Legal issues are far more complicated than most people realize - just look at the issues with Goldeneye. Obviously I don't know any of the details involved, but it is possible that Microsoft has legal agreements which would allow them to block a PS3 release of the original game. Since EA owns the IP though, they couldn't block the sequels. (Personally, my bet is that Microsoft only had a timed-exclusive agreement, and we could see a PS3 port of the original. That seems to be their standard practice this gen. You never know, though.)

mass effect multiplatform after EA got it been rumour for ages.

EA wins nothing keeping it exclusive, unless m$ is fast.

It'd be nice. I always wanted to play Mass Effect, and I don't have the $ for a good enough PC to run it on.

Not to mention that LOL360LOSTANEXCLUSIVE ( j/k :p Don't hurt me. )

For a game that was going to do nothing for the Xbox 360, and "wasn't that great anyway," PS3 gamers sure seem interested now.

I wouldn't put it past EA to put ME2 on the PS3. But Mass Effect on the PS3 would cost them. Microsoft owns the publishing rights (or did), and as willing as they may have been to sell PC publishing rights, I don't think they'd be as leniant with PS3 rights.

I've always considered the possibility MS traded PC-publishing rights (and future publishing rights) for exclusivity...

I could see ME2 and 3 (though I have a hard time believing that MS would so easily let go of an IP they had a financial hand in creating. Any deal they had with Bioware has to be honored by EA, so I have to assume MS has some kind of advantage in this). ME1, not a chance. MS-published. It's be like saying "Well, Insomniac isn't owned by Sony so we could see Resistance on the 360".

Depends on the deal MS and Bioware signed before EA acquired them. EA had made a deal with MS to publish ME1 on PC because MS has to the publishing rights to ME1. I highly doubt MS let EA publish ME1 on PC for nothing.

well if Patcher gets paid to do it...

I wouldn't be surprised. EA is a known money whore and in this economic climate they need to take it up a notch. I'm surprised they aren't porting every last wii shovelware title to the other systems too.

a good bonus for PS3 owners who like WRPGs.