Commander Shepard Recruits Critical Squad Members Starting with the
Merciless, Vicious Krogan Character "Grunt"
COLOGNE, Germany, Aug 18, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Leading video game developer BioWare(TM), a division of Electronic Arts
Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today revealed new plot points in the epic sci-fi
fantasy Mass Effect 2(TM). Once again stepping into the role of the
heroic Commander Shepard, gamers will command their crew on a suicide
mission in space. Players will strategically select each member of their
squad, all of whom have a direct impact on the direction of the story
and the squad's chances for survival. Players will select from a motley
cast of characters including the newly revealed 'Grunt' - a blood-hungry
Krogan.
Once players have assembled their squad from amongst the galaxy's most
powerful mystics, geniuses, and convicts, they must lead them on a
suicide mission to discover why humans are vanishing from the galaxy.
The success of the mission hinges on the squad recruited and their
loyalty to the mission. Shepard's future depends on it.
"The Mass Effect trilogy is an epic, action-filled saga with
consequences that will carry through from chapter to chapter," said Dr.
Ray Muzyka, Group General Manager and Senior Vice President, Electronic
Arts, and co-founder and CEO, BioWare. "Building out a diverse and loyal
party is one of the features that makes the Mass Effect series
quite unique. The characters Commander Shepard recruits are not only
pivotal to the storyline, but essential to the player's overall success."
The new character revealed in the Mass Effect 2 squad is 'Grunt'.
A violent and unpredictable Krogan fighter, Grunt has never faced true
defeat. His unsurpassed physical strength makes him a strong asset to
Commander Shepard's team, if he can be tamed, and if he can be trusted.
Grunt is the second party member to be revealed in the Mass Effect 2 universe
following 'Thane' a deadly assassin who was first introduced in June.
More details about the rest of Shepard's crew will be revealed in the
coming months.
The Mass Effect trilogy is a masterful science fiction adventure
set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious
uncharted planets. Mass Effect 2 is scheduled for release on Xbox
360(R) videogame and entertainment system and PC in early 2010. The new
recruitment gameplay video and screenshots can be found at info.ea.com.
Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/masseffect2.
About BioWare
BioWare develops computer, console, handheld, mobile and online video
games focused on rich stories and memorable characters. Since 1995,
BioWare has created some of the world's best-selling titles, including
the award-winning Baldur's Gate(TM) and Neverwinter Nights(TM) series, Star
Wars(R): Knights of the Old Republic(TM) and Sonic(TM) Chronicles: The Dark
Brotherhood (for the Nintendo DS(TM)). Original BioWare-created
intellectual properties include Jade Empire(TM) and the 2007 Game of the
Year, Mass Effect(TM). With studios in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montréal
(Québec), and Austin (Texas), BioWare is hard at work on the epic
fantasy roleplaying game, Dragon Age(TM): Origins, Mass Effect 2(TM), the epic
sequel to Mass Effect, and the story-driven massively multiplayer game,
Star Wars(R): The Old Republic(TM), as well as several unannounced projects.
In 2008, BioWare was acquired by the world's leading electronic
entertainment publisher, Electronic Arts. For more information on
BioWare, visit www.bioware.com
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is
a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in
1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive
software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless
devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under
four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA MobileTM
and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of
$4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies.
EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com.
More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can
be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
*BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks or
registered trademarks owned by EA International (Studio and Publishing)
Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG
and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc.
in the U.S. and/or other countries. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of
the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property
of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Electronic Arts Inc.
EA Games Label PR
Tammy Schachter, 650-628-7223
tschachter@ea.com
Scott Gamel, 650-628-7286
sgamel@ea.com
or
BioWare/EAGL PR
Heather Rabatich, 780-430-0164 ext. 1457
heather@bioware.com
Copyright Business Wire 2009