Follow Up On Mass Effect 3 Delay, This Might Be Bad

Dark Sun · 5 May 2011 at 07:47

Getting very disturbed by the current trend we are seeing in PC gaming.

Earlier today Jube covered the Mass Effect 3 release date shift from late 2011 into the first few months of 2012. Delays happen, no biggy, right? You might change your mind after you hear the reason why there was even a delay in the first place.
During an EA earnings call which took place today EA head honcho John Riccitello took a little bit of time to explain the delay. Here's a short transcript courtesy of the guys at Joystiq:

"Essentially, step by step, [BioWare is] adjusting some of the gameplay mechanics and some of the features that you'll see at E3 that can put this into a genre equivalent of shooter-meets-RPG, and essentially address a far larger market opportunity than Mass Effect 1 did and Mass Effect 2 began to approach."

Justin McElroy at Joystiq seems to think that a multiplayer component may be involved, but I'm thinking it goes beyond that. Bioware has been receiving some flak from the very same RPG fanatics who supported the company from day one. Why? Primarily because of the constant dumbing down seen in Dragon Age 2's design, and prior to that Mass Effect 2. Copies still flew off the shelves though, and despite the "mass appeal" design of Mass Effect 2 it managed to average review scores in the mid-90s.
But now we've got Mr. Riccitello discussing more of a "shooter-meets-RPG" and a "larger market opportunity" goal for Mass Effect 3 as a reason for the delay. How much do you want to bet that Mass Effect 3 is going to be even more dumbed down than Mass Effect 2 was? Best we can do is hope that's not the case, but I'm starting to think the folks at Bioware have lost it.

Source: Voodoo Extreme

icehot · 5 May 2011 at 07:51

Three words - "Owned by EA"

Im sure the story will still be good, I just hope the game mechanics are changed so much I dont even recognise the game anymore

'Wes · 5 May 2011 at 07:55

That bold statement clearly relates to the CoD reference we saw a month or two back, if it indeed does relate to the CoD reference, then my hopes for ME:3 aren't particularly high anymore.

If a demo is released, i'll give it a whirl.

PapaLazaru · 5 May 2011 at 07:55

More action and less sitting around watching. How can that be bad?

Accendo · 5 May 2011 at 07:56

FFS don't spoil what is a brilliant series.

Diplexbullet19 · 5 May 2011 at 07:59

guess they never heard of the saying "if it aint broke, dont fix it".

Dark Sun · 5 May 2011 at 08:03

It's all about the lowest common denominator now as developers adopt the COD doctrine.

Martini1991 · 5 May 2011 at 08:03

I put 30 hours into my last Mass Effect play through.
I booted up Mass Effect 2 having previously loved it, I felt it was inferior.

EA are a cancer to IP's.

MoratJG · 5 May 2011 at 08:06

Bioware in "getting worse" shocker. I'm afraid they've lost it and, unfortunately, I expect ToR to be the last nail in their coffin.

gropingmantis · 5 May 2011 at 08:08

So do they mean more Fallout style FPS RPG?

Like CoD but with talky bits and better writing.

'Wes · 5 May 2011 at 08:12

gropingmantis said:
So do they mean more Fallout style FPS RPG?

Like CoD but with talky bits and better writing.

They mentioned making their games appeal to the CoD crowd, so that most likely means making their games similar to CoD, and i already thought Mass Effect was an RPG-Shooter?

HeX · 5 May 2011 at 08:15

gropingmantis said:
So do they mean more Fallout style FPS RPG?

I do hope not as I hate Fallout, but love ME.

gropingmantis · 5 May 2011 at 08:15

'Wes said:
They mentioned making their games appeal to the CoD crowd, so that most likely means making their games similar to CoD, and i already thought Mass Effect was an RPG-Shooter?

Im sure they call it an Action-RPG but its not the bang bang shooty affair that FO:3 is.

Shamikebab · 5 May 2011 at 08:24

2 was better than 1 so I don't see a problem really.

'Wes · 5 May 2011 at 08:27

Shamikebab said:
2 was better than 1 so I don't see a problem really.

There were elements that were better than the first, and vice versa.

drunkenmaster · 5 May 2011 at 08:41

I'm expecting the same trend from ME1 to 2, smaller area's, less planets, less systems, less planet visits. Gah, at least some of the planet visits in ME2 were unique, while ME1 was what, all 2 types of building with very little change. I expect a combo of both, ME2's less planets and ME1's repeating locations for the buildings on the few planets you can finish.

Increasingly linear storyline, increasingly one sided story thats just as non epic as ME2. More action in one location and less talking/negotiating.

Probably like Dragon Age 2, the inability to say a single thing to another crewmate without it being taken as a statement of love, and the ability to bang every crew member, male and female, in one big orgy. Its really the only place left for them to go, hmm, an option at the end of ME3 to instead of kill the final repear, have the Normany and the last reaper bang?

'Wes · 5 May 2011 at 08:42

drunkenmaster said:
hmm, an option at the end of ME3 to instead of kill the final repear, have the Normany and the last reaper bang?

Lol!

Ben Harrison · 5 May 2011 at 08:44

Doesn't sound very promising at all. ME and ME2 were both very successful, commercially and critically, so to conclude a trilogy I can't imagine why they'd change basic design philosophies, gameplay, and even genre...

Well, I can... EA. :rolleyes:

Shamikebab · 5 May 2011 at 09:03

Ben Harrison said:
Doesn't sound very promising at all. ME and ME2 were both very successful, commercially and critically, so to conclude a trilogy I can't imagine why they'd change basic design philosophies, gameplay, and even genre...

Well, I can... EA.

ME1 was very successful, commercially and critically, so to follow up I can't imagine why they'd change basic design philosophies, gameplay, and even genre...

Well, I can... because it became ME2, which was even more of a success.

RedStarRiot · 5 May 2011 at 09:05

suddenly less excited even though nothing has been confirmed.