Mass Effect demo at GDC

By Robert Purchese Published 1 March, 2007

Sci-fi romp on show.

BioWare has confirmed to Eurogamer it will be showing demos of Mass Effect at next week's Game Developer Conference in San Francisco.

Both Microsoft and BioWare remain tight-lipped on what we'll see and whether it will be playable, but news of the showing follows recent heightened activity as the game enters its final development push.

While a specific release date isn't known as yet, there's been plenty of recent Mass Effect related news that suggests we may see the game sooner rather than later.

For instance, two prequel novels by game writer Drew Karpyshyn were recently announced, and will fill out the history and setting of Mass Effect.

The first of these, Revelation, will tell the story of Alliance war hero David Anderson, who joins a rogue alien agent to investigate a spooky secret research facility. It's due to go on sale in May for US$ 7.99.

There's also been activity on the game's website, as details of the game's races and characters slowly filter in, as well as a batch of new screenshots being released. Pop over there for a more detailed look at the upcoming title.

Mass Effect is another trump up Microsoft's Xbox 360 sleeve, and rest assured that we'll be grilling game creators Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk at the Game Developer Conference next week.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • richardiox #1 5 years ago

    I know there are loads of potentially amazing 360 games due this year, including Mass Effect. But when are the next big titles due out? Crackdown this month but then what is there lined up between now and Forza 2 in May?

  • northernlights #2 5 years ago

    Command and Conquer - out this month

  • richardiox #3 5 years ago

    GRAW 2 is basically GRAW 1 though isnt it?

  • QJ #4 5 years ago

    You can't forget the excellent "Pimp My Ride" game coming out this month too!

    Edit: On a serious note, Guitar Hero II is out in April, if thats your kinda thing.
    Edited by 1 at 01/03/07 @ 11:51

  • alpha-0ne #5 5 years ago

    From what i remember;

    March - Virtua Tennis 3 (with online play), GRAW 2
    April - Guitar Hero 2, C & C 3
    May - Forza 2, Shadowrun, Two Worlds
    June - Mass effect, The Darkness
    August - Bioshock

    Oh and that small thing called the halo 3 beta in spring
    Edited by 1 at 01/03/07 @ 12:03

  • Inigo #6 5 years ago

    I really like Bioware RPGs like KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights and Jade Empire. However, the "Jack Bauer in space" comment that one of the developers made in an interview was kind of worrying. Playing a pro-torture neo-con isn't my idea of fun.

  • mkreku #7 5 years ago

    This is my most anticipated title on the Xbox 360. Let's hope it's good. I'm a bit worried about the dialogue system, the combat and the cookie-cutter story..

  • ChrisBen #8 5 years ago

    Probably my most anicipated 360 game as well, south of Halo 3 that is.

  • Dizzy #9 5 years ago

    You lucky B*******

  • pinhead #10 5 years ago

    buy

  • enzima #11 5 years ago

    It has nothing to do in this thread, though......
    if you want to know how many games will be BC on ps3, Phil Harrison said approx 1000 at launh times. The total of games available on ps2 is approx. 8500.
    Itīs an 11,8%.
    From sony semi-official blog three speech

  • Darren #12 5 years ago

    I thought Mass Effect had already been confirmed for a May release or am I getting it confused with another big 360 game?

  • glaeken #13 5 years ago

    @Inigo that interview with the Jack Baur comment in it was not a real interview.

    It was made up by the site it was on and was supposed to be humorous.

  • nickthegun #14 5 years ago

    *kneels next to bed*

    Dear Jesus

    Please dont let Mass Effect suck as much as Jade Empire.

    Your Pal,

    nickthegun

  • alpha-0ne #15 5 years ago

    "I thought Mass Effect had already been confirmed for a May release or am I getting it confused with another big 360 game? "

    forza 2 is confirmed for may

  • Kelduum #16 5 years ago

    If anyone is wondering, Drew Karpyshyn is the guy who wrote the fairly recent Darth Bane Starwars Novel, which fills in some of the backstory between KOTOR2 and the movies.

    Personally, I think hes done a really good job with it, and fleshed out a lot of Sith stuff - so much so that im eagerly anticipating the next one.

    So, if the Mass Effect books are half as good, they will be worth a read.

  • Inigo #17 5 years ago

    I suppose that Mass Effect is create and wrote by the same team that did KOTOR. KOTOR is one of the best RPGs of all time and puts Starwars episode 1-3 to shame. That alone will make me buy the game.

  • Yossarian #18 5 years ago

    I am going to go out on a limb and speculate they are going to use GDC to make a big Mass Effect announcement: either the release date, or a demo on Live.

  • Xerx3s #19 5 years ago

    It has nothing to do in this thread, though......
    if you want to know how many games will be BC on ps3, Phil Harrison said approx 1000 at launh times. The total of games available on ps2 is approx. 8500.
    Itīs an 11,8%.
    From sony semi-official blog three speech

    HTF is that remotely interesting in this thread?! Tjees people, as if we don't have enough sony hate threads already! Whenever you feel the urge o post that crap in a nonrelated thread, DON'T!

    Please don't let Mass Effect suck as much as Jade Empire.

    I thought that JE was pretty good. Wouldn't class it as an rpg but it entertained me non the less. Hope that they announce the sequel this year.

  • QJ #20 5 years ago

    @Yossarian

    I'd try and resist downloading a demo if they released one to be honest. Would want my first steps in Mass Effect to be after unwrapping the cellophane cover and breathing in that new manual smell. :-)
    Edited by 1 at 01/03/07 @ 13:53

  • enzima #21 5 years ago

    Hey Xerx3s, why you get so pissed? I thought it was good to know how many titles will work before launchday, and since i didnt see any news for ps3.....ok, its out of place in a 360 news, but where did you see hate? meh, nevermind...

  • QJ #22 5 years ago

    @enzima
    It would have been more suitable to check the PS3 forum and post there instead of seeming to spam multiple comment threads.

  • Xerx3s #23 5 years ago

    enizma: Read the effin title. This is about ME on the 360. How on earth did it cross you mind to post stuff about BC on the ps3 in this section? If you feel the need to tell everybody about it, there is a forum. You can make a thread there. But then you would see that this has already been posted several times with the sole purpose of saying "sonyLOL".

    Completely irrelevant, old and only serves as flamebait for fanboys.

  • ChrisBen #24 5 years ago

    I don't know where I stand on Jade Empire. On first play through, I kind of liked it at first, and as things wore on, I grew to like it considerably. But once the credits rolled, I didn't feel the urge to play it again like I do with so many great games. In that respect, it was firm 7/8 out of 10 territory for me.

  • Hughes. #25 5 years ago

    I got a bit bored of KoToR and never finished it, but this has certainly been whetting my appetite for an eventual 360 purchase. It's certainly the most appealing thing on the White box' horizon for my tastes.

  • Kuma #26 5 years ago

    Looking forward to GDC now ;-)

  • Thamuhacha #27 5 years ago

    KOTOR was brilliant. But would have been merely "decent" without the plot twist and the fact that I could use lightsabers.

    JE was a shadow of what we were promised. The combat and actual role playing were wafer thin. But the atmosphere and imaginative setting were simply brilliant.

    I can't wait for Mass Effect.

  • JediMasterMalik #28 5 years ago

    Kotor was great, but had definite limitations. Can't wait for KOTOR 3.

    /hopes it'll be better then the 2nd

  • Scimarad #29 5 years ago

    This is at the top of my most wanted list for the 360 - Well, joint top with Lost Odyssey anyway.