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BioWare's 'Mass Effect' Coming to iPhone as 'Jacob's Story'

posted April 30th, 2009 10:16 AM EDT by Blake Patterson in $2.99, iPhone games, iPod touch games, Shooter, Upcoming Games

mass effect 1Fans of BioWare's action RPG Mass Effect have something to look forward to.  According to Joystiq, it was revealed in a survey taken by a reader that EA will be bringing Mass Effect: Jacob's Story to the App Store.

The iPhone version is a top-down shooter, punctuated with comic book-style sequences, featuring Jacob Taylor, "a biotic-powered super-soldier who stumbles across a plot to terrorize civilization's greatest beacon of hope."  Jacob's Story will serve as a predecessor to the upcoming Xbox 360 and PC title Mass Effect 2, introducing players to some of the characters' backstories.

According to Joystiq, depending on the success of the title, EA and BioWare may look into expanding the game into an entire series.  The survey also suggests that  mobile versions of the upcoming Dragon Age RPG are under consideration.

Jacob's Story is expected to provide about two hours of gameplay and to debut at a price point of $2.99.  No release date is indicated.

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  • DannyV

    I'm tired of these little tiny games, so pointless. How about they make something with substance like Assassin's Creed. People are willing to pay for a quality game, well, at least I know that I am.

    • Greg

      This man speaks the truth... Suddenly I'm not interested in Mass Effect for the iPhone and I really liked the 360 version with flaws and all.

    • Brad Newsom

      I don't know about you but this doens't look like a stupid rail shooter or shooting range to me. Not to mention it looks like Mass Effect, just with a different camera angle and art style.

    • http://soldat.pl RealRook

      maybe they're just trying their first iphone game and if it has success they may make something bigger and better

    • J3rekk

      Assassin's Creed AC is a port from the DS

  • DannyV

    I'm tired of these little tiny games, so pointless. How about they make something with substance like Assassin's Creed. People are willing to pay for a quality game, well, at least I know that I am.

    • Greg

      This man speaks the truth... Suddenly I'm not interested in Mass Effect for the iPhone and I really liked the 360 version with flaws and all.

    • Brad Newsom

      I don't know about you but this doens't look like a stupid rail shooter or shooting range to me. Not to mention it looks like Mass Effect, just with a different camera angle and art style.

    • http://soldat.pl RealRook

      maybe they're just trying their first iphone game and if it has success they may make something bigger and better

    • J3rekk

      Assassin's Creed AC is a port from the DS

  • dannys95

    On the first photo on top, the picture of the menu. Is that a button linking to Mass Effect 2 I see? Hmmm.........

  • dannys95

    On the first photo on top, the picture of the menu. Is that a button linking to Mass Effect 2 I see? Hmmm.........

  • dieburnbot

    I hated Mass Effect so much on XBOX 360. I bought the game because of the glowing reviews, played it and it wasn't my cup of tea. A bit too sci-fi for my tastes. I paid 40 bucks for it and it was a complete waste of money.

    • Jacob

      dieburnbot says:

      I hated Mass Effect so much on XBOX 360. I bought the game because of the glowing reviews, played it and it wasn't my cup of tea. A bit too sci-fi for my tastes. I paid 40 bucks for it and it was a complete waste of money.

      there is your problem, it is a sci-fi game, no offense but very, very bad move if you don't like sci-fi games

  • dieburnbot

    I hated Mass Effect so much on XBOX 360. I bought the game because of the glowing reviews, played it and it wasn't my cup of tea. A bit too sci-fi for my tastes. I paid 40 bucks for it and it was a complete waste of money.

    • Jacob

      dieburnbot says:

      I hated Mass Effect so much on XBOX 360. I bought the game because of the glowing reviews, played it and it wasn't my cup of tea. A bit too sci-fi for my tastes. I paid 40 bucks for it and it was a complete waste of money.

      there is your problem, it is a sci-fi game, no offense but very, very bad move if you don't like sci-fi games

  • dieburnbot

    They need to make more games like Hurdler on iPhone. Hurdler is awesome. Someone also needs to remake that game where you catch bombs into tires filled with water. The game is called Kaboom!.

    You can play the flash version here:

    http://www.groovz.com/play/kaboom/fullscreen.php

  • dieburnbot

    They need to make more games like Hurdler on iPhone. Hurdler is awesome. Someone also needs to remake that game where you catch bombs into tires filled with water. The game is called Kaboom!.

    You can play the flash version here:

    http://www.groovz.com/play/kaboom/fullscreen.php

  • Sushibox

    I'm just a little sad that this has about 2 hours of gameplay. Unfortunately, if there's nothing more than the linear story to stay your attention, there will be no replay factor whatsoever. Playability is one thing, but re-playability is what truly divides good games from afterthought fodder. Not that this couldn't be good, but why develop a game with sights set on such a small lifespan. I would hope that they add some sort of gaming trinket (mini-games, easter egg programming, etc) to give this game something substantial to replay. As it appears to me now, it looks like a dressed up advertisement for their upcoming sequel.

  • Sushibox

    I'm just a little sad that this has about 2 hours of gameplay. Unfortunately, if there's nothing more than the linear story to stay your attention, there will be no replay factor whatsoever. Playability is one thing, but re-playability is what truly divides good games from afterthought fodder. Not that this couldn't be good, but why develop a game with sights set on such a small lifespan. I would hope that they add some sort of gaming trinket (mini-games, easter egg programming, etc) to give this game something substantial to replay. As it appears to me now, it looks like a dressed up advertisement for their upcoming sequel.

  • Oliath

    I have no problem with short games and i think that the price does seem to reflect this.

    I don't want to play long extended games on my phone and would much rather have a brief but polished experience.

    Besides... the amount i play them... five minutes here... five minutes there... a 2 hour game will last for months.

    • spiffyone

      And that's one of the main differences between mobile platforms and portable game systems. iTouch/Phone, being a mobile platform, carries with it the type of expectations for games that err more toward what you're stating than games that are "long". It's "minute gaming", and too many are losing sight of that fact. This isn't DS or PSP where you most likely might end up playing for half an hour because the games are just that long. This is a pick up and play type of platform.

      • Brad Newsom

        Its not expectations, its a fact that most people game on it as they are on the go. Your what Survey's called, the "Hardcore" crowd, which is by no means a lie.

  • Oliath

    I have no problem with short games and i think that the price does seem to reflect this.

    I don't want to play long extended games on my phone and would much rather have a brief but polished experience.

    Besides... the amount i play them... five minutes here... five minutes there... a 2 hour game will last for months.

    • spiffyone

      And that's one of the main differences between mobile platforms and portable game systems. iTouch/Phone, being a mobile platform, carries with it the type of expectations for games that err more toward what you're stating than games that are "long". It's "minute gaming", and too many are losing sight of that fact. This isn't DS or PSP where you most likely might end up playing for half an hour because the games are just that long. This is a pick up and play type of platform.

      • Brad Newsom

        Its not expectations, its a fact that most people game on it as they are on the go. Your what Survey's called, the "Hardcore" crowd, which is by no means a lie.

  • http://www.peitsch.de Sebastian

    That's 1.50$ an hour. Seems to fall in line with the current 40$ per 8 hours shooter genre.

    Something I avoid like the plague. I don't know how other games like Car Jack Streets fit in here. It's double the price and about a hundred times the playing time.

    I guess we'll see.

    • spiffyone

      You have a point with the 8 hour shooters on home consoles (although $40 is being generous as 360 and PS3 games retail for $50 - 60 upon release), but that's because the home console market historically has been about long, drawn out game experiences. One expects to play at least a 10 hour game, and quite a few recent releases this gen have been in the 5 - 8 hour range. That's too short for the home console market.

      But this, however, is the mobile market. A 2 hour game might not seem long, but remember the market. As Oliath stated, the majority of iTouch/Phone gamers won't play for 2 hours straight. They'll play a few minutes here and there at most. So a 2 hour game will be a more drawn out experience on this platform than it would be in the home console market where you might actually play a game for 2 hours straight, or even the portable game system market (DS, PSP; iTouch/Phone is NOT in that market, but in the mobile one) as one expects to at least play half hour chunks on the high end in the portable game market.

      Again, this market and this platform is about "minute gaming".

      • yomachaser

        I have to disagree with you a bit Spiffy, the iphone has no particualr constraints as to what kind of gaming market it rests in.

        Games of all lengths sell well on it so I really don't get why you're always trying (on here and gamefaqs) to shoehorn it into a different category than the ds and psp.

        All handhelds have games that cater to minute gaming and they all have longer fare as well.

        From what they have shown this game looks to be a cheap marketing tie in to Mass Effect 2 with pretty lousy graphics and only 2 hours of content. If they change the price to 99c like the cheap Ironman adver-game then all is well, but if they really think people will shell out 3 bucks they are crazy.

  • http://www.peitsch.de Sebastian

    That's 1.50$ an hour. Seems to fall in line with the current 40$ per 8 hours shooter genre.

    Something I avoid like the plague. I don't know how other games like Car Jack Streets fit in here. It's double the price and about a hundred times the playing time.

    I guess we'll see.

    • spiffyone

      You have a point with the 8 hour shooters on home consoles (although $40 is being generous as 360 and PS3 games retail for $50 - 60 upon release), but that's because the home console market historically has been about long, drawn out game experiences. One expects to play at least a 10 hour game, and quite a few recent releases this gen have been in the 5 - 8 hour range. That's too short for the home console market.

      But this, however, is the mobile market. A 2 hour game might not seem long, but remember the market. As Oliath stated, the majority of iTouch/Phone gamers won't play for 2 hours straight. They'll play a few minutes here and there at most. So a 2 hour game will be a more drawn out experience on this platform than it would be in the home console market where you might actually play a game for 2 hours straight, or even the portable game system market (DS, PSP; iTouch/Phone is NOT in that market, but in the mobile one) as one expects to at least play half hour chunks on the high end in the portable game market.

      Again, this market and this platform is about "minute gaming".

      • yomachaser

        I have to disagree with you a bit Spiffy, the iphone has no particualr constraints as to what kind of gaming market it rests in.

        Games of all lengths sell well on it so I really don't get why you're always trying (on here and gamefaqs) to shoehorn it into a different category than the ds and psp.

        All handhelds have games that cater to minute gaming and they all have longer fare as well.

        From what they have shown this game looks to be a cheap marketing tie in to Mass Effect 2 with pretty lousy graphics and only 2 hours of content. If they change the price to 99c like the cheap Ironman adver-game then all is well, but if they really think people will shell out 3 bucks they are crazy.

  • Tim

    2hrs of game play does not = a $2.99 price tag!

    • J3rekk

      You're right, it equals a $14.99 price tag

  • Tim

    2hrs of game play does not = a $2.99 price tag!

    • J3rekk

      You're right, it equals a $14.99 price tag

  • sticktron

    I like the idea of a shooter... I desperately want a KillZone-type game for iPhone!

  • sticktron

    I like the idea of a shooter... I desperately want a KillZone-type game for iPhone!

  • ricky

    two hours of gameplay? AHAHAHAHAHAHA GTFO. seriously @___@

  • ricky

    two hours of gameplay? AHAHAHAHAHAHA GTFO. seriously @___@

  • Akira01

    @Yomachaser:"All handhelds have games that cater to minute gaming and they all have longer fare as well."

    True.

    I don't understand why Spiffyone try to explain the single fact Mass effect for Iphone is juste a sort of trailer for the real version. It's a total non sense to make an explanation for that for "the mobile market".
    Orion, it's 40 hours of game. So what ?
    Zenonia, it will be 30 hours, so what...
    Non sense to jutstify 2 hours of game because it's an iphone (and the ipod touch, it's a Phone too ?)

    If the game is a crap it's just becasue it's a mobile game ?
    Stupid ...really
    There is no crap game on PSP or DS ?
    There is no beautiful and full game on Ipone AND Ipod touch ?

  • Akira01

    @Yomachaser:"All handhelds have games that cater to minute gaming and they all have longer fare as well."

    True.

    I don't understand why Spiffyone try to explain the single fact Mass effect for Iphone is juste a sort of trailer for the real version. It's a total non sense to make an explanation for that for "the mobile market".
    Orion, it's 40 hours of game. So what ?
    Zenonia, it will be 30 hours, so what...
    Non sense to jutstify 2 hours of game because it's an iphone (and the ipod touch, it's a Phone too ?)

    If the game is a crap it's just becasue it's a mobile game ?
    Stupid ...really
    There is no crap game on PSP or DS ?
    There is no beautiful and full game on Ipone AND Ipod touch ?

  • Akira01

    Spiffyone:" the majority of iTouch/Phone gamers won't play for 2 hours straight"

    Source ?
    I play a long time on my Iphone. And so my daughter...
    If the game is addictive there is no problem to play more than 2 hours...
    If the market for the Iphone was the SAME than the other mobiles, why there is a site like toucharcade, why there are ads based on game for the ipod touch, why there are more games on an iphone than on any other mobile ?
    If it's the same thing, WHY the Iphones games aren't the same (for the best) than the other mobile ?

  • Akira01

    Spiffyone:" the majority of iTouch/Phone gamers won't play for 2 hours straight"

    Source ?
    I play a long time on my Iphone. And so my daughter...
    If the game is addictive there is no problem to play more than 2 hours...
    If the market for the Iphone was the SAME than the other mobiles, why there is a site like toucharcade, why there are ads based on game for the ipod touch, why there are more games on an iphone than on any other mobile ?
    If it's the same thing, WHY the Iphones games aren't the same (for the best) than the other mobile ?

  • CheeseFanatic

    Cool down guys! It's Bioware we are talking about. They can do no wrong. And besides Mass Effect was awesome!

  • CheeseFanatic

    Cool down guys! It's Bioware we are talking about. They can do no wrong. And besides Mass Effect was awesome!

  • TKO

    I don't get the complaints. I got here from the screenshot, which looked a good bit like Alien Breed and had me totally psyched. (mmmmm... An Alien Breed game .. that's just what the iPhone needs, I think.) :)

  • TKO

    I don't get the complaints. I got here from the screenshot, which looked a good bit like Alien Breed and had me totally psyched. (mmmmm... An Alien Breed game .. that's just what the iPhone needs, I think.) :)

  • Virdog

    I don't get the price complaint. How many of you have spent $3 on a cup of coffee? Think about it.

  • Virdog

    I don't get the price complaint. How many of you have spent $3 on a cup of coffee? Think about it.

  • J3rekk

    Why so angry folks? As a HARDCORE Mass Effect Fan (My Vanguard has 120 hours logged on it) I find this to be a brilliant idea. I would love to pay Bioware 3 dollars to stick things in my rear, let alone pay 2.99$ for 2 hours of gameplay. I mean, I spent 5 dollars on that god awful expansion, and that was only 90 minutes! SO LAY OFF OF BIOWARE!

  • J3rekk

    Why so angry folks? As a HARDCORE Mass Effect Fan (My Vanguard has 120 hours logged on it) I find this to be a brilliant idea. I would love to pay Bioware 3 dollars to stick things in my rear, let alone pay 2.99$ for 2 hours of gameplay. I mean, I spent 5 dollars on that god awful expansion, and that was only 90 minutes! SO LAY OFF OF BIOWARE!

  • uberdowzen

    Why is everyone so upset about this? Not just you but people on the Mass Effect forums too.

    The way I see it:
    1) If you think it looks like crap, don't buy it. If lots of people feel the same way EA will either not put out another Mass Effect game, or they'll make another one more like everyone wants.
    2) This game does look pretty neat. It looks like a top down version of Mass Effect (most awesomest game ever).
    3) If they'd made a direct port of Mass Effect (which I assume is what many people who don't like this would prefer) it would be really ugly. None of the 3D games I've seen on iPhone (though they do look cool) end up looking clean or polished.
    4) US$3 for 2 hours? Mirrors Edge cost $50 and was only 5 hours long. No one complained.
    5) Why are people so anti experimentation? People just want to see the same old thing again and again. I personally think the art style is quite cool and is definetly not some cheap tie in. This is Bioware

    If anybody is still reading these comments, feel free to post saying how completely wrong I am.

  • uberdowzen

    Why is everyone so upset about this? Not just you but people on the Mass Effect forums too.

    The way I see it:
    1) If you think it looks like crap, don't buy it. If lots of people feel the same way EA will either not put out another Mass Effect game, or they'll make another one more like everyone wants.
    2) This game does look pretty neat. It looks like a top down version of Mass Effect (most awesomest game ever).
    3) If they'd made a direct port of Mass Effect (which I assume is what many people who don't like this would prefer) it would be really ugly. None of the 3D games I've seen on iPhone (though they do look cool) end up looking clean or polished.
    4) US$3 for 2 hours? Mirrors Edge cost $50 and was only 5 hours long. No one complained.
    5) Why are people so anti experimentation? People just want to see the same old thing again and again. I personally think the art style is quite cool and is definetly not some cheap tie in. This is Bioware

    If anybody is still reading these comments, feel free to post saying how completely wrong I am.

  • http://www.masseffect3.co.uk Jules

    I really liked part one. I am so anxious for part two and I am so sure part three will be great as well. I hope to see more details on part 2 and 3 soon.

  • http://www.masseffect3.co.uk Jules

    I really liked part one. I am so anxious for part two and I am so sure part three will be great as well. I hope to see more details on part 2 and 3 soon.


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