Mass Effect 3: Omega DLC Not Coming to Wii U

Mass Effect 3 on the Wii U will not be receiving the Omega and Leviathan DLC packs available on other platforms, EA has announced.

We heard previously that some of the game's DLC would be integrated into the game on the disc. It now appears though that not only with the Leviathan and Omega DLC packs not be part of the retail package, but they won't be made available for download via the Wii U eShop either.

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We don't have anything to announce at this time, but we'll definitely keep you posted if something comes up!

In response to being asked on Twitter when the Omega DLC will be available for Wii U, EA replied, "Unfortunately it will not be available for Wii U."

When asked whether more DLC other than what's already been confirmed would be making an appearance on the console, the company responded, "Never say never. :)"

The packs that are built into the Wii U version at no extra charge are the Extended Ending, the Resurgence, Rebellion and Earth multiplayer expansions and From Ashes.

Alongside missing out on Omega, which is said to be the biggest DLC pack for the game yet, there are currently no solid plans to make the Leviathan, Retaliation or weapon packs for the game available on Nintendo's console.

That's not the end of the bad news either; despite being the only console not to receive the recently announced Mass Effect Trilogy set, EA also confirmed that there are currently no plans to bring either the original Mass Effect or Mass Effect 2 to Wii U.

When asked if those games would become available soon, the company responded, "We don't have anything to announce at this time, but we'll definitely keep you posted if something comes up!"

Mass Effect 3 is available on Wii U now in America and when the console launches in Europe on November 30. The Omega DLC will be released on November 27 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant and intrepid space explorer. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Mass Effect Sequel in 'Early Stages'

The next Mass Effect game is in the “early stages” of production. According to a tweet from executive producer Casey Hudson, “we're in early stages of designing a completely new Mass Effect game. What would you want to see in it?”

Hudson’s comment comes after BioWare previously hinted at a new Mass Effect game in September, noting at the time that “the Mass Effect universe is vast, and Casey and our teams have plans for another full game.” Not much other information is available, but BioWare has said in the past that it won’t involve Shepard and that players should keep their save files.

Will you be giving Hudson your feedback? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and see five ideas about where Mass Effect should go next and why no more Shepard could be a good thing for more.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Mass Effect 4 Won't Star "Shepherd 2"

The next entry in the Mass Effect franchise will feature a hero who doesn't resemble Commander Shepherd in any way, Bioware has revealed.

Speaking to VG247, BioWare Montreal producer Fabrice Condominas confirmed that while the series will continue beyond the current trilogy, it will be a completely separate experience.

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We don’t want to make ‘Shepard 2′, or Mass Effect 4 with like, ‘oh there’s no more Shepard but you’re a soldier in the universe’.

He explained, "There is one thing we are absolutely sure of – there will be no more Shepard, and the trilogy is over.

"This is really our starting point. Now the Mass Effect universe is vast, and very, very rich. So at this point in time, we don’t even know what kind of time frame we’re going to be in. All we’re doing is more gathering ideas from the teams, gathering feedback to see several things.

"So first, we don’t want to make ‘Shepard 2′, or Mass Effect 4 with like, ‘oh there’s no more Shepard but you’re a soldier in the universe’. So this will be a very, very different context for sure, and nothing has been decided on the rest."

While nothing else is known about the next entry in the franchise, Bioware hasn't given up supporting Mass Effect 3 just yet; the company recently announced the release date and price of the Omega DLC, which is set to be the largest expansion for the game yet.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Mass Effect Trilogy DLC to Vary by Platform

Bioware has confirmed that its Mass Effect Trilogy bundle will include some DLC, but how much will depend on which platform you buy it on.

According to Eurogamer, PC gamers will be getting the best deal in terms of included DLC, while it still isn't clear exactly what PS3 players will receive.

PC copies of Mass Effect Trilogy will apparently come with Mass Effect's Bring Down the Sky and Pinnacle Station add-ons included free of charge, alongside Mass Effect 2's Cerberus Network DLC which unlocks the squadmate Zaeed as well as extra missions and weapons. The PC version will also get Mass Effect 3's online pass.

The Xbox 360 version meanwhile won't come with any of the original Mass Effect DLC, but will get both Mass Effect 2's Cerberus Network content and also the final game's online pass.

In terms of what PS3 players should expect, Bioware has apparently refused to divulge exactly what will be included on-disc but promised that more info would be coming "soon".

In addition, the game's release date has also been tweaked; it's now being released in America on November 6 for Xbox 360 and PC, while the date for the PS3 version is still "TBA". No release information for territories outside of America has been announced.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Mass Effect Trilogy Set Announced

BioWare has announced the Mass Effect Trilogy Compilation, bringing the original Mass Effect to PlayStation 3 for the first time. The set will combine all three Mass Effect titles into one package and will launch on Xbox 360 and PC on November 6th for $59.99. A PlayStation 3 version will follow, though a specific date hasn’t been announced just yet.

BioWare will also release the original Mass Effect as a standalone title via PlayStation Network, though an exact date hasn’t been announced for that either. This marks the first time Mass Effect, which was published by Microsoft Studios originally, will make its way to Sony’s console. IGN has learned that the standalone version will include Trophy support.

Separately, BioWare announced N7 Day, a “worldwide celebration” that will take place on November 7th. The day will include in-game, online and live events, and more details will be coming soon on MassEffect.com.

Mass Effect was originally released on Xbox 360 in November of 2007, followed by a PC version in May 2008. Mass Effect 2 launched on Xbox 360 and PC in January 2010, followed by a PlayStation 3 version a year later. Mass Effect 3 launched for all three platforms on March 6th of this year, and a Wii U version will follow on November 18th.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Australia's iGEA Cautiously Welcomes New R18+ Guidelines

The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (iGEA) has cautiously welcomed the final Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games, which come into effect January 1, 2013.

“We, along with many other stakeholders, have worked for many years to have the classification scheme acknowledge that adults play and enjoy video games and are due the respect of a classification category that reflects ‘age appropriate’ content for adults," reads a statement released by the iGEA. "The new guidelines released today show that they have been crafted to try to balance the concerns of those who have resisted an R18+ classification and adults who want to play video games designed specifically for mature audiences and that are readily available in other developed democracies."

The statement, however, does goes on to criticise the new guidelines for holding games to stricter criteria compared to film and maintaining the interactive nature of video games increases the impact of various classifiable elements.

“Given the opposition to the introduction of an R18+ category from a vocal yet unrepresentative section of the community, along with a largely conservative group of Attorneys-General, it is no surprise the new guidelines hold video games to a higher standard across a number of categories compared to film and what originally existed for video games," continued the statement.

“As we have previously stated, we are concerned with the acknowledgment in the guidelines that interactivity has greater impact on players, despite the Federal Attorney-General’s office publishing a literature review in September 2010 that found no evidence to support these claims. There will be continued debate about whether the interactivity of video games has a greater impact than other forms of media, and we will continue to refer to the lack of the evidence to support these claims."

The iGEA expressed these same concerns on the release of the amended draft guidelines in November last year.

The iGEA will now "wait to see" how the Classification Board will go on to interpret and apply the newly revised guidelines and "trust that they will reflect the standards of morality, decency and propriety accepted by reasonable adults, not just the vocal ones."

Source : ign[dot]com

Square Reveals Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Collection

Final Fantasy’s 25th anniversary celebration is in full effect over in Japan, and a rather interesting tidbit was revealed leading up to the main event. Andriasang reports that Square Enix will be releasing something called the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Ultimate Box, which includes the 13 core Final Fantasy games in one handy compilation.

The games in the collection include the following:

• Final Fantasy (PSone)
• Final Fantasy II (PSone)
• Final Fantasy III (PSP)
• Final Fantasy IV (PSone)
• Final Fantasy V (PSone)
• Final Fantasy VI (PSone)
• Final Fantasy VII (PSone)
• Final Fantasy VIII (PSone)
• Final Fantasy IX (PSone)
• Final Fantasy X (PS2)
• Final Fantasy XI (PS2)
• Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
• Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)

It was initially unclear if Square Enix would actually be releasing PSone discs (and PSP UMDs) along with PS2 and PS3 discs, but according to its listing on Square Enix’s website, it appears that is the case. All told, the collection will contain 21 discs (18 PSone, 3 PS2, 1 PS3) and a single UMD.

It will also include a “special anniversary video disc,” a soundtrack spanning two discs and more.

The collection reportedly costs ¥35,000, or $447. It comes out in Japan on September 30th. Whether or not it will be released anywhere else remains to be seen.

Colin Moriarty is an IGN PlayStation editor. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.

Source : ign[dot]com

Mass Effect 3: Leviathan DLC Announced, Wii U Launch Title

During its summer showcase today, EA officially announced Mass Effect 3’s Leviathan downloadable content. According to EA, the content allows players to “discover more about the origins of the Reapers as they race across the galaxy to unravel the mystery that surrounds the fabled Leviathan.” It'll pack new planets and characters, but you'll still play as Commander Shepard.

Leviathan was originally revealed by leaked files extracted from the Extended Cut endings. Later, the content was confirmed by voice actor Anthony Skordi (who plays Leviathan). BioWare also hinted at new Mass Effect 3 content during Comic-Con, showing a teaser that included a red Atlas Mech underwater.

Specific details about Leviathan haven’t been announced, but we know it follows the search for Leviathan, a rogue reaper who has indoctrinated a mining colony. Look for it this summer on 360, PS3 and PC.

It was also revealed that Mass Effect 3 will be a launch title for the Wii U and pack a digital motion comic (similar to the Mass Effect 2 one for PS3) that allows Wii U players to make choices and build their Shepard's history.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com