Bioware have announced that Mass Effect 3 has been put back until “the first three months of 2012”.
Originally pencilled in for a November 3rd release, which recently became a very safe “Holidays 2011”, the concluding part of their epic space adventureis now hovering somewhere above the first quarter of next year.
Whilstno concrete details haveemerged to explainthe change, it’s a safe bet that Bioware have a good reason. Normally quite good at maintaining predicted release dates, it’s likely that Bioware want alittle extra time to polishwhat they hope to be the greatest sci-fi gameevermade. Which is no bad thing.
The first shots have begun to filter through showing Commander Shepard alongside series favourite Liara T’Soni and a noticably beefed-up Kaiden Alenko (yeah, like he’s going to appear in anyone’s save game…), hinting at another reunion of old comrades. And given that Biowareare promising around 1,000 variables dependent on choices made in the 50-odd hours it willhave taken to complete the first two games, it’sunderstandable that they might want afew more months to make sure all those loose ends are tied up.
Of course, it’s got nothing to do with the fact that Winter 2011 will see the release of some of the biggest games of this generation to date. Gears of War 3, Batman: Arkham City andModern Warfare 3 would be enough to deter most developers – but if I had to put my money on any game giving Bioware the creeps this year, it’s a little title from Bethesda set in a palce called Skyrim…
Either way, we won’t be sending the Reapers packing this year – but at least we’ll get a bit more time to enjoy some of the other stellar titles on their way this side of Christmas.
