Mass Effect was written as a Trilogy from the very beginning. I can't imagine Microsoft being so stupid as to leave ME2 and ME3 completely off the table when negotiating exclusivity on ME1. Perhaps MS is that stupid, but I'd be willing to bet there was an "option" on that contract that still stands.

Unless EA and MS come to some terms on that "option" -- whatever it was/is, it will remain an enforceable contract as EA can't just dismiss legal contracts entered into by Bioware before they acquired them.

I guess we'll see soon enough.

LoL...people like you... EVERYONE can pirate Pc games,just click on a torrent and download.

The thing is that the developers/publishers get nothing,and by NOT being an xbox 360 exclusive,many will not buy a 360 and the game because they can pirate it on Pc later. It will be a bad move from MS.

Mass Effect port to the Wii Confirmed!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

i believe that it wont show up on other systems. although at the very most...if EA wants to do a handheld one, they will probably reach an agreement.

 Well that's what I meant.

It's not my theory - it's fact. MS hit a deal with EA to publish ME on PC. Had they not reached a deal, there would be no PC version.

Let's look at publishing for a sec:

A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer.

As with book publishers or publishers of DVD movies, video game publishers are responsible for their product's manufacturing and marketing, including market research and all aspects of advertising. They usually finance the development, sometimes by paying a video game developer (the publisher calls this external development) and sometimes by paying an internal staff of developers called a studio. The large video game publishers also distribute the games they publish, while some smaller publishers instead hire distribution companies (or larger video game publishers) to distribute the games they publish. Other functions usually performed by the publisher include deciding on and paying for any license that the game may utilize; paying for localization; layout, printing, and possibly the writing of the user manual; and the creation of graphic design elements such as the box design. Large publishers may also attempt to boost efficiency across all internal and external development teams by providing services such as sound design and code packages for commonly needed functionality.

Because the publisher usually finances development, it usually tries to manage development risk with a staff of producers or project managers to monitor the progress of the developer, critique ongoing development, and assist as necessary. Most video games created by an external video game developer are paid for with periodic advances on royalties. These advances are paid when the developer reaches certain stages of development, called milestones.

The deal - the part revealed - is EA handles future publishing of all ME games. MS doesn't have to publish them anymore, hence the special edition of ME coming out from EA.

@ SpartanFX - it's not that I am whining over this. I am stating facts vs. fanboy hoopla. The original was published by MS and folks just overlook that and say 'It's going to come to the PS3' and there's a snowball's chance in hell of this happening.

What I don't want is - a half-done attempt to try and bring a remarkable game. It will be piecemealed and broken and give PS3 bots even more ammo to hate on the 360. There's enough of that going around that gamers don't need more of this crap.

Seriously, what's so hard to understand? ME 1 is available on the PC for non-360 owners.

And - accept the fact there are some 360 games that you won't play on a PS3. If you want to play an exclusive RPG on your sysytem, wish hard and hope the gaming gods here your prayer. Or just get the rival system and enjoy the games.

I hope it stays exclusive, because ps3 only fanboys want it. They need it. They just can't have it
Funny stuff.

Interpret vague sentences all you like, Bioware stated on their forum that they could port the game to the PS3 if they wanted too.

@munkeh111, they are making a game for the ps3 now. its called "dragon age :origins" set for release this fall. but as for the mass effect series, i believe that m$ has a agreement in place to make sure that the series stays on the system it was built for.

Yeah - they could - but will they?

Vague? It states this: EA has struck an agreement with Microsoft to handle future publishing for Mass Effect.

How is that vague? Do you own the game on the 360? If you do, read the box - and look at the inserts. The game is plastered with 'Microsoft Game Studios' all over it. They PUBLISHED the game. Bioware developed the game and owns the IP, but as a publisher of any media, you do have certain rights to the game. Otherwise, if MS didn't, why do you think Bioware/EA has taken a year and a half to annoucned ME 1? There's only one way for them - EA - to get it on the PS3 - and that's when the contract runs out and/or they buy MS out of it.

Legal matters are what landed Sony and MS in court with Immersion and killed the first Xbox (NVidia). If EA was retarded enough to publish ME without getting permission, again, from MS, Billy Gates and his crew would sue the devil out of EA. Seriously - timed or not, it's just not going to the Sony types.

There's always the PC version if you want to play it that bad. I don't blame you - it's an awesome game and one of the game folks looking at a 360 cite - along with Halo 3 and Gears - as a reason to buy the 360.

Wow ... folks just forgot last gen - and Sony's exclusive deals. Believe you me - MS has a long, long memory.