Bioware and Electronic Arts are pulling out all the stops for the release of the science fiction action role-playing game Mass Effect 3, which is due to be released in North America on Tuesday, March 6th.  In addition to weekly progress videos posted on YouTube, Bioware has created a trailer for the new game that has received nearly a million views in less than four days.  Members of the game’s production team have made heavy use of Twitter and other forms of social media to keep fans informed about some of the features of the new game, and EA even put copies of the game in weather balloons that were launched into space last month equipped with tracking devices that allow fans to track their progress.  Most of the balloons have landed giving those who find them the ability to snag a copy of the game before its release. 

 

Mass Effect 3 will chronicle the final chapter in the saga of Commander Shepard, the protagonist of the series who is attempting to save our galaxy from the Reapers by get the often-fractious civilizations of the Milky Way to work together against a common foe.  One major change in Mass Effect 3 is that gamers can utilize the traditional male Commander Shepard or a new female Shepard character that fans chose from a host of alternative character designs that were posted on Facebook.

 

While Mass Effect 3 will likely generate sales similar to the release of a blockbuster film this week (EA has provided those who pre-order with all sorts of cool incentives), the game should also boost sales of the Mass Effect comic book series from Dark Horse (see “EA, Dark Horse Team Up for Mass Effect”) and other related merchandise.  In fact that sales effect has already taken place.  Sources at Dark Horse have informed ICv2 that the 25,000 copy first print run of the Art of the Mass Effect Universe, a sumptuous $39.99 hardcover art book, which was just released on February 21st is already sold out and that the volume heading back for a second printing.