Mass Effect 3 pre-order bonuses barge in, guns blazing

by Ben Gilbert on Jan 4th 2012 10:33AM

If you pre-order Mass Effect 3 just about anywhere, you'll get the M55 Argus Assault Rifle for free. In addition to that weapon, you can get even more in-game swag should you drop some reservation bucks at GameStop (N7 Warfare Gear) or EA's own Origin online store (an AT12 Raider shotgun).

Care to take a look at the pre-order stuff in action? We've got a vid above and another below the break, and they're both full of space bullets.

Mass Effect 3 (1/4/12)

Source: BioWare forums

Tags: bioware, ea, ea-bioware, electronic-arts, gamestop, kinect, mass-effect-3, microsoft, origin, pc, playstation, pre-order, ps3, xbox

Reader Comments (62)

I'm tempted to order (just to get it out of the way) but these deals often get sweeter due to competition, so it's best to wait closer to the cut-off date.

Pre-order items often seem to become obsolete very quickly. But I guess I'm gonna buy the game anyway, so...

@Boomzilla I agree

@Boomzilla
I don't think i ever used any of the ME2 Pre-Order items for more than looks (assault rifle) the rest you could replace like instantly if you had a decent ME1 save game.

Which imo is the right thing for them to do, those things shouldn't ever be for more than a head start.

Thankfully when you buy the PC version there's usually a way to get all this pre-order bullshit for free. I'm not giving GameStop money for a gun I'll barely use in the campaign.

I'm hoping that just because they didn't announce any Steam preorder bonuses doesn't mean that it won't be on Steam...

@Ospov did they ever update Mass Effect 1 on steam so it works with Panic in the Sky?

@Ospov

It's not going to be on Steam... this is EA we're talking about, think logically.

@Gibbeynator

Well I was hoping EA would get its head out of its ass before ME3 shipped, but what are the odds of that actually happening?

@Ospov

You have a better chance of Activision taking a year off of Call of Duty than EA admitting they were wrong to abandon Steam.

@(Unverified) It takes a crap load of effort, but you can get it to work if you contact customer support. They don't advertise the method of doing so, so you're kind of on your own.

Where did I leave my eye-patch and peg-leg...it's been so long...

@Ospov

Actually, that's exactly what it means.

ME3 is two months out now.

I suppose it could come to STEAM after it's release. but that's not what people want. And it's unlikely. EA would rather push Orign.

I just want to know what's gonna be in the limited edition. And why didn't they make an actual art book for ME2 and ME3 like they did for ME1?? I wouldn't mind plopping $20-$30 on one.

You'll like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Mass-Effect-Universe-Various/dp/1595827684/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325692347&sr=8-1

@StarcasM

I was wondering the same thing, and I dug this link up:

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/mass-effect-3-collectors-edition-content-revealed-2011069/

I don't know if it's still accurate, but the $80 price tag seems to buck the trend of current collector's editions

@StarcasM
http://masseffect.bioware.com/me3/game/collectors/
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Mass-Effect-Universe-Various/dp/1595827684/ref=pd_sim_vg_2

@StarcasM
Let's see if I remember right. The N7 fabric patch, 60 ph art book, steel case featuring male and female CBS. Shep., alternative squad appearance, some arsenal pack, lithograph print of the Normandy and digital in game soundtrack. I think that's it and it's 80!!!! also it isn't available at GameStop anymore for xb360. Just a fyi. Yesterday was apparently the last day (I really wish they would email us telling us it was the last day)

My preorder decision usually is based on where it's most convenient for me to pick it up. I've never really cared for in-game preorder bonuses, I prefer something tangible.

@The Tim

I'm the opposite, personally. I don't need any more cheap plastic gewgaws cluttering up my house, but being able to change to look of a character that's going to take up 20% of my screen for 40 hours seems way more appealing.

@baby sea tuna

I moved into a bigger house this year, so bring on the chintzy plastic junk!

I wonder if that's Clint Mansell's music we're hearing.

@Korbie

I was wondering the same thing. Doesn't really sound like his style though.

Pre-order bonuses, another reason to hate the game industry.

The Gamestop Uber armor sounds tempting, but I'm still going with Amazon.

Free shipping, no sales tax, and $30 credit from buying other games being the main reasons.

Digital pre-order bonuses suck.

Happy I pre-order ad Gamestop :)

why is it that the N7 edition doesn't include an Assault Rifle :'(?

personally i find the pre-order stuff to pretty meh, hell the pre-order stuff for ME2 was pretty meh, though i am getting the N7 CE so i'm going to be rolling in weapons so i shouldn't complain to much though i do wish they had an N7 assault rifle include with the weapons you get with N7 CE, but other than that i will be happy when i get it on launch

but boomzilla is right pre-order weapons usually do start to suck once you starting getting the good in game weapons, but i think that the hole point of pre-order weapons is that they are atleast better in some way then the starting weapons you get,

Ive started a petition. Tell the ESA to stop supporting SOPA!

http://www.change.org/petitions/entertainment-software-association-stop-supporting-the-stop-online-piracy-act-2

Anyone else have issues with pre order bonuses at best buy? I got saints row 3 from there and was told I'd be emailed a code for the bonuses. Never gave them my email, but they said it was on file. Needless to say I never got the code and now I'm sad I can't shoot octopi at peoples faces.

I wish gamers, as a whole, would just boycott this pre-order sh!t to finally make it stop.

Not holding my breath though...

@ShadowXIII Just think of preordering as layaway for games. If you're going to buy the game anyways why not just put $5 on it before it comes out.

@GeraltRivia It encourages developers to cut content from the game and slice it up as thinly as possible for pre-order bonuses, then charge more for the inevitable pre-order DLC.

@Tinkus I'm just waiting for the point where most games are 'episodic content'.

You pay full price for a game, then have to pay yet again to unlock the rest of it over time.

Really though...this stuff is getting kinda ridiculous...we gotta draw the line somewhere right?

@ShadowXIII

I have never pre-ordered a game, and never will. It's not like they're going to run out; it's not in any company's interest to run out of a product that's in demand. They just want people to pre-order so they don't change their minds, and so they feel compelled to buy from whatever store offers the best bonus. It's manipulative, and it only works because people are dumb enough to fall for it.

We have the power to stop this, by voting with our wallets...but when was the last time consumers actually stood up for themselves?

@Tinkus

+1

I like the way you think.

@Tinkus

I've been saying this for years. Same with the trend of removing dedicated servers from shooters, just so you'd HAVE to buy their $15 map packs, with the MP dying somewhere around 1 month or 2, that way you'd have to buy the next $60 stinker a few months down the line, rather than having a sustainable, fun community to play with, and admins that get rid of cheaters and the like.

Still, the average gamer is a fratboy with too much money thanks to his parents, or an over pampered teenager with access to his parents' credit card. They're not exactly on the bright side, and thanks to them, we all get screwed, be it with Day 1 DLC (a big reason I never purchased Dragon Age 2), or some wacky DRM for us PC users, all in the name of "fighting pirates", when really it's so they can make extra money selling your information to companies.

(you gonna finish that Walkin quote of a title there? {{salivates}} You mind if I ahh.. {{reaches over}} *ahem*)
"..And STEals (Walkinpause) my narCAtics."
...ahthankyou.

So, if I order the Collector's Edition, I still get everything, right?

@mondeca You'd think that, wouldn't you... Shame this is EA we're talking about here.

I'm just going to pirate the game and get all the DLC that way.

I'm such a sucker for anything Mass Effect.

@Wise Men
Me too. Now to start preordering this game and Bioshock!

@Wise Men

So am I. That's why this article makes me cry, because this means I'm going to have to spend hours upon hours trying to find a generous soul on the internet who is willing to give me the other pre order bonus for free, just like I did for ME2...

Get out of here digital preorder bonuses!
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn289/Lurkero/Mass_Effect_Push-small.gif

I want t-shirts, art books, and things I can touch!

@Lerkero

PS, I know collector's editions usually have that kind of stuff, but they don't always have the best price for the stuff you get. The Mass Effect collector's edition seems okay.

@Ostentaneous

I pre-ordered Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 from Best Buy this fall and it was a disaster. It didn't even arrive at the store so I made them ship it to me for free but I wasted 2 trips to the store, and over an hour getting it fixed. Then they messed up the preorder code and I had to go back a third time to get it fixed.

(And yes, I know I should have just gotten it on Amazon but I was trying to use a gift card from my birthday.)

It always seems to me that Amazon has the best preorder bonuses... $1 Release Date delivery and tax-free ordering. Couldn't ask for better ones when you're a lazy, cheap bastard like me.

@Boomaga

You call it lazy cheap bastard...I call it smart.

And a minimum $10 credit you can use to buy every damn DLC released (plus amazons crappy armor DLC). I dont get why people dont do Amazon, dont they understand that the preorder DLC usually becomes available for purchase and that credit will easily pay for all of it? And if it doesnt that credit will still pay for a major DLC package later. Imagine getting Lair of the Shadow Broker as preorder DLC.

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Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3 pre-order bonuses barge in, guns blazing

Mass Effect 3 (1/4/12)

Reader Comments (62)

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:38AM IRONSAM said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:40AM Boomzilla said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:02AM sammo21 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 12:43PM LordSkyline said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:41AM Alex Trebek said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:45AM Ospov said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:54AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:00AM Gibbeynator said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:18AM Ospov said

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Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:33AM Darklink2009 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 12:33PM Nmaster64 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 3:59PM Draugdraugr said

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Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:52AM Korbie said

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Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:53AM Major Pyr0 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 4:27PM ShinnyMetal said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:49AM The Tim said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:05AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:08AM The Tim said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 10:51AM Korbie said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:32AM Vcize said

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Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:20AM iceytoa1 said

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Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:39AM Ostentaneous said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:40AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:58AM GeraltRivia said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 1:10PM Tinkus said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 1:27PM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 2:11PM Spacegrass said

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Posted: Jan 4th 2012 8:11PM ShivanSwordsman said

Posted: Jan 4th 2012 11:48AM TimeDoesNotExist said

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