Origins took five years from the moment it was -announced-, and I would assume that E3 2004 wasn't the very moment they began development on it. Sometimes it happens, particularly if ME4 hasn't been an immediate priority (and with Dragon Age, keeping TOR afloat, and other IPs apparently in development, it doesn't seem like it's something they've thrown the full weight of their development resources behind - which is totally fine), and all but the most basic pre-dev work they've previously done for the series is no longer relevant (because it's unlikely they're doing another game in the Shepard era, even as an interquel - it's either a prequel or a sufficiently distant sequel).
There's really nothing to say that it should have a comparable or shorter development time as DA:I.
Origin did not take five years of development time, more like 3.
http://www.rpgfan.co...view/index.html"RPGFan: When did development start on Dragon Age: Origins?
Mike Laidlaw: I think we're at 6 years now. Of course, when you're dealing with a new IP like Dragon Age or Mass Effect, or even Jade Empire, there's a bigger lead time than when you have like source books and other materials so you need a small team to kinda establish the vision, goals, history, the world, etc. You basically need something to build on or else the internal consistency breaks down. So, in terms of real hardcore development, I'd probably say about 3 years of a full team working on it. It is a massive game, it's a big, big project but you know, when we decided to return to fantasy, we decided to do it right. "
Note, he points out that the pre-production stuff here is building the new IP, not simply individual concepts.
You have a point about the games kept afloat, though it's not as "bad" as all that--Austin is for the online, I THINK Montreal did DA I, and Edmonton is ME4 and the new IP. I think.
I disagree about pre-dev work being irrelevant. They aren't going to turn Mass Effect into something new. They'll introduce new areas, have new characters and races, but the "feel" will be the same--they said as much in one of their twitter comments (and heck, they've brought back the Mako).
It should absolutely have a comparable development time to DA I, because, as pointed out before:
1. DA I did the hefty work on modifying Frostbite
2. ME is already a shooter, which meshes with what Frostbite was designed for
3. They're aiming for the same type of game--something lighter on the cinematic side with a focus on exploration
4. Unless N7 expanded to non-humans, you still play as a human and thus they don't have to add all the reactivity of additional races
This is in no way comparable to the introduction of a new IP. There is a gigantic amount of work done establishing an IP that can't really be compared to sequels unless the sequels are totally and completely reinventing the series (as in, there are no more turians and salarians and krogans and asari but there are about 6 completely new races with their own new cultures--that isn't happening. ME2 gave us two new races, like we're hearing for ME4, and that was a 2-year game).
I'm not saying the game's going to fail if it takes longer than 3.5 years. I'm saying I don't think they need more than 3.5 years.
Edit: Wait, NVM, it looks like Montreal is solely ME4. They intended in 2010 to get around 150 employees (
http://www.cbc.ca/ne...loyees-1.924714), I think we can fairly presume they did so. I haven't been able to find how many people worked on DA I though (Edmonton is like 350 total or so).
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