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See Commander Shepard's first steps
Straight from the Twitter feed of Mass Effect 1 and 2 Lead Animator Jonathan Cooper, Mass Effect protagonist Commander Shepard was a woman in the game's very first animation tests 10 years ago. Turns out, FemShep is the OG Commander. Ten years ago this month, my very first anim test for Mass Effect. Yup, Commander Shepard was originally a woman: pic.twitter.com/FhC2E0FSrA - Jonathan Cooper (@GameAnim) January 9, 2015 "For those asking, I repurposed mocap from Jade Empire," Cooper said in a follow-up tweet. "Shepard was always planned to be both male & female after JE's pre-set characters."
PlayStation Now gets Mirror's Edge, Mass Effect 2, more next month
EA will bring games from its catalog to Sony's video game streaming service PlayStation Now starting next month. As of December 2, five of EA's games will be available to stream starting "around $1 per day," according to PlayStation Blog. The games being added to PlayStation Now are: Mirror's Edge, Mass Effect 2, Dead Space 3, NBA Jam On Fire Edition and Bejeweled 3. Sony kicked off the open beta for its PlayStation Now service in July on PS4 before rolling its open beta phases out for PS3 in September, later arriving on Vita as well as PS TV in October. The streaming service will reach Europe in 2015, with the UK slated to get access to the first beta in the region. EA continues to find ways to leverage its catalog on digital platforms, as it kicked off its own subscription-based service on Xbox One in August, EA Access. Sony previously evaluated EA Access and determined that it "does not bring the kind of value PlayStation customers have come to expect," leading to the service's Xbox One exclusivity. [Image: EA]
Credit-stealing space cows and other Mass Effect series facts
A new video from the folks over at Did You Know Gaming will take you on a space odyssey, as guest host Really Freakin Clever narrates little-known bits of trivia related to the Mass Effect series. There's a lot of behind-the-scenes information here that explores the series' origins, as well as why the iconic races look the way they do. The Krogan, for example, were created by combining attributes of bugs and bats, while Salarian scientist Mordin's grizzled look was inspired by Clint Eastwood. Oh, and then there's that shifty space cow out to steal your money. Yes, that is a real thing in the original Mass Effect. Want to see it in action and learn some more interesting facts? Check out the video after the break.
Steam weekend: Deep Silver deals, Mass Effect 2 and EVE Online 75% off
Steam is offering up a number of deals this weekend, including discounts on Deep Silver-published games. Among the series in Deep Silver's catalog that are on sale this weekend are the Metro, Risen, Saint's Row, Sacred and Dead Island series, with notable discounts on their respective bundles: The Metro Franchise Pack is 33 percent off ($36.84), the Risen Collection is half off ($19.99), the Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package bundle is 50 percent off ($14.99), the Dead Island Franchise Pack is 66 percent off ($16.99) and the Sacred Collection is just $17.49. What's more, both Mass Effect 2 and EVE Online are 75 percent off this weekend, or just under $5 each. Three-month subscription plans for EVE Online are half off until Monday as well.
Steam: Borderlands 2 for $13.59, Mass Effect 1 and 2 for $10, CS:GO F2P weekend
"Hear ye, hear ye," the Newellville town crier bellowed out across the crowded, bustling market. "It is by royal decree, that for the 24 hours proceeding forthwith, respectable denizens of His Highness' Great Sovereign Nation of Valve may acquire the first two entries in the Mass Effect series of merrymaking programmes for $9.99." "Ad interim," the crier continued, "patrons may avail themselves of substantial discounts on select digital comestibles found within the Royal Steam Marketplace, making it possible to obtain a single issuance of Borderlands 2 for $13.59, or four for $40.79, until May 20. In addition, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will be free for interested parties through 1 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday. Should customers enjoy the experience, a 50 percent abatement will be applied to the purchase price."
Mass Effect series for PC on sale via Origin through March 12
The last iteration of the Mass Effect series went on sale one year ago this week, and to celebrate, EA is offering a big sale on all three versions of the game over on Origin. You can grab the original Mass Effect for just $7, the critically acclaimed Mass Effect 2 for $10, or a digital deluxe edition of the third game for $15, all about half off the standard prices. Or if you haven't yet taken a trip aboard the Normandy, the whole trilogy is on sale for only $25, which is less than half what it would usually cost. That's a whole lot of excellent gaming hours, but then again, you'll need something to do while waiting for those SimCity servers, right? [Thanks, Alex]
BioWare responds to Black Ops 2 mix-up with Mass Effect Trilogy giveaway
In response to reports of some PC copies of Black Ops 2 having a second disc for Mass Effect 2, Bioware is giving away Mass Effect Trilogy to those affected. As detailed on its blog, the Mass Effect developer will send free PC codes for the compendium to the first 50 people to send the developer a photo of the error.It's a cheeky yet inspired response from BioWare, the developer calling the mix-up an "omen" it had to take heed of. "If the universe thinks that you should be playing Mass Effect right now," the post reads, "who are we to argue?"Meanwhile, an Activision rep addressed complaints on the official Black Ops 2 forum, saying teams are trying to work out how the mix-up occurred. The post recommends using a product key provided in the case to activate the game on Steam.
Report: Some Black Ops 2 retail discs contain Mass Effect 2 info
Players who bought retail PC copies of Black Ops 2 – some of the same people who waited in line for hours on a cold November night during the midnight launch – popped in the second installation disc to find that it's for Mass Effect 2. Reports on Steam, Reddit, 4chan and the Black Ops 2 forums describe the same problem, and the video below shows it in action (along with some NSFW language).This prevents these players from installing Black Ops 2 with the discs, but each retail copy comes with a Steam key and the entire game can be installed digitally. It will take a while, but it is at least, eventually, playable; this process largely negates the entire "waiting in line for a retail version" thing, though.We've contacted Activision for more information.
Mass Effect Trilogy pushed to Dec. 4 on PS3
Mass Effect Trilogy is coming to the PS3 on December 4 in North America and December 7 in Europe, just in time for the Hanar holiday festivities. Hanars make the best sugar cookies. The new release bundles all three Mass Effect games in one sleek black N7 box. The original Mass Effect, which is playable on Sony's system for the first time, will also be available for download through PSN. BioWare already detailed the DLC available on each platform: The "Bring Down the Sky" mission will be included with Mass Effect on the PS3, whether downloaded through PSN or within the Mass Effect Trilogy. The PC version of Mass Effect will include Bring Down the Sky and Pinnacle Station, while the Xbox 360 version will be just as it originally was when it launched back in 2007, sans that DLC and sky fully intact. PS3, Xbox 360 and PC all get Cerberus Network with Mass Effect 2; however, on the PS3, it'll also include Lair of the Shadow Broker, Kasumi and Overlord. Finally, Mass Effect 3 will include Cerberus Network across all platforms, but not the most recent expansion, "Leviathan." Mass Effect Trilogy will be available next week on the PC and Xbox 360 – November 6 in the US and November 9 in Europe. %Gallery-166617%
Mass Effect Trilogy DLC gets down on PC and Xbox 360, PS3 info to come
The Mass Effect Trilogy includes all three games in the Mass Effect franchise, launching for Xbox 360 and PC on November 6 and at a later date for PS3, and it'll look something like that photo up there. The Trilogy will come with DLC as well, BioWare clarifies:The PC version will get Bring Down the Sky and Pinnacle Station for the first Mass Effect; Mass Effect 2 comes with the Cerberus Network, which includes Zaeed – The Price of Revenge, The Firewalker Pack, Cerberus Assault Gear, Arc Projector heavy weapon, and Normandy Crash site mission. Mass Effect 3 includes the Online Pass with access to multiplayer.Xbox 360 won't get Bring Down the Sky or Pinnacle Station on-disc, but both will be available as standalone DLC via Xbox Live. Mass Effect 2 gets the Cerberus Network and Mass Effect 3 the Online Pass.Information about PS3 DLC is coming "soon." The original Mass Effect will launch as a digital standalone on PSN on the same day the Trilogy launches for PS3, for $15.The Trilogy is compatible with other versions of the Mass Effect games, meaning players can transfer saves from previous games to the Trilogy games, and Mass Effect 3 multiplayer is playable between versions. Considering the Trilogy is Mass Effect repackaged for the holiday rush, it'd be more surprising if the games were truly a separate beast and weren't compatible with previous releases.There's still no sign of the Trilogy coming to Wii U, which gets Mass Effect 3 on launch day, November 18 in the US. The Wii U version includes the Extended Cut ending and the From Ashes DLC.
Mass Effect Trilogy lands on 360 and PC November 6, PS3 later
Mass Effect 1, 2, & 3 are being released in an all-in-one bundle for Xbox 360 and PC on November 6, and for PlayStation 3 at a later date. The compilation, titled Mass Effect Trilogy, is priced at $59.99.Mass Effect Trilogy sees the first Mass Effect come to PS3 for the first time, and that game will also be released as a digital standalone on PSN. Also, there's crucially no mention of the compilation coming to Wii U, a fact that makes the Wii U release of Mass Effect 3 eleven days after Mass Effect Trilogy hits a bit awkward. We've reached out to EA regards whether or not the trilogy includes previously released DLC.EA also announced N7 Day, a "worldwide celebration of the Mass Effect franchise" that of course takes place on November 7. Whether or not fans can tear themselves away from the trilogy released the day before is another matter.%Gallery-166617%
Mass Effect 2 has highest completion rate in ME, Dragon Age series
BioWare's director of online development Fernando Melo presented the above player completion rates for Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 during a panel at GDC Europe. Mass Effect 2 topped the charts with 56 percent of players completing the entire game, followed by Mass Effect 3 with 42 percent, Dragon Age 2 with 41 percent, Mass Effect with 40 percent and finally Dragon Age: Origins at the lowest rate of 36 percent. The spike in Mass Effect 2's completion can be attributed to Mass Effect 3's recent launch, when an influx of players were reminded of the game and attempted to finish it before that release, Melo said.
Amazon knocks some space bucks off Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 downloads this week
Any good smuggler or bounty hunter knows you have to take every opportunity to save a space buck. With intergalactic tolls and the rising cost of crystal fuel cells, it's important. Also, you need something to do while you're sitting around in hyperdrive all the time, y'know? So retailer Amazon is offering discounts for your downtime -- specifically, savings on Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 downloads for PC.Both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 can be downloaded for $5.99 each. The Digital Deluxe edition of Mass Effect 2 -- which includes several making-of videos, the game's soundtrack, some in-game items and a download code for more bonus content -- is also on sale for $8.99. Finally, a bundle of both the original Mass Effect and the digital deluxe edition of Mass Effect 2 can be had for $11.99. The sale ends on March 31.
Mass Effect 3 face import bug will be fixed in next patch
Did you encounter an error when trying to import your Commander Shepard into Mass Effect 3? Did you spend hours trying to recreate him or her, only to reach the conclusion that he/she just don't look right? There is hope, friend, as BioWare community coordinator Chris Priestly has revealed that the face import problem will be fixed in the next Mass Effect 3 patch. Unfortunately, the release date for said patch is still up in the air, as it still has to undergo certification at EA, Microsoft and Sony.The error arises for players who attempt to import faces from Mass Effect 2 that were previously imported from the original Mass Effect -- a sensitive issue given that these players are probably pretty attached to their Shepards by now. Rest assured, we'll be keeping track of the patch's progress. In the meantime, maybe it's finally time to finish that Mass Effect 2 Renegade run you've been putting off.
PSA: ME3 on the 360 can't import ME2 saves in (or transferred by) the cloud
Despite Mass Effect 3's impressive mastery of the atmosphere, it still can't quite handle clouds. EA is "aware of an issue" that prevents Mass Effect 2 save files that either exist in the cloud, or were transferred to a new 360 through the cloud, from being imported into ME3.EA's help guide for the problem makes no mention of plans to implement such functionality, but it does offer solutions, provided you still have access to the 360 that birthed your ME2 save. If your ME2 save exists in the cloud and you're playing from its original console, simply move it back to your hard drive and it should import fine.If it exists on a new console and was transferred through the cloud, it'll need to be moved back to its original 360, and then re-transferred to the new system using a memory card or USB thumb drive. If you no longer have access to that original 360, it looks like you're going to be spending some time on the character creation screen. But hey, don't feel guilty, all right? Shepard would have wanted you to love again.
Mass Effect 1 and 2, Modern Warfare 2 for PC cheap today on Amazon
Do you want to play Mass Effect 1 or 2, or Modern Warfare 2, but don't have them yet? Or -- a more likely scenario -- do you want to play them, but don't feel like getting them off the shelf and putting the discs into a console? Such effort. Such drudgery.Amazon has the PC download versions of these games on sale today for $5 each. The Deal of the Day also includes the Digital Deluxe Edition of Mass Effect 2 for $7.49, or Dungeon Defenders for $2.99. And you don't have to get up at all, unless you don't have your credit card handy.
Custom Mass Effect turian figurines say hi with sass
Sculptor Kerry Dyer seems to be a purveyor of adorable sculptures and 3D art, and her latest conquest is the turian race from Mass Effect. Kerry created a few super-cute, sassy turian figurines like a pro, with a full rundown of the process on her blog.
SWTOR: Ten things you need to know about companions
For those of you who have never played a BioWare RPG before (or any single-player RPG, really), the concept of "companions" may initially strike you as strange. After all, in MMOs we're so used to jaunting off into the wilderness solo without some semi-intelligent NPC tagging along for the ride, so for a game to inform us that we not only will have them but will have to use them all the time may feel odd. If so, we're guessing you've never been into pet classes, either. Companions are one of the long-standing features of BioWare RPGs; they're both useful fighters who help keep you alive and persistent beings whom you get to know, develop relationships with, and affect in significant ways. In the past, BioWare companions have often been cited as the most memorable parts of the studio's games, from Baldur's Gate II's Minsc to Mass Effect 2's Mordin (to name two of my all-time favorites). Yet in MMOs, companion NPCs aren't that common, and if you're feeling a little bewildered at the thought of having one at your side at all times in Star Wars: The Old Republic, then we're here to lay out for you 10 reasons why companions are as useful as all get out -- and why you're going to love them like crazy before too long.
Citadel sequence cut from Mass Effect 2 returns in Mass Effect 3
A segment of the Mass Effect story set in the Citadel, originally planned for Mass Effect 2, is finally being made for inclusion in Mass Effect 3, lead writer Mac Walters told OXM. "There was a Mass Effect 2 plot that was a kind of callback to the first Mass Effect that was going to be on the Citadel, and we cut it," he said. "But now it's made a resurrection in Mass Effect 3, so I'm happy, but I can't say what it is." That's right. Content that was conceived for the second game, and refers to the first game, is now in the third. And speaking of things that have been around since the first game, Walters acknowledged the difficulty of continuing the Mass Effect story after the second game's ending, which can kill off important characters. "The classic example [of a hurdle faced in writing ME3] is 'Hey, let's make the ending of Mass Effect 2 a suicide mission where all your henchmen can possibly die, and Shepard can even die!'" Walters said. "Oh right... and then we're gonna do another game after that. What the hell are we gonna do with all those guys?" Unfortunately, Walters didn't go on from there. We're going to have to wait until March to find out just what the hell does happen to all those guys.
Pre-order Battlefield 3 on Origin and get a free game
We already knew that pre-ordering Battlefield 3 on Origin (the only place on PC to offer the game digitally) would net gamers access to an early beta in September, but it would seem EA is sweetening the pot with another offer: a free game. According to Ars Technica, one individual was sent the following statement via email after pre-ordering the game through Origin: As a special thank you for pre-ordering Battlefield 3 early at Origin, we're offering you a bonus PC digital download game. Please apply the code below at the shopping cart to redeem one PC Digital version of one of our recommended shooter titles: Mass Effect 2, Dead Space 2 or Medal of Honor. The price will be reduced to $0 after applying the code at your shopping cart. Hurry-this offer is only good for the month of August, and is exclusive to Origin customers only. See below for more details. Regardless of how you feel about EA's new platform, the publisher has given you another reason to consider it.
