BioWare Teases Another Mass Effect, DLC, New Universe

There is more Mass Effect coming, both in the form of downloadable content for Mass Effect 3 and a brand-new game.

In the midst of announcing the “retirement” of BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, BioWare Edmonton and Montreal general manager Aaryn Flynn revealed new details about the series.

First, BioWare said there are more single-player stories to tell within Mass Effect 3, starting with the “Omega” downloadable content in the fall. Additionally, there are plans for “another full game.”

“‘Where to go next?’ with such a project has been a question a lot of us have been asking, and we’d all love to hear your ideas,” said Flynn.

Mass Effect executive producer Casey Hudson is overseeing the additional Mass Effect 3 content and the untitled new Mass Effect game, while also overseeing the creation of a brand-new world.

“He and his leads are putting together their vision for an all new game set in a fictional universe, built from the bottom-up with all new gaming technology,” said Flynn.

Please sirs, I want more.

wow

Hopefully Casey Hudson doesn't screw this new game up...

Wow, it's almost like Bioware will continue to operate without the doctors!

Ehhhh, asking for ideas for the next Mass Effect? I'm even more concerned about the direction it'll go.

On the one hand, it's great to get input from users, on the other hand it's great to have a confident developer with a plan.

Do people still care about the Omega stuff? I mean I'm down for more ME3, but I'd rather see some new stuff.

Between ME3 and the doctors leaving, a new Mass Effect game is less "I am really looking forward to this, hope it's good" and more "Well, maybe it'll turn out well?"

They couldn't wait until next week to release this after losing the doctors?

Yes, please. I am all for a new Mass Effect game. Maybe they'll do like Halo and start a new trilogy.

I believe that these announcements would be filed under 'Damage Control'.

EA: "Hey gamers! Don't pay any attention to that news! LOOK OVER HERE! SHINYS!"

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO FUCK OFF EA! STOP MILKING EVERY FUCKING FRANCHISE YOU HAVE

It's like Infinity Ward all over again.

MY BODY IS READY

Not sure after the mess of ME3 & all the issues with that one I'd be interested in the future plans for this if the new things follow in the same plan. I love the ME universe just the way they handled the last one makes me apprehensive to try the next one, could work but just depends.

Mass Effect prequel starring Jon Grissom in the First Contact War, GO GO GO.

I am a huge fan of Mass Effect and it might be my favorite franchise ever. But I'm done. I haven't played the extended ending and I probably won't either. I'm just kind of fine with the ending and and after the way they handled everything I couldn't care less about DLC for it.

BioWare are a write off.

What I want next from a Mass Effect game? Only one thing. Simple too: EA, Let Them Take Their Time.

Thats the TLDR idea. In a bit more thought out - Don't rush the game in seek of annual revenue generation. Yes games are a business and yes you must make money to make these horrendously expensive games. But take a book from Valve or Blizzard who have a few, very highly developed franchises like BioWare does. Games they let simmer, take their time and when come out are pure gold.

Mass Effect Three felt rushed and over promised what they truly could never, ever live up to their promises. Don't let Mass Effect 4 fall into the same trap. Give them 3+ years to develop a full storyline, world and RPG system that everyone can enjoy. Don;'t force them into a 2 year cycle of endless rush so you can have a "BioWare" game every year. You will just destroy the BioWare brand.

You get the idea for the rest. All I want is time given to make the game great. I trust the talent at BioWare can then do something amazing with that time.

@Phatmac said:

They couldn't wait until next week to release this after losing the doctors?

They timed this specifically to hide the story about the doctors. Classic misdirection.

"Oh you heard about the doctors? No big deal. Ooh, ooh! Look over here. Shiny new Mass Effect games. You love those right? Forget all about those nasty doctors."

@SmasheControllers said:

Do people still care about the Omega stuff? I mean I'm down for more ME3, but I'd rather see some new stuff.

Yeah I kinda feel the same it's the predictable route but after Leviathan I don't see a reason to go back and help a Merc Queen recover her space station... but I'm all up for a new game.

There is nowhere to go from Mass Effect 3, surely? Better to just be done with it and not have the series outstay its welcome.

I'll add one thing to my previous statement. Remember one of the most important rules of doing business and sales - Don't ever piss off your customer. Yes that one sale might be huge, but if you burn your bridge, the likelihood of your next sale being even close to as big is far less likely. Especially in a environment with such amazing competition.

Think of us not as gamers, but customers of your retail product. Very fickle customers who have lots of choices and very low switching costs.

The thing about the Mass Effect universe is, as much as I love it, now that it has ended, I just don't care that much to visit it anymore. It's done, and whatever comes before, which I'm sure it will be, I don't really need to know. As far as I know, Mass Effect has always been about the story, and where it's heading within the trilogy, and it's very unfortunate to say this because I do enjoy playing the game, but it's not enough. My feelings are at odds with one another, but I think the stories progression comes out on top here, and the adventuring in the universe is second, and I feel wrong for saying that, but it's true.

@Wrighteous86 said:

@Phatmac said:

They couldn't wait until next week to release this after losing the doctors?

They timed this specifically to hide the story about the doctors. Classic misdirection.

"Oh you heard about the doctors? No big deal. Ooh, ooh! Look over here. Shiny new Mass Effect games. You love those right? Forget all about those nasty doctors."

Where do you get the "forget about those nasty doctors" from that annoucement? sure is classic damage control but I don't think it's as callous as you're claiming.

@Maitimo said:

There is nowhere to go from Mass Effect 3, surely? Better to just be done with it and not have the series outstay its welcome.

The Mass Effect universe doesn't revolve around Shepard.

@Phatmac: How else are they going to stop their stock price from tanking?

Can't we get something new? Not a sequel but an actual fucking original idea.

You know what EA?

No.

I will play any game Casey Hudson is in charge of. He is a genius at making video games. Just saying.

I agree with everyone else, the key thing for Bioware and EA to do is take it's time, let the fallout from Mass Effect 3 settle and dry and then when the next generation of machines are around hit the ground running with hopefully a return to the RPG/Action shooter.

As for the narrative and plan for the next series. I would love to see the universe a few thousand years after the events of Mass Effect 3. Gives the universe a chance to be repaired, give the gamer a new enemy, thats the great thing about the world they created they could bring any alien race into the game as the big bad guys.

@bartok: RTFA

What great annoucement doesn't start with "We'd love to hear your ideas"?

@cwJoe said:

@Maitimo said:

There is nowhere to go from Mass Effect 3, surely? Better to just be done with it and not have the series outstay its welcome.

The Mass Effect universe doesn't revolve around Shepard.

It most certainly does. Any game without Shepard in it will be Mass Effect in name only.

Totally awesome. I'm ready. And I don't think this is misdirection about the doctors, I think they just know that people are gonna throw the biggest fit ever at the news, and they want them to know that it isn't the end of the world. Because, hey, it is the Internet. I don't even want to imagine how many "Bioware is dead and gone," "Bioware is now an evil, souless machine" and so on topics there will be.

Who else thinks that "new gaming technology" will turn out to be lame or just a small improvement of something that already exists?

This is the least surprising Bioware news of the week.

@tremors said:

@cwJoe said:

@Maitimo said:

There is nowhere to go from Mass Effect 3, surely? Better to just be done with it and not have the series outstay its welcome.

The Mass Effect universe doesn't revolve around Shepard.

It most certainly does. Any game without Shepard in it will be Mass Effect in name only.

Strange. I recall reading some novels that bore the Mass Effect name, and even without Shepard, they were undoubtedly Mass Effect.

The ME universe has a pretty big backstory before Shepard even came along. Star Wars episodes 1-3 had no Luke Skywalker, but they were still Star Wars movies.

@Temg99 said:

Mass Effect Three felt rushed and over promised what they truly could never, ever live up to their promises. Don't let Mass Effect 4 fall into the same trap. Give them 3+ years to develop a full storyline, world and RPG system that everyone can enjoy. Don;'t force them into a 2 year cycle of endless rush so you can have a "BioWare" game every year. You will just destroy the BioWare brand.

You know they could have a "BioWare" game every year with a 5 year development cycle per game if they had 5 franchises, right?

Mass Effect The Next Generation? Sure I'm game. Also stop acting like bad things didn't happen when the Doctors were involved.

@cwJoe: You really want to use the prequels as your argument for Shepard-free Mass Effect?

I want more Mass Effect! But I also don't want more Mass Effect! I am very conflicted about the idea!

the doctors retired? did I miss something?

@tremors said:

@cwJoe said:

@Maitimo said:

There is nowhere to go from Mass Effect 3, surely? Better to just be done with it and not have the series outstay its welcome.

The Mass Effect universe doesn't revolve around Shepard.

It most certainly does. Any game without Shepard in it will be Mass Effect in name only.

Completely disagree. The main trilogy is Shepard's story, but that universe is too damn cool to just leave it be.

No idea whatsoever how they could ever set anything after 3, though. Probably prequels set during various historical events. Which would be damn cool!

@cmblasko: Bad example, I know, but Mass Effect is still perfectly capable of being Mass Effect, with or without Shepard.

@AngelN7 said:

@Wrighteous86 said:

@Phatmac said:

They couldn't wait until next week to release this after losing the doctors?

They timed this specifically to hide the story about the doctors. Classic misdirection.

"Oh you heard about the doctors? No big deal. Ooh, ooh! Look over here. Shiny new Mass Effect games. You love those right? Forget all about those nasty doctors."

Where do you get the "forget about those nasty doctors" from that annoucement? sure is classic damage control but I don't think it's as callous as you're claiming.

Forget about those nasty doctors was just a joke. Like something you would tell a child after giving them bad news and stroking their head lovingly.

There's no callousness or lack of appreciation in this announcement. Sorry if I gave that impression.

OH SHIT SON.

Since Mass Effect 3 is probably going to be my GotY, sure, give me more Mass Effect.