Mass Effect Message Board older than one year ago

I’m regularly taken aback by how quietly enormous Mass Effect is. While common conception is that EA’s getting its mega-corp bottom kicked by Activision, it’s got a breadth of franchises that it’s CoD’n'WoW-dependent rival does not – and Bioware’s sweeping space opera universe is one of the foremost of those. It’s really doing the Star Wars thing, I guess, as there was perhaps a vast sci-fi fandom void waiting to be filled in the wake of Lucas’ long-running exploitation/ruination of its galaxy far, far away.

So it makes perfect sense that Mass Effect would turn to other mediums – specifically, movies. Well, anime movies. (more…)

"MASS EFFECT: DECEPTION will be written by author William C. Dietz and will release in Fall 2011," says publisher Del Ray, continuing the story of the previous three novels, Revelation, Ascension, and Retribution. More »

#crossoverfantasies In many ways, Mass Effect is what it is because its developers made a successful Star Wars game. So it's about time we go to see the franchises square off. More »

You know, we're starting to think Impulse is the most aptly named digital distribution platform of all time. For instance, we already own Mass Effect on 360 -- but since Impulse's store has the PC version for five dollars today, we might just spontaneously, recklessly purchase a second copy.

#column Games are about social achievements, right? About goals, fulfillment, and making us feel powerful and happy? And yet video game lies are a part of the culture. More »

#imaginaryvideogames Not since the Terminator had to decide what to tell the janitor knocking on his door has a movie icon had such excellent choices of what to say or do next. What should Toy Story's Woody do here? More »

#speakup In the first installment of the daily Speak-Up on Kotaku for the year 2011, commenter Murkurial wonders why game developers aren't spending more time exploring the deeply detailed worlds created by science fiction's greatest authors. More »

#speakup In today's installment of Speak-Up on Kotaku, commenter Dracosummoner explores the controversial role of sex and violence in our video games. More »

Joystiq has learned from a trusted source that BioWare's enigmatic teaser from last month represents the first glimpse of Mass Effect 3. As many have guessed, the third installment looks to feature something brand new to the series: multiplayer. We're currently unable to confirm that the multiplayer component will be part of the game's unveiling at the upcoming Spike Video Game Awards.

The Spike VGAs will air this Saturday night, preceded by a good deal of internet speculation brought on by the above teaser image. As spotted by one of our commenters, Arth Vader, the gun above looks exactly like the M-29 Incisor Sniper Rifle from Mass Effect 2. BioWare has also blasted out curious QR codes via its Twitter feed, all of which indirectly reference things from the Mass Effect universe, including the Vostok system and the surface temperature of the planet Aequitas.

So, who's ready for more Mass Effect? Do we even need to ask?

#art Yeah, we've seen amazing gaming tattoos before, but this guy's full-sleeve piece - covering a wide array of platforms, genres and characters - must surely rank up there as one of the best. More »

#biowaremontreal The BioWare project teased earlier today by Spike TV's Video Game Awards is not an early look at Mass Effect 3, according to a development source, but the multiplayer-focused Mass Effect spin-off currently in the works at BioWare Montreal. More »

#screengrab The M8 Avenger rifle from Mass Effect, as constructed by Volpin Props and spied by reader Kai N. Check the link for many more images of its construction. More »

#patentpending Imagine finishing a video game like Mass Effect and then having a personalized comic book generated featuring the decisions and tactics you used while playing. Apple has already imagined it, and they've got the patent application to prove it. More »

If your cash flow has been irreparably dammed by some unknown stoppage, yet you're looking for a meaty action-RPG to chew on this weekend, EA's offering a deal which seems right up your alley. For this weekend only, you can grab the original Mass Effect on PC for five American dollars.

#comiccon2010 Toy and collectible maker DC Direct has some lovely looking action figure offerings coming later this year and well into 2011, all of which were on display at Comic-Con 2010. From Mass Effect to Twisted Metal, let's take a look! More »

Mass Effect 2's shadowy, nicotine-addicted adviser, the Illusive Man, will have his history explored in an upcoming comic book mini-series from Dark Horse. IGN reports that Mass Effect Evolution will be penned by the same creative team behind the last comic series, subtitled Redemption. It will focus on the origins of the interstellar conflicts present in the original game, as well as the backstory of the Martin Sheen-voiced humanitarian.

Upon hearing the announcement, we also wondered if Sheen would reprise his role in the comics, which was one of the dumbest things we've said to ourselves all year.

#dragonage Dragon Age 2 isn't pulling just one page from Mass Effect's book. It's pulling several, including the ones titled "conversation systems" and "save game continuity". More »

Manveer Heir isn't just our winner of the coolest name for a game designer ever award, he's also just been hired by BioWare Montreal as a senior level designer for the Mass Effect franchise. Heir stepped down from his lead designer role at Activision-owned Raven Software in mid-June and has been on a mini-hiatus since then, only to announce yesterday -- alongside another big BioWare reveal -- that he would be heading up to Montreal.

Heir ... aired his feelings about the change, tweeting, "I'm a big fan of the Mass Effect series, so to get a chance to join the team and help build an amazing game is such a tremendous privilege." When Twitter followers pestered him for specifics, he declined to offer more details, responding, "I cannot elaborate beyond Mass Effect franchise."

Next up for the franchise is supposedly that "far reaching" Mass Effect ... thing, which has been teased to arrive early next year.

[Image credit: Official GDC]

#bioware Dragon Age II takes a page from the Mass Effect playbook, limiting player characters to a male or female human version of the game's main character, Hawke. More »

Looking to add a spark of new life to your old, rusty Xbox 360 games? First of all, how did your games manage to get rusty? Did you have them bronzed? More importantly, a slew of discounts on older DLC items on the Xbox Live Marketplace might just what your floundering classics need.

#bioware A job listing reveals that Mass Effect developer BioWare Montreal is looking for a multiplayer programmer to "take existing single player user experiences and make them multiplayer safe." Is Mass Effect going multiplayer? More »

#hollywood BioWare's epic sci-fi role playing game is on its way to a theater near you, with Legendary Pictures—the studio banking on the notion that video game movies will be a Big Deal—reportedly picking up the film rights. More »

#bioware The maker of Dragon Age and Mass Effect have ended its online countdown clock teasing, revealing something that isn't a new game, isn't a batch of fresh downloadable content and isn't a port of Mass Effect 2. It's the BioWare Bazaar. More »

#screengrab When Mass Effect cosplay meets Russian booth babes, subtlety goes right out the window. As seen on Break. More »

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Amazon is now offering a special buy two, get one free deal on Xbox 360 Platinum Hits titles. The deal is fairly straightforward: just pop three Platinum Hits games into your cart and the cheapest of the three will be knocked down to the wallet-friendly price of zero dollars. It's really the perfect excuse to pick up some great games you might have missed, especially considering many of them have sequels out this year -- notably Fable II, Halo 3, Fallout 3, Mass Effect, BioShock and Dead Rising. You'd better do it quick though, as the offer is only valid through February 13 and only while supplies last.

[Thanks, Goldenchild]

Just how good is BioWare's second effort?

We know the wait until Jan. 26 and Mass Effect 2 seems insurmountable at this point, but the Xbox Deal of the Week may serve as a soothing poultice to provide a smidgen of relief. If you act this week, you can pass the next eight days playing Mass Effect DLC "Bring Down The Sky" and "Pinnacle Station" for just 240 points ($3) each. Oops, we forgot about Battleship being lowered to 400 points, but we're assuming you will too, so no harm done, right?

Major Nelson recently peeled away the veil separating us from the knowledge of when stuff would be coming out on Xbox Live Marketplace over what remains of the month of January. This new knowledge includes the upcoming Deals of the Week -- on January 18, both of the DLC packs for the original Mass Effect will be marked down to 240 ($3) each and Hasbro Family Game Night: Battleship will get rolled back to 400 ($5); and on January 25, Portal: Still Alive will have its price temporarily reduced to 800 ($10). The Major also announced two new Games on Demand: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, available now for $20, and Dead Rising, coming January 26 for an undisclosed price. For the rest of January's bounty, including discounted Games on Demand titles, XBLA releases and Avatar items, head past the jump.

Has it been awhile since you played Mass Effect? Did you skip the original but are hoping to jump into the sequel with some background info? We have the perfect video for you. In just five minutes we

Click image for massive size We thought we had a grasp on this month's Avatar Marketplace content, but some late arrivals have just popped up, namely the two Mass Effect items listed in the title of this very post! If you're playing catch-up on what's in the Avatar Marketplace, check out our extensive look at its launch on Xbox Live. Mass Effect Alliance Dress Uniform - 160 ($2) Mass Effect Mako RC - 240 ($3) [Thanks, James!]