Mass Effect 2 Dev: "Hang on to your Mass Effect 1 saves"

Jack Lamden, Quality Assurance at Bioware, has responded to a user's question about whether Bioware has decided to back down from their initial claim that you would be able to transfer your Mass Effect 1 save data to the second game. His response: "Hang on to your Mass Effect 1 saves."

[lord_of_balrogs]

MS published the original ME, if by some off chance the PS3 gets a port, they will get a gimped version because they won't have the saved data transfer. Furthermore, this story is a trilogy with an integrated arc, its not a standalone story with each installment. Do you really want an incomplete story?

Edit:
"This could be the same thing they did to Nihlus, but reversed. Instead of building up his character then letting him die very early. They could do the same thing with Shepard, make him seem like he is dead in the beginning of the game, and play as a different character, but later he is alive. " -random theory from the Bioware forums

I like this theory, it would make for sure a shocking plot twist. We start the game by customising a new character only to find our saved file Sherpherd still alive. We retake control of Shepherd which looks like our saved file version and the character we customized could become a new companion.

Lol, at least they got the channels right this time.

[Unicron]

MGS4 is a heavily intertwined story based on no less than SIX previous titles. Yet I still hear claims of a port.

Until I see proof one way or another, I'm not going to argue over the ME situation.

[sunnygrg]

I would, but with my limited 20GB hard drive, the game save is long gone.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

So, the only people not getting gimped versions are people that fill both requirements:

A) Have Mass Effect 1.
B) Still have the save game.

Right... So 360 and PC shouldn't get any new sales from ME2 too, since those that don't own ME1 would get a gimped version, they would have it incomplete.

Actually, by your logic, people should avoid the gimped version of this game even if they have ME1 but don't have the save game anymore and don't want to replay it, so ME2 should just sell even less than ME1.

The only thing gimped here is your head...

And don't even try the "but people can get ME1 on PC and 360 right now".

First, how many people that don't have ME1 would come back?

Second, as I stated, many probably have the game but no longer the save game, not everybody is up to replay a RPG.

Third, EA has all the publishing rights, not MS (hello, Earth calling, EA is the biggest PUBLISHER of the world, they wouldn't buy developers if they couldn't get the publishing rights) so they can release ME1 on PS3 if they want to. But, again, how many people you know that will actively go after the last game? Be it a good history or not. I know a lot of people that get into Metal Gear world way after the MSX game.

[Bnet343]

Is this an insinuation that it's not coming to Playstation 3? By the way, this has been done before. If you played through Gears 1, in Gears 2, you unlock Lt. Kim, Anthony Carmine, and General RAAM. This might be sort of similar.

[cayal]

"I like this theory, it would make for sure a shocking plot twist. We start the game by customising a new character only to find our saved file Sherpherd still alive. We retake control of Shepherd which looks like our saved file version and the character we customized could become a new companion."

Of course that theory is invalid.

1. The Shepherd dead but not dead is cliche, old and obvious.

2. Not everyone has their save file, therefore that theory is out and the PS3 version is back to being possible.
Bioware are not going to make everyone replay the first Mass Effect, or make them buy (or re-purchase if sold already) so they can play the second one.

[Le Idiotce]

*inserts Suikoden 2 disc* into the first true 3D gaming console, the PSX.

*watches gorgeous intro* ah, I have fond memories of this game.

*presses start button*

...

SUIKODEN 1 game save found on memory card. Do you wish to load?

*presses NO"

Ahh no McDohl this time around for me.

[dragunrising]

Who deletes their saved games to make room on their HD? A save file isn't anymore than a few MB (2-3). Dumb logic there. Your irrationality doesn't end. Bioware never said ME2 would be gimped if you didn't used the save file for ME. Did they? Strange, I didn't get that memo. If you are invested in the universe and story of Mass Effect, you have a saved file you want to transfer to the sequel. Sorry, but true. That is not to say you can't play the game if you didn't play the first (or deleted your save file); poor design on their part if true. The point is that "gimped" isn't part of the equation. Different people want different things from games. If you delete your saved file, your obviously not invested in your character. ME 1 save files being transferred to the sequel was promised since the very beginning and is FAN SERVICE. It was also known there would be a trilogy. Naive? Would you want to play Uncharted 2 without playing the first one? I didn't think so.

Also, EA is not the world's largest publisher, k. Activision-Blizzard is the largest third party publisher. Nintendo is hands down the largest.

[MiloGarret]

1. That a theory is clishe or obvious doesn't make it invalid, sort out your concepts.

2. If a save game exists, then you get "your" shephard, if it doesn't exist you get a boring Bioware-created Shephard.

There, not so hard, right?

[king dong]

then doesn't a statement like this mean that they need to get the first one ported pronto?

or, are they gonna release the two together?

aswell, as bioware have been busy for the last couple of years with ME2, then that pretty much means if ME does come to the ps3, then it's gonna be a port done by EA...and seeing how other ports have turned out(the orange box), i wouldn't be to excited!

[pippoppow]

If it comes to the PS3 then as long as it looks and plays at least as good as the PC and 360 versions it will not be "gimped". They could just have a 5 min movie sequence to inn the beginning to show what happened in the 1st game, then start the game with a character that has a level similar to what most would have if the character was imported from the 1st. If it does't come to the PS3 then the PC version will be availbale, so no biggie.

[TheDude2dot0]

That is incredibly stupid. They would not make a huge plot twist only possible if you owned the first game. Many people buy just the sequels. Why would they have to miss out just because they don't have the first game?

[MiloGarret]

And obviously I meant to say cliché...

[cayal]

"1. That a theory is clishe or obvious doesn't make it invalid, sort out your concepts.

2. If a save game exists, then you get "your" shephard, if it doesn't exist you get a boring Bioware-created Shephard.

There, not so hard, right?"

So you took what I said and....repeated it?

1. I never said the cliche was invalid. I said it was predictable.

2. This doesn't prove there is no PS3 version as lord of balrogs wants to believe...that was my point.

[Danja]

im pretty sure ME 1&2 will show up on the PS3 eventually...no need to argue over it..

but I dont care cuz either way I will be playing this game

[Columbo]

I wonder how this would work if there is a PS3 version of Mass Effect 2. Maybe they would do a question & answer session about your knowledge of events that happened in Mass Effect 1, and then give you a generic starting spot in the story based on your answers.

This game can't come soon enough!!!

[Why dis]

Thats what they should do with all games and movies :p lol.

They already said newcomers won't have to buy part one of course that was during a time when they were not even sure they would release a PC version for sure.

Who knows but I fear the game choices are a liilte more detailed and involved than "do want to be the hero or villain"

[meepmoopmeep]

i don't know,

do save file extentions differ for 360/PC/PS3 etc.

it would be odd to play ME2 without playing ME, that's for sure
especially with this implemented.

and IF a PS3 version was to be made
it wouldn't make sense without releasing ME1
but doesn't MSFT own the pub rights?

[M337ING]

Apparently not, considering they had nothing to do with the PC version

[lord_of_balrogs]

MS not EA just published the recently released Platinum Edition. I think that settles who owns the rights.

What I think MS did was give up the rights so EA could publish the PC version in exchange for EA leaving Mass Effect2-3 as 360/PC only.

[Bladestar]

hah!

This is another reason why PS3 version chance are almost zero...

Don't people understand what a trilogy is?

Mass Effect 2 is a continuation of the 1st.. even game saves and weapons will be carried from the 1st.

So, tell me Sony fanboys.. how will this work?

[Obama]

yeah it better be a 360 exclusive or else the bots will have nothing to play this year. Sad year for 360 but let's c if they can get at least 1 worthwhile game in 09.

[Queers of War]

so by your logic, whoever has a 360 but doesnt have ME will have to buy it to play ME2? meaning its more of an expansion pack than a sequel? thanks for clearing that up

[WickedSick]

I see ME2 coming to the PlayStation3 as well as ME1 now! EA can easily fit both ME1&2 into a single blu-ray disc! All EA need to do is change a little of ME1's contents and re-name it by claiming it as ME2. There you go PlayStation3 fans you got yourself a FULL GAME of Mass Effect!

[Gaara_724]

the said in an interview if u have the save yuo play as shepard if you dont you play as someone else so i can see it comingto the ps3

[Le Idiotce]

When it comes to the 360, no game is truly exclusive.

And this comment with the saved games, well, you are obviously too stupid to understand what the guy actually meant.

The game saves merely serves as an extra. It does not mean that you need the game save from Mass effect 1 to play ME2.

You are stupid beyond words, xbot. Just like all your other xbot kind.

In Suikoden2, if you had a Suikoden 1 game save with a certain % completion, you can load that game save into suikoden 2 and unlock the main hero of the first game, as an extra character for Suikoden 2.

You do not need the Suikoden 1 game save or even have played Suikoden 1 to play Suikoden 2.

Idiot.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Yeah Obama because it would suck only having to play one game all year like Killzone... oh wait, my bad that is all you have :)

[lord_of_balrogs]

What I'm wondering is if the Geth is standing over the body Shepherd or is wearing his armor. It's hard to tell.

[Why dis]

No the Geth unit in the trailer is wearing what looks like an N7 marines suit or symbol on its armor maybe Tali hacked some to fight the machines they worship?.

[Why dis]

Still have three character builds.

EDIT: Disagree you think I'm lying about having three profiles saved on me HDD? lol

One is Shepard and the others are EVE and LYLA lol.

[cayal]

Probably disagree because they don't care.

[pumpkinpunker]

or disagree because they're Nasim with his multiple accounts.

[-EvoAnubis-]

on either TRL or GameScoop last week. Glad to see that happened.

[-EvoAnubis-]

I love it when people disagree with facts. One, I'm sure, is from my disagree fairy (you know who you are), and the second I'm figuring must simply be a moron.

[RebornSpy]

This is N4G. Logic does not apply...

And I was hoping that they would do this. I think I'll play through one more time before it comes out so I can make ideal choices.

[TheIneffableBob]

Bioware confirmed this feature months ago.

November 2008, to be specific.

[cayal]

Why are people so obsessed with agrees and disagrees?

[-EvoAnubis-]

No, amused.

[VMAN_01]

Can't wait to play this game on my PS3.

[Bnet343]

Honestly, if it came to PS3, it's all good. At least others get to enjoy a great game. I'm a collector so I'm always going to get Mass Effect on Xbox platform no matter what just like MGS series and RE series on my PS.

[KarIostomy]

honestly, can the ps3 even run this game?

Based on the precedent of recently inferior ps3 performance on SF4 and Skate2 (to name just two), "ME2 ps3" would most likely suffer a similar fate.

am just saying.
The facts speak for themselves!

[Odion]

I would just like to point that it was me, your friendly mod, that brought this info to the N4G forums, and then columbo brought it to you guys!

Beware though! I am watching, and Fanboys will be banned!

[-EvoAnubis-]

I sent you a Scoobie Snack.

*chuckles*

[PS360PCROCKS]

Good. I have beat this game 3 times, and explored the whole world every single time. This is probably by far my most played game this gen, and I hated RPG's til I played this one.

[Chaoticsoulx]

this isn't exactly proof it wont, and the fact ea owns the ip now, almost gaurentees it will come to the ps3, they keep nothing exclusive, sorry xbots.

[Why dis]

Where is the proof that it will?

Hoping and dreaming?

Go research and you'll find EA does have exclusives for consoles and the PC. lol

[Arnon]

EA has exclusive games for every console/PC EXCEPT PS3.. so in all honesty, there's probably a higher chance of it being PC/360 only.

[Lord Vader]

W000T!!!

Cant wait with my * 2 * Level 60 Shepards ready to go ! Any news on the new ME1 DLC ???

[Why dis]

I think Sony has announced their 2009 lineup already because they know something we don't, they acted like this before FF13 was announed for the 360.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

This is actually something most sequenced game could implement, not as a way to give an advantage to previous game base, but as a way to compell people into getting the sequence.

[Why dis]

Watch out for ODION he's blocking people and deleting folks comments for little or nothing.

He said: "I have gotten 6 different complaints about you, today alone, and its very clear that your peddling a very fanatical post history."

Thats like saying Obama or any other dem being accused of saying outlandish sh*t at some Republican gathering lol.

EDIT below:

You're next lol.

EDIT: He said they're going to clean up all the fanatical PS3 fanboys too lol.

Wishing it comes to PS3 is not the same thing as it might come to PS3, thats the problem.

Posting news saying its coming to PS3 with PS3 channels as if the game was confirmed is moronic do you understand?

Spewing the same sh*t over and over is fucin stupid until they say its coming to PS3. GET IT?

Same with MGS4 rumors and fud, should 360 fans post FF versus rumors of that game coming to 360 as news and facts?

EDIT: No one cares so about PS3 fanboys and what they say or think outside of infested PS3 fanboy sites so why bother hating?

[Obama]

Pog, stop crying over these trivial matters. You should be crying over the possibility that the game may come to the ps3.

[Obama]

yeah I am so scared pog. What should I do? Get a life?

[Jerk120]

In your case, Obama, getting a life wouldn't be a bad idea.

First step to greatness, yes?

First you get life then you sell piece of crap console (Crapstation 3).

[RebornSpy]

It would be cool if the game came out for the PS3, but only if the first one did as well. It would make no sense for only the second game to be on the console but not the first. The story would be so confusing.

[Halochampian]

what does this topic have anything to to do with the ps3?

[yanikins111]

so if one didnt have an xbox, one shouldnt buy halo 3? Tomb raider? Perfect dark Zero? I shoudlnt have gotten Ratchet and clank, the best game i think i have ever played because i didnt get the other ones? I shouldnt have gotten mgs4 because i missed the pre-16bit era games? I shouldnt have gotten gta4 because i didnt play san andreas? I shouldnt have gotten cod4 cos i didnt play cod3? Gt4 because i didnt play gt3 or 2? Kz2 because i didnt play liberation?

Fail

[ShiftyLookingCow]

yanikins, I don't think you have played Mass Effect before. If ME2 does come to PS3, ME1 better be ported as well(eg ME1 releases this winter and then Mass Effect 2 next winter). There are just too much backstory in ME1. I don't think you can tell it with a 5 minute intro movie.

You cant compare ME to any of the games you mentioned.

[RebornSpy]

if the majority of the above comments didn't mention a possible PS3 port. Instead of replying to an individual post, I just stated my opinion as a general comment.

And ME is really a lot more story intense than most other games. You can't just watch the cutscenes on YouTube to get a good grasp on the universe. The codex, which has countless entries regarding the various species and technologies of the ME universe, as well as the hundreds of conversations that take place throughout the game, really requires you to play the game to get what's really going on.

[FantasyStar]

You can totally tell the "envious" nature of PS3-only owners here. Mass Effect's a good game. Who wouldn't want this game? Wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft snuffs out that flame though.

[Firstkn1ghT]

Hopefully I can get that level 50 achievement since I beat the game with a level 49.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Just replay your save, once you beat the game you have the option to continue. You also get better weapons and armor when you continue.

[labwarrior]

They pretty much said that you need ME1 to play ME2 with full fun

[cayal]

lol, if ignorance is bliss you must be in nirvana.

This is in no way proves anything except that the 360 version has an added feature.
The game saves only does one thing and that is keep the stats, and maybe to do with the issue with Wrex.

It doesn't change the story at all, you just may or may not have a character.

[GUNS N SWORDS]

and so you have it, gamers will be granted the ability to use their saves, i'm in luck. i got 2 lv 60 characters right now.

also with this statement made 100 percent clear i don't think this game will hit ps3.

[GUNS N SWORDS]

for ME2 your going to need ME1 now not only cuz of the story but cuz of the save data.

.....i guess that's why bioware said making a ps3 version is inaccurate. (they were basically trying to say that the rabbit hole is deeper then we think it is......i'm guessing this is it)

[cayal]

The save game does nothing to the story.

[lord_of_balrogs]

Really? The data affects how you look and the choices you made. Did you let the Rachni Queen live or die? Did you kill wrex? Did you sacrifice Ashley or Kaiden? Where you renegade or paragon? Did you do Ashley or Liara. And the biggest impact of the story is: did you let the council die making humanity the leading leaders or did you save them making them equal partners with humanity.

[GUNS N SWORDS]

well anyways, i did leave wrex alive and i tried having a three way with Liara and Ashley (liara's cool with it but Ashley rejects it), if your nice to both you'll be given the option to ask both out....the outcome isn't positive BUT it's funny to see how shepard brings it up in the conversation.

i can say there were at least over 100 choices i made in both of my save files. (now, i want to see how much the devs are going to go with data transferring)

[Droid Control]

and left the game at level 58...

because the game don't let you continue playing after the main quest is completeted.

now, going back to the game, i can't just in because i've forgotten how to play it!

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Yeah it lets you continue, go to the load screen and you will is the option there. Don't worry your not the only one to miss this, over at the ME forums about 50% miss it.

[devilhunterx]

Idea copied from Suikoden. Previous saves unlock hidden stuff.

[lelo]

Oh boy ... God forbid me from saying that N4G is a Sony site and the biggest trolls are the ones that have more bubbles... now moderator you can delete my comment again.

The moderators of this site are a JOKE...

[RebornSpy]

*looks at comments*

You may be on to something...

[lelo]

Since i can't say it in the gamer zone ... i will say it over here

THE MODERATORS OF THIS SITE ARE FUC*ING MORONS...

[Superted2007]

This isnt anything new....they have being saying that on the official forums for months! Hold onto yours saves blah blah! I am just praying for a simultaneous PC release date!

[Campy da Camper]

The 360 I had at the time went T.U. on me and since I purchased the pro version I had to retun the harddrive when I exchanged it at Bestbuy. I really wish if you had a Gold XBL account, you were able to have some free storage space on MS servers that would hold at least one save per game you played under your account.

[IWentBrokeForGaming]

bought ME for my 360 the other day for only $20 new! what a steal...

and this info has me even more happy that when I finish the game, it will carry over to ME2... proving the full package for this title will be on 360!

Much like Im enjoying the GTA4 DLC, I couldn't stand GTA4 as I got only to 30% and gave up on it... but bought the DLC and I find it WAY better than the regular game... yet alone, something that can only be said for owning a 360!

But PS3 has more than its fair share of GORGEOUS titles coming out, starting with KZ2 on friday... that will keep my PS3 busy for more than its fair share of time! my PS3 don't need this franchise to still remain a great gaming console!

[JonahFalcon]

This isn't new. They said over a year ago that ME was a trilogy and the story would develop according to your actions.

[Lawliet]

Wow I can't wait for ME2!

[DevastationEve]

Mass Effect was truly groundbreaking. I have my mastered save game with all Paragon, and then one with Renegade. I just want a couple things worked on, please Bioware!

*the weapons...are just stat upgrades and brand labels. please get detailed and make them a little more individual.

*DONT CHANGE THE SYSTEM! i love it the way it is, minus of course maybe adding the pc version's cleaner inventory etc. of course, i'm open to anything you guys have in store for us.

*do something with hair...i mean it! the game has such a terrible roster of hair choices:(

*give us "hormonal character traits", so that we can have PMSing heroines and testosterone overloaded (Brucie from GTA4) heroes. maybe even Soul Calibur 4's pitch shifting, so you can make them sound different too.

(that last one is optional, lol)