Game News Ian Frazier of Ultima: Lazarus Fame To Be Lead Designer on Mass Effect 4

[Crooked Bee]

Tags: BioWare; Ian Frazier; Mass Effect: Andromeda

As Gamebanshee reports, Ian Frazier (aka @tibermoon here on the forums) has made an announcement on Facebook that he's now the lead designer on BioWare's Mass Effect 4, or whatever the actual title might turn out to be:

You may know Ian Frazier as the man behind Ultima V: Lazarus (we actually did a pretty good interview with him about that game), but also as the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning designer. So he's a pretty divisive man, that Ian Frazier. In any case, this is the peak of his career so far; I hope it works out for the better.

 

[SCO]

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Interesting turn of events, indeed.

 

[WetWorks]

With all the kickstarter projects, i had almost forgotten the grim face of mainstream rpgs.

New mass effect, eh? Not bothered.

 

[Minttunator]

Glad things are going well for the dude, but I have to admit I'm still not looking forward to the next Mass Effect.

 

[Crooked Bee]

One thing is for certain: Ian won't be posting on the Codex anymore -- EA/Bioware must prohibit it contractually. Right, @tibermoon?

 

[thesheeep]

Huh...
Well, as long as he's not going to build up a trilogy of really fun and immersive (yes, I said it, flame me) games, just to ruin it all with one of the most abysmal endings in gaming history, I think this might turn out good.

 

[Shadenuat]

Oh, I don't know which horrifies me more as next get "RPGs" - a shooter with unlockable arcade bonuses like Mass Effect, or a single player World of Warcraft like Amalur.
Oh.

 

[Misconnected]

One thing is for certain: Ian won't be posting on the Codex anymore -- EA/Bioware must prohibit it contractually. Right, @tibermoon?

And nothing of value was lost.

- I mean, he was hardly posting up a storm around here :p

As for anti-Dex policies, assuming such things do exist, they're hardly surprising. If I was running a dev studio I wouldn't allow my employees to engage in activities that cause 100+ SAN damage per 60 seconds either.

 

[commie]

Good for him but doubt he'll have mass effect on the direction of the franchise.

 

[Oesophagus]

You could have Warren Spector and MCA leading the design for the next ME, it wouldn't make any difference. This is the one franchise you know EA won't take any risks with. Popamole and waifus, that's what the fanbase is expecting, and that's what they'll get

 

[Fireblade]

Huh...
Well, as long as he's not going to build up a trilogy of really fun and immersive (yes, I said it, flame me) games, just to ruin it all with one of the most abysmal endings in gaming history, I think this might turn out good.

Strange conclusion to make, given that his last project (which he was lead designer on) was one of the very worst big-budget RPGs in history.

 

[Q]

Yeah, boring shitfest x 3 with not so bad ending. Now EA will stick only to shitfest, cause' controversial endings are not for biodrones.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Guess we're gonna be baking bread in microwave ovens now.

 

[Delterius]

As for anti-Dex policies, assuming such things do exist, they're hardly surprising. If I was running a dev studio I wouldn't allow my employees to engage in activities that cause 100+ SAN damage per 60 seconds either.

Except for the sacrificial lambs otherwise known as BSN's community managers. And the occasional writer determined to torture himself.

 

[Hellraiser]

Let the guessing game begin, we know it's inevitably going to be shit, but what kind of shit will it be:
- PAY2WIN MMO?
- PAY2WIN browser game?
- MOBA spinoff?
- tablet/phone title (with pay2win)?
- regular popamole sequel?
- prequel/reboot popamole?

So many choices for EA! Still as mentioned above it will be shit so it is indeed a biowarian choice which is meaningless as the consequence is always the same.

 

[Sensuki]

One thing is for certain: Ian won't be posting on the Codex anymore -- EA/Bioware must prohibit it contractually. Right, @tibermoon?

To confirm this by never posting again.

 

[Roguey]

Congratulations, Ian. I hope you've read up on your Josh Sawyer. Even ME fans agree that he's better than all those clowns at Bioware, except for maybe Christina Norman, who took all her smarts with her when she left.

 

[mindx2]

I've got much respect for Ian because of U5:L (in my top 10 games of the 2000s) but this news makes me go... meh. ME just isn't a game I'll buy based on playing the 1st one and from what I've heard/ read about the other two. Too many hopeful games (read that as real cRPGs) coming out in the next 1-3 years that I have no desire to try another EA/ bioware game...

 

[Esquilax]

As for anti-Dex policies, assuming such things do exist, they're hardly surprising. If I was running a dev studio I wouldn't allow my employees to engage in activities that cause 100+ SAN damage per 60 seconds either.

Heh, if we're talking SAN damage, then look no further than the Bioware Social Network. At least this place is conscious of how fucked up it is and embraces it, the BSN waxes lyrical over the taste of Tali's sweat and urine as if it's the most ordinary thing in the world.

A shame about the news, this is a complete waste of Frazier's talents. This wouldn't be the first time, though; IIRC Tim Cain and George Ziets were working on MMO's for a while prior to coming back to Obsidian. Sadly, this sort of thing is very common.

 

[Kz3r0]

Huh...
Well, as long as he's not going to build up a trilogy of really fun and immersive (yes, I said it, flame me) .

 

[Jedi Exile]

I liked the first Mass Effect (and I also liked KOTOR, they are quite similar). Hopefully, ME4 will be more like it or at least better than ME3.

 

[Akratus]

When an already shaky franchise goes fully cinematic© in the second game and just becomes utter shit in the third game, do you really think it's even possible for something like that to just, blow over?

 

[St. Toxic]

I just hope he keeps the game true to its p&p tabletop roots, the way they did with ME2. ME3 played around way too much with its core systems, e.g attack rolls and chargen.

 

[tibermoon]

One thing is for certain: Ian won't be posting on the Codex anymore -- EA/Bioware must prohibit it contractually. Right, @tibermoon?

Oh, I'm still around. Not much I can post about at this point in the project, but yes, I'm here.

I never posted much on the 'dex anyway, though. I mostly just lurk because I enjoy the sweet burning sensation of the SAN damage slowly frying my brain.