Sigh.... again, link please... this is all rumor, as no one has linked anything that says there is an agreement with MS.

@TheRealMafoo

Read this interview with Greg Zerschuk in Oct 2007, president of Bioware (youll be interested in page 2 mostly.

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/bioware-and-pandemic-on-the-ea-deal/71035/?biz=1&page=2

BIZ: I have to ask about Mass Effect because there's already some speculation that it could be headed to other platforms. Since the IP is owned by you and EA has acquired BioWare, what does the future hold for the franchise?

Zeschuk: Well, I can say it really is an absolutely amazing game – probably BioWare's best. Ray and I both finished it, played it a lot, and it's awesome. The thing we can tell you about the future of Mass Effect very simply is that there's going to be a trilogy; we've been on record in the past as saying we want that whole trilogy to be on the 360. We still love the platform, we love working with Microsoft – they're a great partner – but we can't predict the future.

BIZ: So you wouldn't rule out the possibility of it appearing on PS3?

Muzyka: We have no plans currently to pursue that. Our focus is pure and simple; it's to deliver the best game possible for our fans with Mass Effect, and that's an Xbox 360 exclusive. Microsoft's a great partner... and they've really helped build the value of the product and we're proud to work with them.

BIZ: Right, you understand where I'm coming from though. EA, like most publishers, would like its games to be multiplatform... unless Microsoft wanted to reach some sort of exclusivity deal with you. Microsoft already told us that they'll "be talking to EA and BioWare in the weeks to come."

Zeschuk: Hey, we talk to Microsoft like daily. We're just finishing off the game and we talk to those guys all the time. Our focus from a platform perspective, even prior to all of this, is that we tailor the platform to the game and focus on making a great game and the platforms kind of fall out of that. We're in a sense platform agnostic and going forward we're still going to make sure we match great games with the right platform.

So basically, there has been negotiations and talks since Mass Effect was released but the signs are looking much more likely that it will be 360 exclusive.

The only indication it being otherwise is this remark: '..but we can't predict the future.', but everything else points towards one sentiment by the developer.

Thanks for the link EaglesEye379.

I read that and think this:

Bioware only made ME for the 360 and the PC, because they are a long time PC developer, and have an outstanding relationship with MS. The game was most likely exclusive, because that's what Bioware wanted. Not one payed for by MS. If Bioware could have there way, the next one would be exclusive, because they love there partnership with MS, and want to keep things the way they are.

I see this as a fight between Bioware people, and EA corporate, to keep it on the 360. At least until MS comes and buys it's exclusivity.

 You are sort of correct.

Im sure this issue was heavily discussed internally before Bioware agreed all the details to be bought over by EA (much like the Activision Blizzard merger) and if Bioware felt that EA was too aggressive and non-condusive to their developers, they wouldnt allow the merger to go through. So since they merged, I think that EA amicably told Bioware: you decide, we respect your decision and development cycle.

This is because EA wont want to antagonize Bioware or they will have a serious hit on their investment with a renegade developer.

So how I see it is that the ball is primarily in the hands of Bioware heads (Zeschuk, Muzyka etc.) to decide whether its worth their developments costs and hiring a whole new team to make a port and future sequels and whether they can negotiate the details with MS. They dont want to antagonize MS because the 360 is the lead platform and around 30% of the Mass Effect team is Microsoft Game Studios!

All that means is that Official Xbox magazines weren't rating it and that the initial hype over the game had died down a bit. Mass Effect on the PC was superior in every single way to the Xbox 360 version.

I am not sure how much of a merger this was. When a company the size of EA "merges" with a company the size of Bioware, it's really a buyout. They call it a merger to make people happy.

I also think EA bought Bioware for there IP's, and not there personnel. Most of the time when these kinds of buyouts happen, there is a mass exodus of employees anyway.

So, back to where we started, no clue what EA will do. Again, this is all just for discussion. I expect it to come out on the PC regardless, and that's the version I will play. :)

There is definitely some truth in what you say about 'mergers' (as I myself work in a financial corporation), but I think its a little different for game studios. Its like making a movie, you hire actors, musicians, lots of programmers, code infrastructure building, graphic designing going on and any lost time is a serious bleed of money. So EA would want Bioware to continue whatever they are doing from day 1 with absolutely minimal hinderance. Im sure when the merger happened, ME2 was already in production.

And come on, you know Bioware's pedigree. Would you really want to see the programmers that made Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights etc walk out on you? It would be pretty stupid of EA to allow that.

Another factor to think about is this: Sonys own view. I personally think its a big risk for Sony themselves to buy into this franchise, as will be much less relevant to bring a ME port so late. If they dont do a port, then its going to be harder to sell ME2 to their fanbase and compete with the 360 and PC fanbase. Not to mention Sony will have to provide their own developers and finances.

I'm largely going to leave this thread alone.  As the mafoo has repeatedely pointed out before going on to post his opinion regardless, noone has any conclusive proof either way.

But have you seen reviews of big games lately?  The Official Xbox magazines have been uncharacteristically harsh on Xbox 360 exclusives.  This is in contrast to PS magazines that have been handing out 10's like its nobodies business.

Mass Effect 2 is exclusive to the 360...is that forever, probably not, but at launch it will be as currently planned. If anybody is here arguing otherwise, you need to do some freaking research before coming to a games site to argue without having a f#$king clue. Can that change, sure, but Microsoft does have some leverage to play hardball with any vendor reneging on an agreement...you know, thay are kinda the a big company with some pull...

WRT to ME2, i'd say it's probably going to be one of the big releases for holiday season 2009.  There are suspose to be 5 DLCs for the current game, and if you look at a spacing of 1 DLC every 4-6 months...we are due for another one soon, and maybe other at the beginning of next year.  It's a trilogy, so we will see ME 3 probably 2 years later...2011...probably one of biggest final releases before the next Xbox comes out.