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Mass Effect 3 producer teases 'much more' DLC
With the launch of Mass Effect 3's Extended Cut DLC today, you may think BioWare is ready to wash its hands of the series and move onto something new. Producer Mike Gamble hit Twitter today to tease future DLC for Mass Effect 3, something BioWare is apparently working on right now."Would now be a good time to talk about how we're doing more DLC in the future?" his first tweet teased earlier today. "That was a trick question. We'll save the future DLC for future chats. Don't worry though...there's much more," he responded later in the day. Gamble wouldn't go into specifics about when we'd hear about future Mass Effect 3 content – but we'll be in the captain's cabin, playing with our model ships while we wait.
How to cut to Mass Effect 3's 'Extended Cut' even sooner
While BioWare said that loading a save file that places Commander Shepard roughly two missions before the actual ending of Mass Effect 3 is necessary to experience the Extended Cut downloadable content, players can view the new ending of the game even more quickly.To cut out the middleman (and potentially any fresh content included in the missions prior to the end of the game), players who have completed the game can load up an auto-save that zips Shepard to the end of the game, labeled (spoilers!) "Citadel: The Return." Again, while you might miss added scenes during the final missions in the game, you'll go straight to all the explanatory stuff at the end.It's worth noting that we performed this act of trickery on Xbox 360, so we can't confirm that this works on PS3 or PC just yet.
Mass Effect 3 'Extended Cut' out now
Mass Effect 3's free "Extended Cut" DLC is available now on Xbox 360 worldwide. The PlayStation 3 version should be available in North America when the PSN updates later today, European Shepards on PS3 will need to wait until July 4. We don't have a current time on the PC version's launch. According to BioWare, all three platforms should have it available today, June 26.The "Extended Cut" DLC addresses the controversy about the game's ending, adding cinematics and epilogues to fill in the space opera's conclusion. Whether it resolves the controversy is another matter entirely.Update: PC now live.
Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut DLC wraps things up this Tuesday
Mass Effect 3's Extended Cut DLC, which adds exposition to the game's highly controversial ending through a series of epilogues and cinematic sequences, will arrive on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this Tuesday, June 26. For European Shepards, the free update will be available on the PS3 on July 4.The Extended Cut isn't a new ending for the game so much as it is a Director's Cut of sorts, which doesn't "fundamentally change the endings, but rather it expands on the meaning of the original endings, and reveals greater detail on the impact of player decisions," according to the BioWare Blog. Peep the video above for BioWare's potentially spoilersy discussion of the add-on with executive producer Casey Hudson and lead writer Mac Walters.
Join Operation Savage this weekend in Mass Effect 3
This weekend's Mass Effect 3 multiplayer event is Operation Savage, running June 22-24. The Allied goal is to eliminate 7 million trooper-level enemies, including Cerberus Assault Troopers, Husks, Cannibals and Geth Troopers. The squad goal is "extraction on any difficulty with the squad using a mix of krogan, vorcha, or batarian classes."For an Allied success, all players will receive a Victory Pack, and squad success will see each group win a Commendation Pack, each to be handed out the evening of Tuesday, June 26. Operation Savage begins at 6 p.m. PST on Friday, June 22, and ends at 4 a.m. PST on Monday, June 25.
UK Advertising Standards Authority clears Mass Effect 3
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of the UK will not act on claims that Electronic Arts misled consumers about Mass Effect 3 when it advertised "decisions you make completely shape your experience and outcome.""The ASA acknowledged the belief that players' choices in the game did not influence the outcome to the extent claimed by EA," the group wrote in a statement obtained by CVG. "However, we considered that the three choices at the end of the game were thematically quite different, and that the availability and effectiveness of those choices would be directly determined by a player's score, which was calculated with reference to previous performance in the game(s)."Whilst we acknowledged that the advertiser had placed particular emphasis on the role that player choices would play in determining the outcome of the game, we considered that most consumers would realize there would be a finite number of possible outcomes within the game and, because we considered that the advertiser had shown that players' previous choices and performance would impact on the ending of the game, we concluded that the ad was not misleading."The charges against EA were brought by consumers unhappy with Mass Effect 3's conclusion. Developer BioWare is currently in the process of creating an "extended cut" ending that will hopefully be more satisfactory.
Mass Effect 3 coming to Wii U at launch
During a games montage at the Nintendo E3 press conference, it was revealed that the third installment in BioWare's acclaimed RPG series, Mass Effect 3, is coming to Wii U. The BioWare Twitter feed also says Mass Effect 3 will be a launch title available this holiday season.
Mass Effect 3 'Rebellion Pack' DLC live on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC 'soon'
Xbox 360 owners will find the Rebellion DLC pack available for download in Mass Effect 3 right now. The Rebellion pack is free to those who have activated their Online Pass and adds a new objective type, two new maps, and three new playable characters to the multiplayer side of BioWare's latest RPG.PC and PS3 owners will have to wait for Rebellion. Chris Priestly, BioWare's community guy, says that it'll be available on those platforms "soon." We'll be sure to update as soon as BioWare reveals new details.
BioWare to sell fan-designed Mass Effect hoodies
DeviantArt user Christine Schott is pretty good at designing Mass Effect hoodies. So good, it seems, that BioWare has decided to manufacture her designs and sell them to the public. Schott recently posted her designs, which reflect many of Mass Effect's most popular characters, and her work inspired BioWare to reach out with the offer.Schott does note that her designs are likely "nowhere near the final product" and that BioWare will be redesigning them before selling a selection of them as a trial run. BioWare is compensating Schott for her work, though the details are still being "worked out." Frankly, we just want to know when we can get our Mordin on.
Mass Effect 3 kicks off 'Operation Shieldwall' this weekend
Alliance operatives, word has come down from command – we've got a new directive for this weekend's Mass Effect 3 combat initiatives. Operation Shieldwall commences this Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern Earth Time, but due to our failure with last week's Operation Silencer, expect to encounter more enemy Banshees out there.The goal for Operation Shieldwall is to promote a total of 50,000 operatives across the Alliance for a Victory pack; promote three characters yourself and you'll be awarded a Commendation pack. Operation Shieldwall concludes on Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Earth Time.
Mass Effect 3 'Rebellion Pack' DLC breaks out May 29/30
It's official. The "Rebellion Pack" multiplayer DLC for Mass Effect 3, including new "Firebase Jade" and "Firebase Goddess" environments, new Quarian, Vorcha, and Phoenix classes, and three new weapons, will be released next week. It was first pseudo-announced by Sony Hong Kong, but the listing was then pulled; today, EA finally confirmed the DLC.If you'd like to join the Rebellion, you'll be able to do so May 29 on PC and Xbox Live worldwide and on PSN in North America; European PSN owners will be strategically deployed one day later. It's free for Online Pass owners (so if you don't have the Online Pass, it's $10 for that, and then the pack is free.)
Mass Effect: Infiltrator available on Android today
Mass Effect: Infiltrator – developed by the same team responsible for the mobile version of Dead Space – is now available for download in the Google Play store for $6.99.In Mass Effect: Infiltrator, players take on the role of Cerberus defector Randall Ezno as he attempts to flee from a Cerberus base with intel for the Alliance. Progress in Mass Effect: Infiltrator affects your Galactic Readiness level in Mass Effect 3. And if you've been meaning to go back to the portable game, the latest update (version 1.0.3) added a new character and mission.
Max Payne 3 shoots past Diablo 3 on UK Charts
Max has beaten a lot of personal demons, but last week he took on the Diablo at retail and won. According to Chart-Track, Max Payne 3 outperformed the previous sequel (from 2003) nearly 10 to 1. Chart-Track also noted the third installment in the Payne series bested Diablo 3 by only about 8,000 sales. With Max Payne 3 only available through disc-based sales and Diablo 3 available through digital distribution, it would be fair to guess Diablo actually sold more. That is, if you believe Diablo 3 sold over 8,000 units online in the UK last week. The rest of the top ten are the usual suspects. So, pop some pain killers and shoot past the break for the UK top ten.
Hackett, EDI confirmed for Mass Effect 3 'Extended Cut' DLC
On top of providing "further clarity" to Mass Effect 3's ending, some more details regarding the upcoming "Extended Cut" DLC have come out. "Extended Cut" will include cameos from both Admiral Hackett, who is played by Lance Henricksen, and EDI, voiced by Tricia Helfer."I just did another session with them. They were saying there's a little bit of a problem with the abruptness of the ending," Hendriksen told G4 during a press junket for a new animated series called Tron: Uprising that he's involved in. "So we did a whole series of things to add to the end of the game, to live up to the quality they've been doing." Helfer, also part of the show, confirmed EDI would make an appearance.
Rumor: Mass Effect 3's next DLC is the Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion [Update: BioWare responds]
The next DLC for Mass Effect 3 won't be the "Extended Cut" DLC planned for this summer, if a pulled listing on Sony's Hong Kong site is to be believed. The next piece of content will apparently be focused on multiplayer and available for download tomorrow.The Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion is a series of multiplayer maps and other goodies. "The Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion opens two new fronts against the Reapers: Firebase Jade's jungle reservoir and Firebase Goddess on Thessia," Kotaku reports. "In-game reinforcement packs now include three new weapons as well as equipment, consumables, and six new classes: Quarian Engineer and Infiltrator, Vorcha Soldier and Sentinel, Phoenix Adept and Vanguard." The listing has since been pulled from Sony's site, so we're unable to confirm the contents of the listing.Update: BioWare community guy Chris Priestly hit the forums to debunk the rumor – at least, about it launching tomorrow. Priestly does say we'll learn more on multiplayer DLC in the future, but doesn't specifically address Rebellion. "We will have more information on ME3 MP DLC in the future, I hope later this month, but nothing more to be said now." [Thanks, JustinSaneV2]
Sniper Elite V2 maintains elevated UK position for second week
Thanks to another week of minimal competition, Sniper Elite V2 maintains its vantage point atop the UK charts for a second week. The game may have seen sales drop 38 percent, but none of the new entries made any type of shakeup on the charts, with the regular motley crew holding the top ten. The EA triplets of FIFA 12, FIFA Street and Mass Effect 3 find themselves in second, third and fifth place, respectively. Nudging in there for some cuddle time in fourth is Prototype 2. Sony's Starhawk is the only new title to crack the top 40, flying in at spot 17 for its debut. March on past the break for the UK top ten.%Gallery-151767%
Mass Effect 3 weekend: 'Operation Silencer', retroactive Commendation Packs granted to PS3 owners
At ease, soldiers. The brass is remarkably proud of each and every one of you for making Operation Exorcist such a rousing success, but unfortunately the completion of that mission doesn't directly translate to the end of our war against the Reapers, Cerberus and the Geth. Starting tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern Earth Time, Operation Silencer will require the full force of the Systems Alliance Military as we work towards our collective goal of exterminating three million banshees.Now granted, that's two million more baddies than you were responsible for during Operation Exorcist, but now that PlayStation Division has been allowed into combat, we think you can handle the difference. Each individual squad will receive a Commendation Pack for every successful extraction from a Gold-level encounter, until Operation Silencer ends at 8 a.m Eastern Earth Time on Monday morning. Successful completion of the Alliance's universal goal results, as usual, in Victory Packs for all.Speaking of PlayStation Division and Commendation Packs, we've got some good news for you prune-fingered dish washers: Now that KP duty is over and you're out in the field, HQ has dispatched Commendation Packs to compensate for the gear you couldn't earn during Operations Goliath and Raptor. Check the shop to redeem yours and get in shape before heading into the field this weekend.
EA 2012 financials: Q4 revenue and income up year-over-year, 2012 revenue up, income down
Publishing giant Electronic Arts has issued its financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2012 and fiscal 2012 as a whole and, wouldn't you know it, a year with a new Mass Effect game results in revenue totals that are much higher than years without Mass Effect games.Looking at just the fourth quarter of 2012, EA's total net revenue stacked up at $1.36 billion, a 24 percent increase over the $1.09 billion reported at the end of this same period last year. Net revenue generated from digital sales nearly doubled year-over-year, $419 million in Q4 2012 as opposed to $211 million in Q4 2011 – a 98 percent increase.Packaged goods still made up the majority of the publisher's revenue, however, at $949 million, up from $879 in Q4 2011. Net income for the period was also up year-over-year, $400 million for the period ending on March 31, 2012 as compared with $151 million for the same period in 2011. Naturally, EA contributes its successful fourth quarter to the release of Mass Effect 3 and the continued popularity of FIFA 12.Fiscal 2012 as a whole presents a slightly different story. While net revenue was up 15 percent year-over-year ($4.14 billion in fiscal 2012 vs. $3.58 billion in fiscal 2011), net income fell 263 percent, from $276 million in fiscal 2011 to just $76 million in fiscal 2012.Looking forward to fiscal 2013, EA expects an approximate net revenue of $4.07 billion, $950 million of which it expects to earn during the first fiscal quarter of 2013, which ends on June 30, 2012.
How Mass Effect 3's roleplaying roots empower the multiplayer
This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity. "I just want to see how this integrates with the single-player campaign," I thought, clicking on the multiplayer option in Mass Effect 3's main menu. I had no expectations of making it a habit. Like many people, when the multiplayer component was announced, I thought it sounded completely extraneous. Once I started playing, though, I fell for it, and have been putting more time into the multiplayer than the campaign.Arguments about whether Mass Effect 3 is a role-playing game or not have existed since the first game's release. Regardless of which side you take in those, Mass Effect does include many components of role-playing games, two of which are essential to the multiplayer's success: world-building and character development mechanics. Of course, there are simple gameplay reasons to enjoy the co-operative gameplay of Mass Effect 3 online. The levels are well designed for dynamic changes within matches, and waves of enemies seem ideal for both difficulty and time. But those things aren't what make it special.
PS3 added to Mass Effect 3 multiplayer weekends, now and forever
Good news, PlayStation Division! Your sector has been relieved of KP duty and is now authorized to join Xbox Squadron and the PC Armada in battle during this weekend's "Operation Exorcist" initiative, as well as all future weekend-based N7 field operations.Now, I'm not gonna lie, there's a good chance a whole hell of a lot of you will die while trying to take down 1,000,000 Cerberus Phantoms over the next three days, but remember that those deaths mean something, and that you're helping to save the entire damn galaxy. Well, unless you forget to set "Upload Gameplay Feedback" to "On." If that's not enabled, your deaths are totally meaningless.
