143 réponses à ce sujet

[Terror_K]

ME2 isn't a bad game though, and even most of those who speak out against it acknowledge this. The issue many of us have is that it's a weak sequel and overcompensated for the original's failings by going overboard with the culling and simplification of RPG elements. Most professional game critics and average casual gamers won't give a damn about these aspects as long as the game is good, which ME2 is. But it lost a lot that ME1 had in the process, and it became more of a straight-up game and less of an experience. Many feel ME1 was more than the sum of it's parts despite its downfalls, while ME2 is exactly the sum of it's parts and nothing more. Somewhere along the line ME2 lost that X-Factor the original game had.

[Fiery Phoenix]

It's because BioWare literally meant it when they said it was going to be a standalone installment. Compare that to their original idea way back when they remarked that Mass Effect was going to be a directly connected and planned out trilogy. As far as ME2 (not counting LOTSB) is concerned, we're dealing with an enormous contradiction here. I will just say what I've always said: ME3 is what's going to either kill or save the trilogy. That is to say, ME3 is the last chance to see if the trilogy is to live up to our expectations.

[Lee337]

Terror_K wrote...

ME2 isn't a bad game though, and even most of those who speak out against it acknowledge this. The issue many of us have is that it's a weak sequel and overcompensated for the original's failings by going overboard with the culling and simplification of RPG elements. Most professional game critics and average casual gamers won't give a damn about these aspects as long as the game is good, which ME2 is. But it lost a lot that ME1 had in the process, and it became more of a straight-up game and less of an experience. Many feel ME1 was more than the sum of it's parts despite its downfalls, while ME2 is exactly the sum of it's parts and nothing more. Somewhere along the line ME2 lost that X-Factor the original game had.

I've always felt ME was more of an interactive action movie rather than an RPG. I never liked the RPG elements in ME1, as Shepard is a vetran soldier already and the RPG parts made him a awful shot to begin with! ME2 felt more of a clean experiance, and whilst I love ME1 just as much as ME2, I felt it was a bit bogged down in undeeded stuff and Bioware went in the exact right direction.
DA on the other hand was a different matter, that felt like an RPG to me, so I can understand the same complaints being made about DA2. It's all a matter of perspective, and I don't think that it's that the casual gamers "don't give a damn", I think its more that the traditional hardcore RPG players do.

[naledgeborn]

As said before, different team different game. At this point I really don't give a damn. Bioware has done such a consistent job with the Mass Effect series that I'm just happy Shepard and the crew are making a final comeback.

[FDrage]

piemanz wrote...


You also have to remember that people usually only come on a forum when they have something to moan about.I expect the majority of ME2 players have never even posted on this forum.Most normal people played the game, enjoyed it and moved on.

You are probably quite right in that, so if someone doesn't come to the forums on a regular basis andf didn't liek the game the would move on just the same as someone who liked the game. So it is hard to judge "how many" (not toalking about specfic numbers)  moved on and liked the game and how many moved one bcause they didn't like the game.

I 've got my grips with ME2 and how some of the things they changed impacted my enjoyment of the game (mainly to do with combat / game mechanics / "streamlining") so I would never say it is a brilliant game and score wise I would probably put it a fair bit lower then the average metacrit score. However the things I enjoyed (story / atmosphere) enabled me to "overlook" some of the, for me, short coming. But overall the changes weren't as big as a jump, for me at least, then DA1 to DA2. Ah well

Modifié par FDrage, 24 mars 2011 - 11:55 .

[piemanz]

FDrage wrote...

piemanz wrote...


You also have to remember that people usually only come on a forum when they have something to moan about.I expect the majority of ME2 players have never even posted on this forum.Most normal people played the game, enjoyed it and moved on.

You are probably quite right in that, so if someone doesn't come to the forums on a regular basis andf didn't liek the game the would move on just the same as someone who liked the game. So it is hard to judge "how many" (not toalking about specfic numbers)  moved on and liked the game and how many moved one bcause they didn't like the game.

Thats a fair point.

Regarding the topic, it's kind of hard for me to say as i've not played DA or DA2 (not really into the whole fantasy rpg thing) but i doubt that ME3 will be much diffrent from ME2 as far as game mechanics go.Sure there will be a tweak here and there but it's not going to be a drastic overhaul.

[Terror_K]

Lee337 wrote...

I've always felt ME was more of an interactive action movie rather than an RPG. I never liked the RPG elements in ME1, as Shepard is a vetran soldier already and the RPG parts made him a awful shot to begin with! ME2 felt more of a clean experiance, and whilst I love ME1 just as much as ME2, I felt it was a bit bogged down in undeeded stuff and Bioware went in the exact right direction.

When it comes to gameplay mechanics, I don't deny that BioWare went in the right direction regarding most things. It's how far they went in that direction that's the problem, IMO.

[dolphin1329]

ME2 is in every way better than ME1.

Modifié par dolphin1329, 24 mars 2011 - 12:14 .

[FDrage]

Terror_K wrote...

When it comes to gameplay mechanics, I don't deny that BioWare went in the right direction regarding most things. It's how far they went in that direction that's the problem, IMO.

That is kind of the problem I have as well ...

piemanz wrote...

Regarding the topic, it's kind of hard for me to say as i've not played DA or DA2 (not really into the whole
fantasy rpg thing) but i doubt that ME3 will be much diffrent from ME2 as far as game mechanics go.Sure there will be a tweak here and there but it's not going to be a drastic overhaul.

That is kind of the problem I got as well ... while I do like Fantasy settings and I really enjoyed the atmosphere they created with DA1, I'm probably less forgiving in a setting that isn't quite as high on my "liking list". So when it comes to ME2, because it is SciFi and there aren't that many games out for these particular setting that classify themselves somewhat as RPGs  when comapred to a Fantasy setting, I'm probably more likely to overlook missgivinings.

dolphin1329 wrote...

ME2 is in every way better than ME1.

No ...

Modifié par FDrage, 24 mars 2011 - 12:28 .

[oldag07]

Bioware realizes that this board is not representative of the general fanbase at large.

[Franzius]

The "loud minority" is a false mith. And it will not help BiowEA!
There is a HUGE SILENT Group of people that disliked (at many levels) ME2.
You should know it, it is accademy, only a really small % of not satisfied customers shown openly their feelings.
Please, just look outside this forum, in the comments section of other sites, in other forum, everywhere around the web!!! ME2 is a sequel that make a huge % of customers regret (again, at many different levels) the original.. And if you think about it, this is just a huge failure per se!

But also take a look at sales data... ME2 sold less than ME1 (on xbox360 at least)...
And if you consider the sales data based upon the different user-base during each release date, consider also the huge praise of the game "journalists", the fake GOTY etc... Well ME2 doesn't encounter an EPIC success among the gamers after all!!!
We just want also to talk about the PS3 fiasco?!?!

I am more that sure that if they have conduct a survey after ME1 & after ME2 the data would have shown how the Franchise has incredibly lost its magical-status among widespread fans.

The point is that after ME2 (well and also DA on consoles and DA2) many old time fans are now on a "wait & see" status, and many (like me) will only take the game after 1-2 year (super discounted!). There is also a important portions of customers that bought the game (shooter fans / hype victims mainly) that will not come back on ME3.

So yes BiowEA is under a lot of pressure... But due to the evidences the pressure will crash them.

[Someone With Mass]

It's sad how people seem to make unrealistic expectations and then they are whining about how the company failed them because they didn't do what the fans wanted.

Stop having such high standards. You won't be disappointed, and won't look like a tool for nagging about it. Most of the time.

[Lee337]

Franzius wrote...

The "loud minority" is a false mith. And it will not help BiowEA!
There is a HUGE SILENT Group of people that disliked (at many levels) ME2.
You should know it, it is accademy, only a really small % of not satisfied customers shown openly their feelings.
Please, just look outside this forum, in the comments section of other sites, in other forum, everywhere around the web!!! ME2 is a sequel that make a huge % of customers regret (again, at many different levels) the original.. And if you think about it, this is just a huge failure per se!

But also take a look at sales data... ME2 sold less than ME1 (on xbox360 at least)...
And if you consider the sales data based upon the different user-base during each release date, consider also the huge praise of the game "journalists", the fake GOTY etc... Well ME2 doesn't encounter an EPIC success among the gamers after all!!!
We just want also to talk about the PS3 fiasco?!?!

I am more that sure that if they have conduct a survey after ME1 & after ME2 the data would have shown how the Franchise has incredibly lost its magical-status among widespread fans.

The point is that after ME2 (well and also DA on consoles and DA2) many old time fans are now on a "wait & see" status, and many (like me) will only take the game after 1-2 year (super discounted!). There is also a important portions of customers that bought the game (shooter fans / hype victims mainly) that will not come back on ME3.

So yes BiowEA is under a lot of pressure... But due to the evidences the pressure will crash them.

Where is the sales data?
I disagree with everything you said, internet forums, no matter where they are aren't represenative of everyone who brought the game, and those who moan the loudest don't localise it, they'll be on other forums too, you can't count numbers that way.
If you were truly a fan of ME, then you'd want to know how the trilogy played out. The fact that you don't care enough and will wait a year or two shows you're not really a fan.

Edit: I don't know why I bothered replying to this guy whos such an old time fan that he registered recently and without registering his game, possibly banned and a good idication that he should be ignored...

Modifié par Lee337, 24 mars 2011 - 01:00 .

[Gangsta914]

Franzius wrote...

The "loud minority" is a false mith. And it will not help BiowEA!
There is a HUGE SILENT Group of people that disliked (at many levels) ME2.
You should know it, it is accademy, only a really small % of not satisfied customers shown openly their feelings.
Please, just look outside this forum, in the comments section of other sites, in other forum, everywhere around the web!!! ME2 is a sequel that make a huge % of customers regret (again, at many different levels) the original.. And if you think about it, this is just a huge failure per se!

But also take a look at sales data... ME2 sold less than ME1 (on xbox360 at least)...
And if you consider the sales data based upon the different user-base during each release date, consider also the huge praise of the game "journalists", the fake GOTY etc... Well ME2 doesn't encounter an EPIC success among the gamers after all!!!
We just want also to talk about the PS3 fiasco?!?!

I am more that sure that if they have conduct a survey after ME1 & after ME2 the data would have shown how the Franchise has incredibly lost its magical-status among widespread fans.

The point is that after ME2 (well and also DA on consoles and DA2) many old time fans are now on a "wait & see" status, and many (like me) will only take the game after 1-2 year (super discounted!). There is also a important portions of customers that bought the game (shooter fans / hype victims mainly) that will not come back on ME3.

So yes BiowEA is under a lot of pressure... But due to the evidences the pressure will crash them.

No matter what a game gets from a place like Gameinformer, Xplay etc...people will dislike it for many reasons. One person may think one aspect of the game is a huge problem, while another may love it or think its only a small issue. Everyone has their opinion and as a game evolves some fans may not like it anymore. ME3 will sell, and it will either match or surpass the other two games in sales and praise from reviewers. 

I'm not really sure what games were coming out when ME1 and ME2 were released but this can also play a part in why ME2 sold less(I'm not even sure if it did sell less, I'll just assume Franzius is right). 

I don't think Bioware will fail at making this game a great one. Have faith in the team creating the third one because with it being the last one in the triology they will make sure its great. 


They can always push the release date back, so who knows if its even coming out this year.

[dolphin1329]

Gangsta914 wrote...

Franzius wrote...

The "loud minority" is a false mith. And it will not help BiowEA!
There is a HUGE SILENT Group of people that disliked (at many levels) ME2.
You should know it, it is accademy, only a really small % of not satisfied customers shown openly their feelings.
Please, just look outside this forum, in the comments section of other sites, in other forum, everywhere around the web!!! ME2 is a sequel that make a huge % of customers regret (again, at many different levels) the original.. And if you think about it, this is just a huge failure per se!

But also take a look at sales data... ME2 sold less than ME1 (on xbox360 at least)...
And if you consider the sales data based upon the different user-base during each release date, consider also the huge praise of the game "journalists", the fake GOTY etc... Well ME2 doesn't encounter an EPIC success among the gamers after all!!!
We just want also to talk about the PS3 fiasco?!?!

I am more that sure that if they have conduct a survey after ME1 & after ME2 the data would have shown how the Franchise has incredibly lost its magical-status among widespread fans.

The point is that after ME2 (well and also DA on consoles and DA2) many old time fans are now on a "wait & see" status, and many (like me) will only take the game after 1-2 year (super discounted!). There is also a important portions of customers that bought the game (shooter fans / hype victims mainly) that will not come back on ME3.

So yes BiowEA is under a lot of pressure... But due to the evidences the pressure will crash them.

No matter what a game gets from a place like Gameinformer, Xplay etc...people will dislike it for many reasons. One person may think one aspect of the game is a huge problem, while another may love it or think its only a small issue. Everyone has their opinion and as a game evolves some fans may not like it anymore. ME3 will sell, and it will either match or surpass the other two games in sales and praise from reviewers. 

I'm not really sure what games were coming out when ME1 and ME2 were released but this can also play a part in why ME2 sold less(I'm not even sure if it did sell less, I'll just assume Franzius is right). 

I don't think Bioware will fail at making this game a great one. Have faith in the team creating the third one because with it being the last one in the triology they will make sure its great. 


They can always push the release date back, so who knows if its even coming out this year.

Everywhere I've looked it said that ME2 sold better then ME1.

[Slayer299]

There is indeed pressure on Bioware for ME3 to perform not only well, but spectacularly well. Especially after the drubbing they've been receiving with poor reviews, the long list of problems in DA2. This does lead to the thought that EA will be closely watching the numbers for sales on ME3. I do not suspect that they will be poor, far from it, but if for some reason ME3 did do poorly BW's outlook would be very grim in the long run I'd think.

If for some reason TOR does not do as well as EA hopes you can expect BW's doors to be shut as fast as turning a light out though.

[jamskinner]

Franzius wrote...

The "loud minority" is a false mith. And it will not help BiowEA!
There is a HUGE SILENT Group of people that disliked (at many levels) ME2.
You should know it, it is accademy, only a really small % of not satisfied customers shown openly their feelings.
Please, just look outside this forum, in the comments section of other sites, in other forum, everywhere around the web!!! ME2 is a sequel that make a huge % of customers regret (again, at many different levels) the original.. And if you think about it, this is just a huge failure per se!

But also take a look at sales data... ME2 sold less than ME1 (on xbox360 at least)...
And if you consider the sales data based upon the different user-base during each release date, consider also the huge praise of the game "journalists", the fake GOTY etc... Well ME2 doesn't encounter an EPIC success among the gamers after all!!!
We just want also to talk about the PS3 fiasco?!?!

I am more that sure that if they have conduct a survey after ME1 & after ME2 the data would have shown how the Franchise has incredibly lost its magical-status among widespread fans.

The point is that after ME2 (well and also DA on consoles and DA2) many old time fans are now on a "wait & see" status, and many (like me) will only take the game after 1-2 year (super discounted!). There is also a important portions of customers that bought the game (shooter fans / hype victims mainly) that will not come back on ME3.

So yes BiowEA is under a lot of pressure... But due to the evidences the pressure will crash them.

The reason it did not sell as much might have to do with it not being an xbox exclusive at release like the first game was.  The second game released on PC as well as xbox at the same time so it is not strange to see it not sell as well.  You would have to look at the total sales to see what the picture actually is.

Modifié par jamskinner, 24 mars 2011 - 01:41 .

[Slayer299]

jamskinner wrote...

The reason it did not sell as much might have to do with it not being an xbox exclusive at release like the first game was.  The second game released on PC as well as xbox at the same time so it is not strange to see it not sell as well.  You would have to look at the total sales to see what the picture actually is.

You'll have to explain that one to me. How would making ME2 an Xbox exclusive have made it a bigger seller than having it available to Xbox & PC instead? Since with a bigger audience you have more peopel who potentially will buy the game.

[Matt VT Schlo]

Gongon11 wrote...

i dont get why people keep automatically thinking just cause dragon age 2 wasnt as good as it should be doesnt mean me3 will be as bad, they are two different teams, and the me has been working on me3 few months before me2 was released i believe, pretty much 2 years in development

2 development teams does not mean 2 different approaches. 1 company, 1 vision. That's my concern. That there is a criticial attempt within bioware to shift the tone of their games, and people dont like it

[Franzius]

Lee337 wrote...

Franzius wrote...

The "loud minority" is a false mith. And it will not help BiowEA!
There is a HUGE SILENT Group of people that disliked (at many levels) ME2.
You should know it, it is accademy, only a really small % of not satisfied customers shown openly their feelings.
Please, just look outside this forum, in the comments section of other sites, in other forum, everywhere around the web!!! ME2 is a sequel that make a huge % of customers regret (again, at many different levels) the original.. And if you think about it, this is just a huge failure per se!

But also take a look at sales data... ME2 sold less than ME1 (on xbox360 at least)...
And if you consider the sales data based upon the different user-base during each release date, consider also the huge praise of the game "journalists", the fake GOTY etc... Well ME2 doesn't encounter an EPIC success among the gamers after all!!!
We just want also to talk about the PS3 fiasco?!?!

I am more that sure that if they have conduct a survey after ME1 & after ME2 the data would have shown how the Franchise has incredibly lost its magical-status among widespread fans.

The point is that after ME2 (well and also DA on consoles and DA2) many old time fans are now on a "wait & see" status, and many (like me) will only take the game after 1-2 year (super discounted!). There is also a important portions of customers that bought the game (shooter fans / hype victims mainly) that will not come back on ME3.

So yes BiowEA is under a lot of pressure... But due to the evidences the pressure will crash them.

Where is the sales data?
I disagree with everything you said, internet forums, no matter where they are aren't represenative of everyone who brought the game, and those who moan the loudest don't localise it, they'll be on other forums too, you can't count numbers that way.
If you were truly a fan of ME, then you'd want to know how the trilogy played out. The fact that you don't care enough and will wait a year or two shows you're not really a fan.

Edit: I don't know why I bothered replying to this guy whos such an old time fan that he registered recently and without registering his game, possibly banned and a good idication that he should be ignored...

Check NPD for US data.
If you want, you can more easily check VGChartz for a very rough estimation.
Take in count that both data do not consider the on-line sales of ME1 (that can be possibly be purchased on Xbox Live) and maybe they do not consider the "Mass Effect classic" sales. These are the facts. Again check on NPD if you wish.

Anyway, I do not know why of the whole post you have taken in consideration only the sales part... But it is ok, you have miss something but it is ok.
Then I really do not understand why people like you scream hate when other people told them the facts as they are.

You can ignore me or try to discredit me because I told things that you do not like (or maybe hurt you if you are a youngling BiowEA fan).
Maybe you are an happy customers that has bought ME2 has a first BiowEA game (or maybe first RPG) and differently from FPS / TPS and platform games you have found that ME2 has an incredible story & interation.
Or maybe you are simply happy with ME2 as it is. I do not know.  Me and many others ask for a far better game. This franchise once deserves it. If we could have it, believe me, you will enjoy it too!

I have give my money to Bioware (and partially also to BiowEA) since Baldur Gate.
But do not get me wrong I am not an old time RPG nostalgic, no, I am so far form that.
I simply stated (as many) that ME2 is an incredibly disappointed game as a sequel (after ME1 and all the promises BiowEA has made in the meanwhile).

In the next month we will see the HUGE marketing Machine of EA start the attack and building up the HYPE on level never before seen on a videogame (I suppose). We will be coverd with thousand amazing preview, pre-goty, etc... But I really suspect that ME3 will "fail" in the sales department: it will perform worse even than ME2.

[cedgedc]

Terror_K wrote...

Lee337 wrote...

I've always felt ME was more of an interactive action movie rather than an RPG. I never liked the RPG elements in ME1, as Shepard is a vetran soldier already and the RPG parts made him a awful shot to begin with! ME2 felt more of a clean experiance, and whilst I love ME1 just as much as ME2, I felt it was a bit bogged down in undeeded stuff and Bioware went in the exact right direction.

When it comes to gameplay mechanics, I don't deny that BioWare went in the right direction regarding most things. It's how far they went in that direction that's the problem, IMO.

I am going to respectfully disagree. I am the first to admit that if a game sequel starts with radical gameplay changes, I'm the first to go 'Woa woaa... What's this? Shift is supposed to be my sprint button!'

I loved ME1 or I wouldn't have even looked at the sequel, but ME2 gave me everything I felt was missing from the first one and then some.  ME1 was a plot builder. We don't know anything going in, so you're building from the ground up and being introduced to the setting.

ME2 was more immersive to me by far. The world was there. They added much needed places (Like omega) that everyone looks for in a good bioware product/ sci-fi game. The development of the ship and greater degrees of interraction with it.. the freedom to build your crew up as much as desired, or go barebones.

Oh, also the team grew -some- balls and drew a line in the sand saying 'Hey ME2 isn't for little kids, we're going to have characters use the ... *Gasp* .. F-word! (Which in an rpg is quite a step, mind you!)

All of these things added so much more depth. There wasn't the meaningless exploring of totally baren planets where you're suddenly, starkly aware of how alone you are playing the game, and how empty it can be. All of ME2's environments were rich, filled with surprises and interraction.

Even granted the increased resources and technology afforded to the team for ME2 I still found it to be proportionately better, in all the ways I could want a follow-up to a very succesful first instalment to be.

[ArcanistLibram]

Mass Effect sold 2.4 million copies for the 360 according to this: http://gamrreview.vg...35/mass-effect/

Mass Effect 2 sold 2.39 million copies for the 360 according to this: http://gamrreview.vg.../mass-effect-2/

So no, Mass Effect 1 did not sell better than Mass Effect 2 on the 360.

[cedgedc]

Matt VT Schlo wrote...

Gongon11 wrote...

i dont get why people keep automatically thinking just cause dragon age 2 wasnt as good as it should be doesnt mean me3 will be as bad, they are two different teams, and the me has been working on me3 few months before me2 was released i believe, pretty much 2 years in development

2 development teams does not mean 2 different approaches. 1 company, 1 vision. That's my concern. That there is a criticial attempt within bioware to shift the tone of their games, and people dont like it

My only realistic concern is that I don't really want to spend half the game fighting on earth. The big selling point for me for the other games was the freedom to explore the universe. Going to other planets and seedy space ports and all that junk everybody loved.

If I wanted to fight aliens on earth in a 3rd person shooter, i'd go play gears of war.

Other than that, I have every faith in the team. No one is more heavily invested in making the game everything it can be. No one is more aware of the bar they set with the second game, and the need to surpass it.

I haven't played DA2 yet, but I have also -never- been disapointed by a bioware rpg. Keep faith and pray that we don't spend half the campaign on earth!

[Franzius]

jamskinner wrote...

Franzius wrote...

The "loud minority" is a false mith. And it will not help BiowEA!
There is a HUGE SILENT Group of people that disliked (at many levels) ME2.
You should know it, it is accademy, only a really small % of not satisfied customers shown openly their feelings.
Please, just look outside this forum, in the comments section of other sites, in other forum, everywhere around the web!!! ME2 is a sequel that make a huge % of customers regret (again, at many different levels) the original.. And if you think about it, this is just a huge failure per se!

But also take a look at sales data... ME2 sold less than ME1 (on xbox360 at least)...
And if you consider the sales data based upon the different user-base during each release date, consider also the huge praise of the game "journalists", the fake GOTY etc... Well ME2 doesn't encounter an EPIC success among the gamers after all!!!
We just want also to talk about the PS3 fiasco?!?!

I am more that sure that if they have conduct a survey after ME1 & after ME2 the data would have shown how the Franchise has incredibly lost its magical-status among widespread fans.

The point is that after ME2 (well and also DA on consoles and DA2) many old time fans are now on a "wait & see" status, and many (like me) will only take the game after 1-2 year (super discounted!). There is also a important portions of customers that bought the game (shooter fans / hype victims mainly) that will not come back on ME3.

So yes BiowEA is under a lot of pressure... But due to the evidences the pressure will crash them.

The reason it did not sell as much might have to do with it not being an xbox exclusive at release like the first game was.  The second game released on PC as well as xbox at the same time so it is not strange to see it not sell as well.  You would have to look at the total sales to see what the picture actually is.

Ok.
But do you realize how different was the user base at the time of ME1?
Do you realize how HUGE was the marketing effort that was behind ME2 (gdc, teaser, pre-e3, e3, many trailers etc...) respect to ME1?
Do you realize that ME2 could enjoy an alredy established franchise (not a new IP!) with a very strong and established userbase of fans ready to everything for their beloved sci-fi serie?
Do you realize that they even create a demo?
Do you realize that the "game journalis" praised it as a definitive MASTERPIECE the Avatar of Games (EA money?)?
Do you realize how many GOTY and Prize (EA money?) it wins?
Do you realize how very poorly performed on PS3 ?

People it is redicolus to keep on being BiowEA "Yesmen" !!!

Modifié par Franzius, 24 mars 2011 - 02:33 .

[Torhagen]

Tarek wrote...

well sure Bioware makes lots of cash from games BUT in our current economy a hundred million is not that much for a big software company, and with EA breathing down their necks Bioware are definitely feeling the "pressure".
pressure from fans is good actually because it keeps them sharp, and it helps them make a better game, take Blizzard for example, they consider that fans are everything and you know what they are right, we buy the game, we support communities that like the game, we talk about it, advertise it to friends, play it, point out bugs and mistakes....etc

of course we should not go crazy over little mistakes (like planet scanning) but we should let them know that it needs improving or cutting.

as long as they hear feed back from fans things will go well.

It is that Minority why ME2 was stripped of the rpg