Mass Effect 3 launching on PC, PS3 and 360 simultaneously

by Alexander Sliwinski on Dec 13th 2010 9:25AM

Electronic Arts confirmed this morning that Mass Effect 3 will launch simultaneously on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in holiday 2011. This marks the first time the franchise will set foot on all consoles on the same day. The first installment is still not available on the PS3, while the critically acclaimed sequel will "save the lost" on Sony's console beginning January 18.

Mass Effect 3 was officially unveiled over the weekend at the 2010 Spike VGAs. As evidenced by the trailer and the description from the EA Store last week, the "final" chapter in the Mass Effect saga will see Shepard saving Earth from the Reaper invasion. Come on, Shepard has saved the galaxy twice now -- he (or she) should have no difficulty saving one measly planet.

Source: EA

Tags: Bioware, EA, Electronic-Arts, mass-effect-3, microsoft, pc, playstation, ps3, release-date, rpg, xbox

Reader Comments (83)

How can they kill all those reapers? Blow up the sun. I'm calling it

@Whippy Hippy
They tried that in Stargate once, it killed all the weak minions but the important bad guy was still alive.

man i cant wait. I might play 1 and 2 beforehand as a refresher.

@PedoJokerBear ewww I wouldn't go back and play 1...I tried that but couldn't do it. I am happy I can do all the stuff in 1 again just in a digital comic format on the Ps3 version....yeah I will have bought ME2 twice...what?

@PedoJokerBear
Me too! Man if i wasn't so young and tender i'd hug you right now from sheer joy on the news of this game.

@Negatron

for those same reasons ill hug you

sammo21 got downvoted but deep down we know he's right. Mass Effect 1 was not nearly as good as the sequel.

If you're new to the series, just skip the original.

@blueskyv201 Disagreed, if you're new to the series you should definitely start from the beginning. The big reason why the sequel was so extraordinary was due to the fact that you could see your decisions from ME1 come to life in all their glory. PS3 owners are really missing out on a chunk of the fun.

@blueskyv201 Even if it wasn't as good, the first one just makes the second better. Not only do you import all your choices and consequences, which will themselves continue into the 3rd game, but part of why a lot of people loved ME2 so much was because it was such a huge improvement over the original.

@blueskyv201 I think Mass Effect 2 is much better overall than the first one, but Mass Effect is still a great game and definitely worth playing through.

The combat in #2 was what made the sequel so great, but storywise I felt that the first game was better. The 'big decisions' you had to make in the first felt like they had more of an impact than in those in the sequel. Also the final boss in the sequel was such a letdown.

@sammo21 Funny because I enjoy the first Mass Effect ALOT more than the second. More depth as it were. And generally better gameplay overall. I want my inventory and tons of guns back.

@PedoJokerBear - I'm going to have to go back through and play 2 while staying loyal to Liara. My Shepherd was kind of a slut in my 2 playthrough, before I knew that loyalty to her would probably be a plot element in 3.

I'm not sure if I'll replay 1 though. I might, just so that I can let the Rachni live this time (might need their freakish, spidery help, you know?)

Hilarious bunch of responses I got here.

The first one was so bad that it made the second one seem even better, now that's an argument I can get behind.

I'll have to chime in that I loved the first a lot more than the 2nd as well. Mako was great, in my opinion, and there was just more openness and depth to the narrative. One of the most awe inspiring games in my gaming memory, evaaaaaaaaar.

@BananaBoat I think the rachni is definitely the biggest decision from Mass Effect 1, at least in terms of the galaxy at large. Really not sure what to think of it. I feel like having them as an ally is definitely a good idea, but they're still crazy squid bug things!

@blueskyv201

maybe if you've never played the first one and are just blowing smoke up your own ass because all you have is a ps3. i liked mass effect 1 a lot. i felt like it was actually an rpg. with mass effect 2, while the improvements in combat are definitely there, it really feels like they stripped down a lot of what made the first mass effect so great in the first place, essentially turning it into much more of an action game than an rpg.

any way you want to look at it, it's pretty lame to have a trilogy of games with only 2/3rds of the trilogy. now that's something i can get behind.

@Liquidfingers
Them's fighting words.
I always knew there were a few crazy people who liked the first Mass Effect better than the sequel. I'm glad I got into this argument because I think I just found all of them.

FYI: I played and beat Mass Effect 1 on PC when it came out :)

@blueskyv201

i didn't like it more, and i never said that i did. i simply stated that i liked some aspects of the first and more or less wished they hadn't cut them for the sequel. the first was far from being a "bad game", and i truthfully don't see the advantage of jumping into a trilogy from the second part. that notion just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, and the people who are buying mass effect 2 twice just for an "interactive comic", or simply because it's coming to the ps3, make even less sense to me...

@blueskyv201

That's like saying people shouldn't watch the Original Star Wars movies because they don't look all shiny.

Mass Effect 1 was a great game that introduced players to the universe, It's definitely worth checking out if you want to thoroughly enjoy the experience.

@D4rk 0p3rative
Actually, it isn't.

It's like saying people shouldn't watch the new Star Wars because of the unwieldy controls and bad storytelling.

Wait, that doesn't work . . . well, kinda.

So when they going to bring the dlc to the pc version.

@bargaingamer

What do you mean? The DLC for Mass Effect 2 is on the PC. you can access it through the Cerberus Network, or directly from the Mass Effect section of the EA store.

I'm excited for next x-mas batman, uncharted 3 and mass effect are being released sounds great. I should start my pre-orders now

@Leetninja muffin

yeah, too bad that we have to wait a whole year for this... when did companies started to think that we are all immortals?? oh well, I´m glad bioware is going to do the smart thing and release all the 3 platforms at the same time. that´s how you do it and that´s how you make money, not releasing the p.c. version 6-8 months later, did you hear ubi and capcom????

Save import?

When I saw that shot of Shepard I teared up a little. Holiday 2011 can't come soon enough.

Awesome. I have a PS3 so Im gonna have 2 mass Effects to play next year.

Though Im thinking that with so many good games coming November 2011, some might be delayed.

And I think Mass Effect is more likely to get delayed to January 2012 or something.

Can't wait! :)

@marciosmg

No it won't. If anything, others games might move backwards or forwards because of ME3. Glad you'll be able to play the games.

@Bubbameister33
Thanks, but the reason I think ME2 will be delayed was so that it wouldnt compete with Skyrim.

After all, its been 4 years since the last Elder Scrolls and not even one since ME2.

But you could be right.

Either way, Im getting both. :)

@marciosmg

Hm, I don't really envision the two games competing all that much. Most hot releases don't pull a Red Dead Redemption and straight up wreck everybody else's sales.

@marciosmg

Skyrim would get delayed over ME3.

Well that completely settles my decision for the PS3 version now.

@ShadowXIII downvote spam

I never new how insulting it could be just merely *mentioning* a console...hang on I'll try a fanboy politically correct statement since apparently there is so many sensitive readers:

Gee! I can't wait to get the ME2 version that isn't out yet so I can play on my region free console system...ya know, since I travel all over the world usually and can't play games if they are locked in regions across the four winds.

Its not *that* serious, so I stopped playing my 360...maybe I have reasons?

@ShadowXIII

Lol you show frustration at the down-voting yet have no logic for your own empty statements fanboyish statements. "Well that completely settles my decision for the PS3 version now," you say. For what? Who cares?

I personally give 2 shxts WHAT system you folks play it on, NONE of it pertains to ME3 and there is NO humor or anything in your comment.

"Blah blah my Xbox...Blah blah something ps3."

(forgot to write) At least attempt to write something funny/ interesting/ informative, if you're going to stray away from the post topic completely.

@Negatron

Empty and fanboy(ish) from that?...you have pretty strange logic.

....and that's all the attention I'm giving you.

oooh.... then i don't have to send my xbox360 for repairs..... :D

@mocax

Why in the hell did you get downvoted for this? Truth be told, the writing is on the wall for mine too.

Yes. Now i will most surly migrate ME from xbox to PS3. As i lost all my saves and characters from ME and ME2 on xbox.

There are some vengeful fanboys downvoting all PS3 positive comments on this thread. Lots of hate and tears and frustration behind every downvote clicked. We need some loving christmas spirit in here fast!

@Pure Black World Tendency

i just downvoted you so hard.

jk :P

I anticipate some loony possible endings for ME3! What if Earth is doomed and only some escape? What if Shepard allies with the Reapers!? What if Shepard just gives up to go join a Hanar colony and forget all the universe's troubles!? What if he loses to a bunch of Elcor in a game of strip poker and is too ashamed to save Earth!???!!

oh
my
gat

@MarkezJM

Or a Scooby Doo ending. It was Conrad Verner along. Trying to get rid of everyone in the galaxy so he could play pirate ship by himself.

@Bubbameister33

Or a Fight Club ending. The Reapers are Shephard's subconscious alter-ego.

@MarkezJM

Or an Inception ending. Shepard might not have actually been revived and might be, in fact, floating through space in a coma, with ME2 and ME3 just being dreams.

Wow that'd be lame.

@ipsum

Or better yet, everything that happened after the first marker knocked Shepard unconscious was a dream.

@MarkezJM

What if BioWare has decided to abandon the trilogy model and releases a new Mass Effect for each Reaper Shepard has to defeat?

By the end of the series she could have an army of former love interests, if nothing else.

@ipsum
Or The Mist(the film) ending, where Sheppard, mercy kills the whole crew because they can't escape seconds before their would be salvation rolls by.

*wonders how many more movie endings we can ruin*

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Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3 launching on PC, PS3 and 360 simultaneously

Reader Comments (83)

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:29AM Whippy Hippy said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:57AM IronSnowman said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:31AM PedoJokerBear said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:03AM sammo21 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:44AM Negatron said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:47AM PedoJokerBear said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:54AM blueskyv201 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 11:07AM Barron said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 11:24AM TheDarkWayne said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 11:48AM jmood88 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 12:30PM 343 Guilty Fart said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 12:35PM Robborboy said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 1:07PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 4:13PM blueskyv201 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 5:26PM MarkezJM said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 7:02PM TheDarkWayne said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 7:07PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 8:16PM blueskyv201 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 8:33PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Dec 14th 2010 1:58AM D4rk 0p3rative said

Posted: Dec 14th 2010 4:20PM blueskyv201 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:32AM bargaingamer said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:41AM theangryheretic said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:32AM Leetninja muffin said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:59AM Hunter141072 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:33AM Nikkinik said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:34AM Sharuk said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:34AM marciosmg said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:44AM Bubbameister33 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 1:45PM marciosmg said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 3:53PM ouijedanse said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:00PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:34AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:36AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:53AM Negatron said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:56AM Negatron said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 11:41AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:41AM mocax said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:08AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:44AM DokiDokiBawanga said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:35AM Pure Black World Tendency said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 7:20PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:46AM MarkezJM said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 9:56AM Bubbameister33 said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 11:19AM A Sandwich said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 1:27PM ipsum said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 2:30PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 3:45PM ouijedanse said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 4:15PM Batzarro The worlds WOrst Detect said

Posted: Dec 13th 2010 10:52PM ipsum said

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