Mass Effect composer explains ME3 split News • News • Eurogamer.net

News PC Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 Mass Effect 3

Jack Wall: It was "time to move on".

Earlier today we learned that Requiem For a Dream composer Clint Mansell is scoring Mass Effect 3, taking over from series mainstay Jack Wall. Why the change? Well, it was just time to move on, Wall has revealed.

In an email to Eurogamer, Wall confirmed that the split was entirely amicable, and wished the studio well with the forthcoming sequel to its sci-fi RPG saga.

"I have had a great relationship with the folks at BioWare having done three games with them. We're all still very good friends, so nothing dramatic," he explained.

"I think it was just time for a change. I'm so proud of the work I've done on the ME franchise and I so appreciate the kind words about those scores from people like yourself.

"It was just time to move on. I'm working on some very exciting projects and look forward to when I can announce them, but also very much wish the dev team at BioWare all the best on ME3."

Wall has a long history in the game music biz, stretching all the way back to SegaSoft's forgotten 1998 PC shooter Vigilance. Other scores on his CV include Myst III, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, Jade Empire and the first two Mass Effect games.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

Comments (40) Latest comment 1 year ago

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randompanda #1 1 year ago

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Clint Mansell is the dog's bollocks. It needs to be said.
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NewbieZilla #2 1 year ago

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This is sad news. The third is likely to suffer as a result.
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SFG_Clan #3 1 year ago

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He did Myst 3, I kind of lost respect for him a bit there, but he did a good job with ME and ME 2.
Not sure this will effect the overall feel of the next game though, so not that big a deal
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NewbieZilla #4 1 year ago

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Jade Empire was great, too.
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Razorus #5 1 year ago

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I think it is a big deal. It's a shame he decided not to finish off with ME3. I mean, he did ME1 and 2, you might as well do 3! Keep it consistent etc. I'm sure Mansell will do a good job, but music is such an important aspect of a game's atmosphere that I feel ME3 will feel different if the score is too different.
I hope they use themes from 1 and 2 at least.
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DrR0b3rts #6 1 year ago

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ME1 soundtrack was a retro ambient electronic masterclass, a real asset to the game
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Stomp224 #7 1 year ago

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"Time to move on"? Really?

Can you imagine if John Williams said "Oh my, ANOTHER Star Wars film George? I think I'll skip this one"

Doesnt add up to me. Both Jack and Sam Hulick have defined the awesome sound of ME so far, why not see it through to completion of the trilogy. Clint Mansell is a hot topic right now, which suggests to me that senior management have been given bigger budgets than they knew what to do with. :/
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Lotos8ter #8 1 year ago

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"This is Commander Shepherd and Jack Wall is my favourite composer in Mass Effect
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M4RV #9 1 year ago

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^ ^ ^ ^

Had to be said.
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specular #10 1 year ago

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Lux Aeterna. Goose bumps. ME3 + Clint = head explode.
Respect to Jack Wall though, the music in the ME1 and 2 is great.
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Demiath #11 1 year ago

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I thought Clint Mansell's (and Kronos Quartet's) haunting score for Aronofsky's otherwise disastrous The Fountain was stunningly good.
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Mark1412 #12 1 year ago

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Mansell is more than capable of taking on ME3; his Requiem/Black Swan/Moon/Wrestler etc soundtracks speak for themselves. Personally, I think this is great news.
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sesskie #13 1 year ago

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The Fountain soundrack was beyond amazing. Im sure Clint Mansell will do an exceptional job. The only way this news could have been better was if it was Jesper Kyd instead of Mansell.
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Byblos1 #14 1 year ago

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I must admit I've loaded up ME1 a couple of times just to listen to the title music.
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zisssou #15 1 year ago

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Clint will do a fine job.
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dirtysteve #16 1 year ago

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ME1 is one of my favourite soundtracks. Perfectly appropriate to the game, i hope the new guy doesn't phone it in for the paycheck, and actually listens to the previous ones.
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zisssou #17 1 year ago

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Phone in for a paycheck? I think you need to go and listen to a few of Clint's work..he's one of the best around at the moment.
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AHiFi #18 1 year ago

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I think the 'paycheck' remark has some merit as Clint's soundtrack stuff has been for movies, it remains to be seen what he'll do with a video game. Still, I too imagine he'll put in the effort. Yet, like dirtysteve, I HOPE he won't be phoning it in.
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The-Bodybuilder #19 1 year ago

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@Ap3xx. I'm guessing you've never heard the shenmue soundtracks then...

As for this news, missing Wall is a shame, Clint Mansell is no newbie. He composed requiem for a freaking dream, probably the most used soundtrack on sky sports ever.

The only person that could better this news, is if they got Brad Friedel (Terminator 2 composer).
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Monkey_Chops #20 1 year ago

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Clint Mansell did some lovely work on The Fountain as well, but it's no doubt going to feel weird not hearing Vangelis-esque synths in ME3 (unless Mansell continues with that theme, in which case, I'll shut up).

Edited by Monkey_Chops at 10/02/11 @ 22:05
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Eldritch #21 1 year ago

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Clint's soundtrack for "Moon" was ace.
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mr_pink #22 1 year ago

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They should have hired Tangerine Dream and Daft Punk
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Khanivor #23 1 year ago

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Bioware needs to have Shepherd go on a quest to find the missing Beaver Patrol and there also needs to be a Weird's Bar & Grill on a space station.
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Nanocrystal #24 1 year ago

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The fact that there's a minor backlash about this is testament to how great the ME and ME2 soundtracks are. If a new guy has to be brought in, though, I can't think of a better person than Mansell. Hans Zimmer, maybe?
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ShiroBen #25 1 year ago

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Arrrrgh well okay fine then. Big shoes to fill, though, Mr Mansell.
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SomaticSense #26 1 year ago

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As amazing a composer as Mansell is, I'm gutted by this news.

ME1 & 2 each had two of the best game soundtracks I've ever heard.
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Snake_2011 #27 1 year ago

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the score on Requiem For A Dream is great as well.
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yoomazir #28 1 year ago

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both Jack Wall & Clint Mansell are great, that is not the question.
the question is: WHY THE CHANGE? but then the answer comes pretty quick: because Bioware is butchering their own franchises.

Edited by yoomazir at 10/02/11 @ 23:43
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Mr_Fujisawa #29 1 year ago

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I hope Clint will do a good job, he's great at melodies. I hope he carries the themes of the first two games, they add to the atmosphere.

Oh and..

Can you dig it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ePeZJ-_qRs
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gjgjg #30 1 year ago

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ME2 and AC2 OST are the only albums I've bought in the last few months, the main themes in ME give me tingles. The news that mansel is taking over is a large spoonful of sugar for that news medicine!
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fredrikpj #31 1 year ago

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Not sure this is a good thing, this game _needs_ that retro electronica epic feel that gives you goosebumps, I thought Jack Wall nailed that, why change? I'm guessing he's being too controlled as I did notice that ME2 had more "generic action sequence" tracks than the first game in where almost all tracks are very musical.
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Sodding_Gamer #32 1 year ago

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Jack Wall's music in Mass effect gives me shivers down my spine. Astounding music score. I really hope clint keeps the feel of it with at least a few themes left in. Love theme, Vigil and galaxy map PLEASE!!!!!
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Pasco #33 1 year ago

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A bit of investigative journalism on a video game website. Wow!
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pauleyc #34 1 year ago

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Too bad.

What's next, Bioware? Will you now replace Jennifer Hale as FemShep?
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Zebula77 #35 1 year ago

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Clint Mansell is excellent so I'm not worried about that. ME2 did have some teriffic themes here and there. Especially the more electronically sounding ones.
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jablonski #36 1 year ago

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When you see the word 'amicable', then it is fairly clear he was given the boot in favour of Mr Hollywood.
But they've let him go out with his head held high at least
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Caimbeul #37 1 year ago

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Shame to see him go. Not heard if the new guy but I just hope that they go more for the sound of the score in the first game as that much better than me2. The score for me2 was a bit generic I thought. That being said, the club music in me2 kicked ass big time. I have the lower afterlife music as my ringtone. Also EA need to include ALL game music on their soundtrack releases the bastards. Not leave out all of the cool club tunes.
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Caimbeul #38 1 year ago

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@fredrikjp. I fully agree.
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Vin #39 1 year ago

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Mansell's great when his shit's on and he scores properly. Beyond the big Aronofsky flicks and Moon, his other scores are totally unremarkable.
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dupplawt #40 1 year ago

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[link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE0UA8RREX4
]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE0UA8RREX4
[/link]

Clint Mansell is a good choice for this reason alone.
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