BioWare Returns to KOTOR and EA Turns Sights to Mass Effect

[DaeJi]

It seems that BioWare is returning to the well and will be working on a new KOTOR:

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3166223

http://www.shacknews.com/images/image-o-matic.x?/images/sshots/Screenshot/9200/9200_47b25229b7ec7.jpg

Yay!

Oh, and EA is eying Mass Effect as a long term franchise:

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3166221

And given EA's history, this is a bad thing. A very, very bad thing.

[Chiasm]

Why is it bad that Mass Effect is a franchise? As long its still got the same creative forces behind it it should still be good.

As to KOTOR all I can say is please, please, please don't let them screw it up like they did with the last 1/4 of KOTOR II by dumping all the plot and not giving any kind of actual ending. In fact, screw KOTOR III, I'd rather they go back and fix KOTOR II so it would be worth playing again because it was a truly great game until the last couple hours.

[StoneGold]

Why is it bad that Mass Effect is a franchise? As long its still got the same creative forces behind it it should still be good.

As to KOTOR all I can say is please, please, please don't let them screw it up like they did with the last 1/4 of KOTOR II by dumping all the plot and not giving any kind of actual ending. In fact, screw KOTOR III, I'd rather they go back and fix KOTOR II so it would be worth playing again because it was a truly great game until the last couple hours.

They didn't do KOTOR II.

[Sheldon]

Yep what Stonegold said. Obsidian Entertainment did it, and were pressured to get it out for Christmas and did a rush job.

As for KOTOR 3, as long as HK-49 shows up I'll be happy.

btw at this point I wonder if Dragon Age will ever get finished...

[a-spidey]

i really hope for KOTOR 3 and not only some online game.
And making Mass Effect a franchise is not so bad, the first game was really good, maybe not an awesome game i hoped for, but still really a good one.

[Jmacq1]

"Franchise" doesn't necessarily mean the same type of game ad-infinitum. I could see them releasing the original Mass Effect trilogy as planned, then branching out.....maybe a RTS space-combat game set in the same "universe" for example. There's a lot of different ways you could go with something like that.

Or just do a new trilogy with different characters. Might not be as good as the first, but still worth playing, particularly if Bioware were involved. It's not really surprising either way: "Mass Effect" is an IP that's owned entirely by EA/Bioware...wanting to branch that out is perfectly logical business sense. They want Shepard to be their "Master Chief" or "Mario" so to speak.

[DaeJi]

I look at the other franchises EA gets involved in. History is against them here; quality tends to take a steep shot downward. Still, as long as BioWare is given creative control and can set their own time tables, there's hope.

[Agent Helix]

Yep what Stonegold said. Obsidian Entertainment did it, and were pressured to get it out for Christmas and did a rush job.

As for KOTOR 3, as long as HK-49 shows up I'll be happy.

btw at this point I wonder if Dragon Age will ever get finished...

I have a feeling it will. BioWare still seems at least somewhat dedicated to the traditional PC userbase, what with a very quick turnaround release for Mass Effect on the platform.

[Jmacq1]

I look at the other franchises EA gets involved in. History is against them here; quality tends to take a steep shot downward. Still, as long as BioWare is given creative control and can set their own time tables, there's hope.

I'm pretty sure Bioware will still be steering the ship for the initial trilogy of games, and given that they'll likely just be building off of the engine they've already developed, the lead time will be much less.

After that initial trilogy though...who knows?

[StoneGold]

In other news, no KOTOR.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/ea-responds-to-bioware-kotor-mmo-rumor/

[Jared H.]

In other news, no KOTOR.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/ea-responds-to-bioware-kotor-mmo-rumor/


That's only on the MMO, though. Kotor 3 is still a possibility. Based on the article, not a likely one, but still...

[DaeJi]

In other news, no KOTOR.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/ea-responds-to-bioware-kotor-mmo-rumor/

And yet, Jade Empire and Balders Gate wasn't in that report. I still think that a third KOTOR is in the works.

[StoneGold]

Is it a possibility? Sure. Could my genitalia grow three feet over night? It's possible. But there's no proof for either.

[DaeJi]

Is it a possibility? Sure. Could my genitalia grow three feet over night? It's possible. But there's no proof for either.

Little ray of sunshine, aren't cha? There are lot of hints pointing to a new KOTOR, and that report is one more. Again, notice how none of the other previous BioWare properties are listed there. Yes, there is no proof. But there's evidence.

[Silliw 2]

Lucas Arts has stated in the recent past that they will not abandon the KOTOR franchise.

Don't ask me to dig up the quote, cause I can't, but it's out there somewhere.

They also said they wouldn't abandon Battlefront, which has been rumored to be in development for over a while now.

[ChrisIII]

I wonder if there is a KOTOR III if they'll deal with stuff from the ongoing comic series.

[Jmacq1]

I wonder if there is a KOTOR III if they'll deal with stuff from the ongoing comic series.

The comic series takes place before the first KotOR game, so I kinda doubt it. Maybe character-cameos, but otherwise LucasArts doesn't tend to cross-pollinate its' media very heavily.