PS3 Mass Effect 2 demo announced

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 13 December, 2010

Download it next week.

A demo of the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 will be released on the European PlayStation Network on 22nd December, EA has announced.

EA failed to mention the content of the demo. We're checking now.

Mass Effect 2 PS3 will launch in Europe on 21st January – a year after the release of the Xbox 360 version.

The PS3 version features a raft of bonus content, including an interactive comic designed to help bridge the storylines of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Choices made while interacting with the comic carry over into your Mass Effect 2 adventure.

Also included is all the previously released downloadable content: Lair of the Shadow Broker, Project Overlord, Kasumi: Stolen Memory and the Blood Dragon Armour.

The Zaeed and Firewalker content will also be accessible through the Cerberus Network.

Last month creator BioWare excited PS3 owners when it assured them that Mass Effect 2 on Sony's console will be "as good, if not better than the Xbox version".

"Oftentimes when you go to the PS3 you see stuff like down-ressing and using a smaller than 720p resolution to try and get back some of the framerate," producer Jess Huston told the Official PlayStation Magazine (according to a post on said.

"We haven't done that. We really wanted to try to make it as good, if not better than the Xbox version."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Jazzy_Geoff #1 1 year ago

    welcome to last year's news PS3 losers

  • Bahumet #2 1 year ago

    I reckon the PS3 users are in for a treat with ME2. Played it on the 360 although never actually finished it and didn't bother with the dlc but I'm considering buying this ps3 'goty' edition. Good news about the demo though!

  • Dave52 #3 1 year ago

    So much cool stuff coming for the PS3 next year - I'm really looking forward to this...!

  • HisDudness #4 1 year ago

    Smart.

  • cianchristopher #5 1 year ago

    Nice one, Geoffrey!

    But, fair play to BioWare for getting this out, hopefullyit won't be a Bayonetta-style job on the conversion (though, just for the 5 mins of lulz, it'd be kinda funny if it was a joke of a port - not really, though)

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #6 1 year ago

    All the dlc included is pretty sweet deal, will be trying the demo first though.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #7 1 year ago

    @cianchristopher
    Bioware have already said it runs better than the 360 version.
    Edited by GamesProgrammer at 13/12/10 @ 12:22

  • reelbigkris #8 1 year ago

    I completed Mass effect 2 in about 2 or 3 days by rushing through it like a mad man at launch. The only trailer I saw for the PS3 version had a very smooth framerate and I am curious if this is going to be the superior version.

    I'd like some sort of confirmation of price however. I don't think I can bring myself to fork out £40 for this on the PS3, the sweet price range will be about £20 - £25 for me.

  • NotSoSlim #9 1 year ago

    Shock horror first post is from a moron

    Good news on demo, I want to play the third one on ps3 so despite finishing this on 360 it will get another playthrough but as a evil shepard :)

  • PseudoDuck #10 1 year ago

    I may get the demo, if only to see if it controls that much differently from the 360 version.

    Also, the extras on the PS3 one have me interested. I haven't bought any DLC for ME2 (still got the free Cerberus stuff to get through) so I may end up buying the PS3 version to save my MS Points...

    It's curious that while the PS3 gets this Complete ME2, the 360 isn't getting a GOTY edition with another disk of all the DLC. Why would they not take this opportunity to try to rake in a little bit more cash?

  • Dave52 #11 1 year ago

    @reelbigkris - If you wait a few months, I'm sure the price will drop down to around £25. I'm expecting this to be the full £35-£40 at launch though...

  • Dave_McCoy #12 1 year ago

    Another bonus for the PS3 users is they have less than a year to wait til the conclusion too. It's been a long time for me. Glad more people are getting a chance to play a great game.

  • dadrester #13 1 year ago

    i bought a 360 just for this (and since i played it i've only bought chime, trials hd and a handful of indies). i feel like i ought to get it and replay but i don't think it would feel right if my Shepard weren't exactly the same (not just in looks).

    absolutely LOVED it.

  • Triggerhappytel #14 1 year ago

    Awesome. We may have had to wait a year to get this (and no ME1 is still a bit of a kicker), but EA and Bioware are pulling out all the stops to give the PS3 a great conversion. Thus, it would.be rude of me to not reward them with 40 of my hard earned pounds sterling. :)
    Edited by Triggerhappytel at 14/12/10 @ 00:08

  • Markitron #15 1 year ago

    I dont see how ye can sell this game on a demo, its just so expansive. For anyone on the fence thats likely to be swayed by a demo; Just buy the game.You wont regret it.

  • lucky_jim #16 1 year ago

    "welcome to last year's news PS3 losers"

    When I read stuff like that on here, I feel ashamed to be a 360 owner. No, scratch that, it makes me feel ashamed to be a gamer. What a deeply, profoundly, pathetic comment.

  • thedgam #17 1 year ago

    Welcome to new year's news PS3 winners!

  • TopKatt #18 1 year ago

    I've got a feeling that Geoff wasn't being entirely serious with his opening comment.

    Anyway, this is good news, I've played ME2 on the PC and have been thinking about getting it again on the PS3, this demo is gonna help to make up my mind. The only question that remains then is whether I should make my Shepard a lady this time and lez it up with Miranda.

  • Chupakun #19 1 year ago

    Oh. And here I was about to ask for Mass Effect 2 on the swapsies thread. Ta, BioWare!

  • drumbaby #20 1 year ago

    See, this is how you thank (if that's what they're doing) the PS3 gamers who initially missed out on the first game but who were patient enough to wait for the series to finally come to their console. Give them extras, stuff to bridge the gap between 1st and 2nd game, and add a lovely dollop of polish.

    Now compare this with Capcom's handling of the bringing of the Dead Rising franchise to PS3. Perhaps another way to compete with Western devs in future, Capcom?

  • Chupakun #21 1 year ago

    @TheDriffter: I agree with Resi 5 and DMC4 going down the crapper but I doubt that a multiplatform strategy is to blame. The design decisions taken with both products are platform-agnostic. Now, if you want to talk about attempted Westernisation, that's a topic we could have a stab at!

  • RelaxedMikki #22 1 year ago

    @TopKatt

    You can get it on with Miranda as a female Shepherd?!

    Holy Moly! To think my lady Shepherd was too busy saving the universe and being unsure about Cerebus' motives to even realise.

    About time for a replay, I think!

  • Quint2020 #23 1 year ago

    I can't decide if this is a big blow for MS or not?

    Either way great news for PS3 owners (shame the first one isn't coming to the platform!), bloody fantastic games.

  • TopKatt #24 1 year ago

    @RelaxedMikki

    I'm not sure but I intend to find out.

  • Widge #25 1 year ago

    JazzyJeff ur doucheness is legendary

  • RexRunti #26 1 year ago

    Sorry everyone, but Miranda is straight. Yeoman Kelly Chambers is a very dirty girl however and Liara is bisexual like all assari (and won't fry your brain if you sleep with her).

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #27 1 year ago

    Blocked TSB is Blocked :)

  • Vanmunt #28 1 year ago

    This site is going to the dogs.. so many asswipes, every thread ruined by fanbois.

  • GamesConnoisseur #29 1 year ago

    Man!

    Just enjoy the damned excellent game! I mean even SDF would concede that if Uncharted series could ever be enjoyed by non PS3 owners, it would be a massive bonus for the franchise.

    I have nothing against getting Mass Effect the wider recognition its deserves as EA is a bit disappointed that the sales arent matching COD or Halo lofty height... yet!

    SELL like hot cakes and get the publishers salivating at the quality production of the game and try to emulate it, just dont try fob off the also non-exclusive FFXIII on us, however much eye candy it was... just far too linear and also having too much of a low expectations of gamers for me.

    Great for one play through but that it... whereas I m pondering seriously getting PS3 version for Nth playthrough and also thinking of lezzing it up with a dark femshep!

  • Petulant_Radish #30 1 year ago

    I like electronic boxes, but my box is much better than your box. Or your mums.

    Mass Effect is jolly good though, have fun and enjoy if you haven't already played it.

  • Badassbab #31 1 year ago

    I'm one of the few people that prefers ME1. I liked the RPGness of it. ME2 became more TPS. Also nothing for me comes close to the Reaper story in ME1.

    The demo will be interesting. We keep hearing from developers how the PS3 version won't be inferior or superior (Ghostbusters- for example) but when lead on 360 results always favour the MS console. Of course when lead on PS3 results are much better but this game has been lead on 360 plus it's UE3 which is virtually always better on the Xbox. Can't see why it would be any different this time around.

  • onyxbox #32 1 year ago

    i thoroughly enjoyed this game when it came out and anyone who owns a PS3 and hasn't played it should check it out. I'm almost tempted to get it again on PS3 but I think I'll just hang onto the 360 version an perhaps play it again when the PS3 version comes out.

  • NeoKenzi #33 1 year ago

    Great News... I have it on 360 but I will get it on PS3 too... I love this game!

  • smithdown #34 1 year ago

    I bought ME2 quite recently (£12 - thanks Zavvi!) and I am LOVING it! 13 hours in, I've recruited just 3 members to my squad and have spent most of those happy hours scouring the universe for minerals and reading the excellent codex entries. The sheer imagination in this game is phenomenal! I shall definitely be getting the DLC when I can, though part of me just wants to run out and buy it all on the PS3 when it's released. Brilliant news for gamers!

    As for the muppets and monkeys arguing over brand-loyalty to giant multi-nationals - do you idiots really think MS or Sony give a flying toss that you are so blindly devoted to their electric boxes?

  • reelbigkris #35 1 year ago

    We all know that the greatest fanboy war was fought a decade ago. Those were harsh times, money was scarce, games were expensive and there was a physical battleground which we had to traverse to support our console of choice. That's right, the school playground. There was no hiding behind internet handles/screen names... That was the real mans console war, not this online tomfoolery that happens with all these young whipper snappers

    Oh, and by the way... I was a megadrive guy myself :)

  • Dizzy #36 1 year ago

    "I'm one of the few people that prefers ME1. I liked the RPGness of it. ME2 became more TPS. Also nothing for me comes close to the Reaper story in ME1. "

    True ME1 is superior story wise... but that is to be expected as part one. Usually the middle part of a trilogy is as a setup to part 3. I expect a great finale.

  • TopKatt #37 1 year ago

    @reelbigkriss

    Yep, I was a Megadrive man as well. I don't care what anyone says, we had the best version of Street Fighter 2!

  • FogHeart #38 1 year ago

    There are two kinds of console exclusive:

    "Hi, we are from . We'd like to fund you while you develop a game for us, we might make it a franchise, what do you say?"

    and

    "Hi, we are from . We notice you plan to release a multiplatform title in one of your franchises soon. If we pay you a large sum of money, can you forget that our rival exists for a while?"

    The latter is ignoble and doesn't further the cause of any gamer. The true console exclusives represented in the former provide a yardstick in quality against which exclusives on the other platform must measure against and try to outdo, thus games keep improving.

    It's hardly worthwhile to boast that your console manufacturer is capable of throwing a bung at a software house.

  • karooo #39 1 year ago

    @jazzy_geoff

    ME3 is PS3 day 1

    Stop being such a douche

  • Soton4084 #40 1 year ago

    Can't wait for the demo!

  • NotSoSlim #41 1 year ago

    Bioware have a good track record with PS3 hence people not really worried about the conversion. Dragon Age being the example I am using, also think Bioware love the fact all consoles have a hard drive

    On a side note TSB is a douche, hate puppet fanboys. Be a fanboy but talk sense

  • funkateer #42 1 year ago

    I got ME2 for PC, but I found that playing on PC is just not for me anymore, lacking the big screen and audio setup in the living room and all... So not having finished it yet, it's great news it's coming to PS3, finally!

  • jackdoe #43 1 year ago

    Interesting that they are releasing a demo off the bat and not six months after release when it won't help sales. They need to generate interest somehow as historically, year late releases don't do as well as a simultaneous release would.

    Because of this, I guess the theory that MS gave EA PC publishing rights for ME1 in exchange for a year of console exclusivity for ME2 holds water. Unless there were some other stipulation in the contract between Bioware and MS regarding ME1. Because there is NO DOUBT in my mind that if EA and Bioware had a choice the PS3 version would have launched with the PC and 360 versions (hell, if they were able, they would have brought over the first game years ago)! They would have only needed one marketing push then, AND they wouldn't have lost out on potential DLC sales on the PS3.
    Edited by jackdoe at 13/12/10 @ 21:47

  • Dr.Frappers #44 1 year ago

    I am an Xbox 360 player that doesn't own a PS3.
    I say it now..I hope the PS3 version of ME2 is better than the 360 version in order that everyone can wow at this awesome magical game - the best game franchise of this generation!

    PS3 owners - don't listen to the daft fanboys - ME is sheer quality and Bioware will make it good.

    Edit for spelling errors.
    Edited by Dr.Frappers at 13/12/10 @ 21:54

  • JamieR #45 1 year ago

    I have the 360 version but will try the demo to see if it is any better but I think since you can continue your game from the first game on to the 2nd on the 360 I am glad I have the 360 version.

  • onyxbox #46 1 year ago

    I genuinely would like to see a DF analysis on the demo.

  • nova82 #47 1 year ago

    "I genuinely would like to see a DF analysis on the demo. "

    I would like to see a DF analysis on the retail.Since most of the times demos don't represent the 100% of the final quality

  • Badassbab #48 1 year ago

    I'm looking forward to the H2H on this one. According to IGN (who I think are shit for H2H) the PS3 version looks better but I will wait for DF analysis. But PS3 does have Blu Ray so the pre rendered cut scenes should look better and the game should sound better.