(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); May 4, 2009 - Remember last week's breathless story on Mass Effect coming to the iPhone? Well, it's not rumor. Today, BioWare confirmed the game in a Mass Effect forum post from Chris Priestly, BioWare's Community Coordinator. The post not only confirms the game -- and laments the unplanned release of the news due to a broken NDA -- but offers up additional details on the game. Here's the straight scoop from Priestly:

1 - Yes, this is not a hoax or fake story. BioWare is making a game for the iPhone and iPod Touch based in the Mass Effect universe.

2 - We were going to announce this, but one of the testers at a focus testing group broke the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and things were revealed before we had the chance.

3 - The game is going to be available for the iPhone AND the iPod Touch.

4 - The story of the game is not a "bridging" story between Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2. It is a cool little side-story about one of the upcoming Mass Effect 2 characters. It is not "required reading" to enjoy the core trilogy, but if a fun optional "extra" game.

5 - The development on this game is being done by a separate, dedicated team with no connection to any Mass Effect DLC development or patches so this is not "the reason there hasn't been new DLC or patches".

6 - BioWare and the Mass Effect team want to branch out in a number of ways with the ME universe, and this is just one example of such branching out. We think the iPhone and iPod Touch are exciting new platforms for games, and this game was designed for these platforms from the ground up.

7 - More information about this game is coming later this month. None of the info that was leaked is 'official' by any means – it was research. We'll have much more information in the future.



So, what you have seen and read about Jacob's Story is partially real, but any screens you have spotted floating around the Internet are likely not. Those were probably mock-ups for test purposes. But we do now have some additional info about Mass Effect 2: there is a character named Jacob. Look for more information on the iPhone Mass Effect in the very near future here on IGN Wireless.