Mass Effect 3 To Target A "Larger Market Opportunity"

[Krusader]

@ACIN:
I agree with you that one should take a wait and see approach since it could very well be investor-talk to explain to investors why the delay should be done. However, the guy doing the talking John Ritichello is the CEO/Big Kahuna of EA and EA owns Bioware, so its no middle management guy saying this. Could very well be that Bioware were given instructions to simplify Mass Effect 3 even more, after the comments about more RPG elements and complexity being added were made, and that Bioware simply haven't said anything yet, or worst case will say when release nears. People might overreact yes, but with Dragon Age 2 (different team yes, but both teams answer to same management at Bioware HQ in Edmonton.) and experience with previous games, they might have reasons to do so.

Bioware is among the few companies who can be compared to Blizzard when it comes to game quality and success, as almost any game they have made have been a good game in one way or other. Hence when Dragon Age 2 got so much vitriol as it did, it might have been because people "couldn't believe" Bioware made a bad game. Add in that Bioware seem to have lost some customer goodwill with DLCs, Bazaar and some forum and interview comments as well.

[a completely inoffensive name]

@ACIN:
I agree with you that one should take a wait and see approach since it could very well be investor-talk to explain to investors why the delay should be done. However, the guy doing the talking John Ritichello is the CEO/Big Kahuna of EA and EA owns Bioware, so its no middle management guy saying this. Could very well be that Bioware were given instructions to simplify Mass Effect 3 even more, after the comments about more RPG elements and complexity being added were made, and that Bioware simply haven't said anything yet, or worst case will say when release nears. People might overreact yes, but with Dragon Age 2 (different team yes, but both teams answer to same management at Bioware HQ in Edmonton.) and experience with previous games, they might have reasons to do so.

Bioware is among the few companies who can be compared to Blizzard when it comes to game quality and success, as almost any game they have made have been a good game in one way or other. Hence when Dragon Age 2 got so much vitriol as it did, it might have been because people "couldn't believe" Bioware made a bad game. Add in that Bioware seem to have lost some customer goodwill with DLCs, Bazaar and some forum and interview comments as well.

Possibly yes, you could be very right.

However, statements by the big dudes don't necessarily translate into real action.
Bobby Kotick CEO of Activision-Blizzard seems to make it his mission to have people hate him by making remarks like he wants to suck the fun out of making video games.

Has Blizzard done terribly since 2009 when Kotick made that statement? Not really, still producing solid work at their usual Blizzard time scale for making games. They still take their time and SC2 didn't get the "mass appeal" factor to it. Guitar Hero didn't really change much in terms of "mass appeal" factor, it was over saturated in the market and the demand for it collapsed since no one wanted a new one every 12 months. There is a case about IW and the people who left it though.

Overall, again I really think the article from the OP is more of a "meh" inducing article than a doom and gloom foretelling kind of article.

I think I will shut up now. I have made my case and I have been a bit harsh on Graphic.

[Crazed Rabbit]

I'm not completely reassured by adding weapon mods - something that COD, Crysis, Bad company 2, etc, shooters have.

It could be a return to the ME1 system, perhaps better balanced, or just a similar version to modern warfare. I don't think it guarantees they're going to keep a complex and fun game and not remove complexity to satisfy people who don't want to think very hard.

This statement doesn't seal ME3's fate in either direction, but it's the first thing that made me hesitate about pre-ordering the game.

CR