Critics Hail Mass Effect 3 as the First Must Have Game of 2012 as EA
and BioWare Ship Over 3.5 Million Units to Retailers Worldwide
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
USA Today proclaims it is "the first true blockbuster game of the
year." Game Informer says BioWare delivers "one of the most
intricately crafted stories in the history of the medium." Already
having earned over 30 perfect scores and an average review score of 95*,
enthusiasm for Mass Effect™ 3, the latest title from BioWare, a
Label of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), is at an all-time high. Over 3.5
million units of the award-winning game have already shipped worldwide
in its first week of release, making Mass Effect 3 the first pop
culture event and the biggest entertainment launch of 2012.
"We have been truly humbled by the amazing response from fans and
critics for Mass Effect 3," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder of
BioWare and General Manager of EA's BioWare Label. "The game is a
gripping, engaging experience where the decisions and choices you make
will truly stay with you for the months and years ahead. We are all
incredibly proud of Casey Hudson and the teams in Edmonton and Montreal
for delivering the best game BioWare has ever made."
Mass Effect 3 was released earlier this week to incredible hype
amidst high expectations. Critics around the world have heaped praise on
the game, awarding it with over 30 perfect scores from a wide variety of
outlets including MSNBC, USA Today, Game Informer, G4TV,
the New York Daily News, Eurogamer (UK), The Guardian, PlayStation:
The Official Magazine (UK), Official Xbox Magazine (UK) and
more. The game has been lauded for delivering both the satisfying
experience longtime fans have been yearning for while also being the
best entry point to the series for players new to the franchise.
GameSpot, who awarded Mass Effect 3 with one of the many Editors'
Choice awards the game has received, declared "whether you possess a
storied history with the series or come in with a clean slate, Mass
Effect 3 expertly entangles you in its universe and inspires you to
care about its future."
Mass Effect 3 thrusts players into an all-out galactic war to
save mankind from an ancient alien race known only as the Reapers.
Players will assume the role of Commander Shepard, a war-torn veteran
who's willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate this nearly
unstoppable foe. With a team of elite soldiers at their side, each
player decides how they will take Earth back, from the weapons and
abilities they utilize to the relationships they forge or break. Mass
Effect 3 also features the Galaxy at War** system, where players
will have the option to fight the galactic war on multiple fronts. The
system includes the franchise debut of co-operative multiplayer, as well
as the latest iOS exclusive app, the cover-based, third-person shooter, Mass
Effect Infiltrator. Progress made in each of these components will
directly link back to the player's main campaign, helping Commander
Shepard rally the forces of the galaxy to eliminate the Reaper threat
once and for all.
The Mass Effect series is one of the most highly decorated series
in the history of games, having earned over 200 international awards to
date. Mass Effect 3 is available now on the Xbox 360® videogame
and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system
and PC. The Mass Effect Infiltrator App is available for $6.99
from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.
For more information on Mass Effect 3, please visit http://masseffect.com,
follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect
or "like" the game on Facebook at http://facebook.com/masseffect.
Press assets for Mass Effect 3 are available at www.info.ea.com.
* According to Metacritic.com on Xbox 360.
** The Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War feature can be activated via the
Online Pass code found in every new copy of Mass Effect 3. The Mass
Effect 3: Galaxy at War feature can be activated via the Online Pass on
Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, or via the PC product code found in every
new copy of Mass Effect 3.
About BioWare
The BioWare Label is a division of EA which crafts high quality
multiplatform role-playing, MMO and strategy games, focused on
emotionally engaging, rich stories with unforgettable characters and
vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the
world's most critically acclaimed titles and franchises, including Baldur's
Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of
the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™, Mass Effect™ and Dragon
Age™. BioWare currently operates in eight locations across the
world, including Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec, Canada),
Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia), San Francisco (California), Los
Angeles (California), Sacramento (California) and Galway (Ireland).
In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global
interactive entertainment publisher. In 2011 EA created the BioWare
Label, alongside EA Games, EA SPORTS™ and EA Play. For more information
on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com,
or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/biofeed.
To join the millions of fans already registered with the BioWare
community, go to http://social.bioware.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) is a global leader in digital interactive
entertainment. The Company's game franchises are offered as both
packaged goods products and online services delivered through
Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and
tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in
75 countries.
In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion.
Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for
critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The
Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield, and Mass
Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.
BioWare, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, and Dragon Age are trademarks of EA
International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. EA SPORTS, The Sims and Need
for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL and
FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with
permission. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft
group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. iPad,
iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the
U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
EA's BioWare Label
Lisa Chan, 650-628-2748
Senior Publicist
lisachan@ea.com
Stephanie
Driscoll, 650-628-7890
PR Coordinator
sdriscoll@ea.com
Andrew
Wong, 650-628-2781
Director of PR
anwong@ea.com
Source: Electronic Arts
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