't. Since the overall story was weak, these references were what made the game's story for me. ME2 is a game about character development, and it has that coming out the ass. This was a really appealing aspect of ME2, but it wasn't what kept me returning to the game. This will still be present in the PS3 port, however, players will be subjected to a Diet-brand Mass Effect game in terms of story. If they aren't  suckers for character evolution, they won't have the references to make the overall story interesting.
 
Without Mass Effect, ME2 is a great shooter, with a decent story, and that's it. There's really not much more going on. It is not a five-star game without the existence of its five-star predecessor. It just isn't. It's still a good game, but it isn't the game 360/PC owners rave about. Seriously, think about it.
 
Until BioWare releases a statement about the original Mass Effect, this really isn't a big announcement. Microsoft is claiming that ME will remain 360/PC exclusive. I hope for PS3 owners' sake that there is some kind of announcement soon explaining what's going to happen to the Mass Effect franchise on the PlayStation console.