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'Mass Effect: Andromeda' looks to the future with an Xbox One X upgrade
After a launch troubled enough that it caused Bioware to rethink how it makes games, there's some new news for Mass Effect: Andromeda. No, it's not a single-player story addition addressing the fate of the Quarians, but for this year's N7 day (a reference to the military rank held by the player's in-game character) a 1.68GB patch on Xbox One has arrived. It adds support for higher resolution and HDR on the Xbox One X for anyone ready to try playing through again, or for the first time. Clearly Bioware and EA are reminding fans that the franchise isn't gone for good, and have a "What does N7 mean to you?" campaign going on social media, plus new merch from a partnership with J!NX. Even as the developer prepares to launch its multiplayer-focused game Anthem, general manager Casey Hudson recently wrote that teams are working on "secret stuff" for fans of ME and Dragon Age. Has enough time passed to wash the taste of a glitch-ridden and uneven release from gamer's mouths and get them ready to try again? We'll see.
'Mass Effect' failings forced BioWare to reevaluate how it makes games
Developer BioWare is in a much different place today compared to where it was when producer Casey Hudson left. Sure, the studio cancelled its multiplayer game Shadow Realms, but no one knew much about it so it wasn't a huge blow in terms of public perception. As far as we knew, Mass Effect: Andromeda was still on track to be the awesome space-opera RPG fans had been waiting for since 2012 and everything was on the up and up. Now, of course, we know that wasn't the case. In a post on the BioWare blog, Hudson apologized for how that game turned out. Specifically, the scuttling of DLC that'd wrap up Andromeda's Quarian ark storyline.
Former 'Mass Effect' creative director returns to the franchise
Strange things are afoot at Mass Effect and Dragon Age studio BioWare. Mass Effect's former creative director, Casey Hudson, is leaving his spot at Microsoft and will return to Edmonton to lead the studio, as general manager Aaryn Flynn has announced he's stepping down. "I have been contemplating changes in my own life for some time, but when I heard that Casey had confirmed he was up for the task, I realized the opportunities before us," Flynn writes. "I will be working with him over the next couple of weeks to catch him up and do my part to set him up for success to be the best GM he can be."
What we love and hate about 'Mass Effect: Andromeda'
A veteran Mass Effect player and a complete novice walk into a bar. This isn't the beginning of a terrible joke: Instead, it's the premise of a conversation between Engadget associate editor Timothy J. Seppala and senior reporter Jessica Conditt, both of whom have been playing the latest Mass Effect game, Andromeda, over the past few weeks. Tim has devoured and adored the Mass Effect series for almost a decade while Jessica has never touched the games before. How does Andromeda compare to previous Mass Effect games? Does it stand on its own as a worthy addition to the sci-fi genre? Are the animations always this messed up? In the following conversation, Tim and Jessica discuss Andromeda's highs and lows from two vastly different perspectives -- and somehow, they end up with similar conclusions. Spoilers for the entire Mass Effect series reside below; you've been warned.
'Mass Effect' director Casey Hudson joins Microsoft's HoloLens team
Casey Hudson, the producer largely responsible for EA and BioWare's Mass Effect trilogy, is now Creative Director at Microsoft Studios, where he's working on HoloLens and Xbox games. Microsoft appears to be all-in on HoloLens development -- Hudson now works alongside former Lionhead Studios boss John Needham and he reports directly to CVP of Next Gen Experiences Kudo Tsunoda, who previously led Microsoft's Kinect Games initiative. Hudson relocated from Edmonton, Canada, to Redmond, Washington, for his new role.
Mass Effect not too massive for one disc
In the latest Mass Effect developer blog on IGN, BioWare project director, Casey Hudson, answers a few reader questions. The first question is the one that many will latch onto, though it is perhaps the least important: will Mass Effect fit on one disc? The answer is yes, but barely. Hudson admits that the team originally thought fitting the game on one disc would be a herculean task, but some technical wizardry came through in the end. Other more interesting questions followed. First, the game will support custom soundtracks, which should please all the Live jerks that put their music on so loud it comes through their headsets. Second, Mass Effect's lead character, Commander Sheperd, is highly customizable -- much more so than in KOTOR. Players will be able to choose the sex of the character, hair, facial features, and skill set. Not only that, but there will be plenty of gear in the game that affects your appearance as well. In other words, your not stuck with the brooding, shaven Sheperd you see above.What sort of character will you create?[Via Joystiq]
