Mass Effect 3 delayed until Q1 2012

By Fred Dutton Published 4 May, 2011

BioWare ensuring it "exceeds expectations".

Mass Effect 3 will be in your hands some time in the first quarter of 2012, not later this year as originally announced, says developer BioWare.

Executive producer Casey Hudson broke the news on the game's Facebook page.

"Mass Effect 3 will be released in the first three months of 2012," read his statement.

"The development team is laser focused on making sure Mass Effect 3 is the biggest, boldest and best game in the series, ensuring that it exceeds everyone's expectations."

Take another look at the new screens posted earlier today to help ease the pain.

BioWare's other announced project, MMO Stars Wars: The Old Republic is scheduled to go live before the end of the year.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (54) Latest comment 1 year ago

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

  • insincere_dave #1 1 year ago

    I. AM. KROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!

  • TheBiGW #2 1 year ago

    This is good, in a way, as the Q4 release schedule is already rammed full of decent games.

  • Yodith #3 1 year ago

    Looks like there will be no shortage of great games at the tail end of this year with Skyrim, Uncharted 3 and Battlefield 3 on the way so I don't mind this being delayed all that much. More time to polish and refine and all that!

  • kinky_mong #4 1 year ago

    Well this will come as a shock to very few people. Just waiting for Skyrim to be delayed and I've won a bet with my friend!

  • MojoDex #5 1 year ago

    won't clash with skyrim now, so i'll live

  • tonixuk #6 1 year ago

    I'm in 2 minds really, Gutted cause I can't wait and pleased with the knowledge that it will be worth waiting for!

  • deadduckz #7 1 year ago

    so theyre going for BEST OF 2012 then? just incase Gears of War 3 is BESt of 2011
    Edited by deadduckz at 04/05/11 @ 20:15

  • vadge1 #8 1 year ago

    yep, happerly play skyrim untill this gets released good news for me!

  • Hindle #9 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 23:04:43 04-04-2012

  • Nevflinn #10 1 year ago

    Thank goodness. Now I can be a little more certain that they'll deliver.

  • Centrifugal #11 1 year ago

    I'm sad and happy at the same time. Sad that I'll have to wait longer to play what will probably be the best game ever, but happy because it won't be the rush job Dragon Age II was.

  • razzastuta #12 1 year ago

    I'm all for this being a Mass Effect fan!

    Plus I don't have to spend as much money in September onwards, what with Uncharted 3, Gears 3, Arkham City and SkyRim all on their way....!

  • BlinkeredAxis #13 1 year ago

    This sort of AAAA title release slip will surprise nobody. All the best devs keep you waiting. And some of the worst, but that's another story.

    The kind of game that makes you struggle for 45 hours and STILL not get to shag the secretary has to be worth waiting for.

  • twoism #14 1 year ago

    As much as I was looking forward to playing ME3 at the end of this year I'm actually relieved that they're showing commitment to making this as good as they can, especially after the disappointment of DA2.

  • Subdominator #15 1 year ago

    It was never announced as a 2011 release. All they said was holiday 2011/2012, which includes early January of 2012. Which is still 1st quarter. And since neither of the other two games (heck, not even the PS3 version) came out during the christmas period chances were pretty slim that it would be out this year. Mass Effect would be destroyed by the Gears, Call of Dutys, Skyrims and Assassins Creeds. Plus NGP launch. There is no money to be made for a game that struggles to sell 2 million copies across all platforms.

  • FreneticZombie #16 1 year ago

    I'm glad it's been delayed, it gives them more time to make a better game

  • Daeltaja #17 1 year ago

    Fecking knew it. Anymore delays and Q4 will start becoming thin. Don't know why companies announce release dates so far in advance without knowing if it will even be ready.

    The next delay will be Skyrim. Mark my words.

  • dingo75 #18 1 year ago

    More time to bring out the ME2 GOTY! ;)

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #19 1 year ago

    I'm actually pleased, as there are too many games out around Christmas as it is! March/April 12 will do for me.

    I always thought it'd slip till January at least.

  • des #20 1 year ago

    meh

    If Skyrim gets delayed,fall 2011=fail...don't give a shit about the rest

  • rainking2020 #21 1 year ago

    I read the delay as EA saying we have to pool ALL teams on to SWTOR, it has to release this year even if it's not ready!!!!!

  • ubergine #22 1 year ago

    Spewing it's delayed, but the game really should have a full two years after all. I reckon the crowded end-of-year and the lessons learned from Dragon Age II led to this.

  • ro-kurorai #23 1 year ago

    2011 is already a great gaming year for PS3/PC owners. 360 players still have Gears 3, Forza 4 and lots of AAA Kinect games.
    So much quality software releasing this year means only good news for ME3 being pushed back to Q1/2012.

    My PC can't wait to run ME3 though, but it probably means better sales for BioWare/EA - the game would've been destroyed by the competition this winter.

    I am an ME fan, but it's true that those games don't really sell by the millions. Thus it's a good thing ME3 doesn't have to compete with this year's heavy hitters.

  • karaokequeen3 #24 1 year ago

    Fair dues - happy to wait a few more months for a quality release. Plenty of stuff to muck around with in the meantime ... (confession: I've not yet unwrapped RDR)

  • peteb #25 1 year ago

    Yea, more time for Skyrim, phew. Unless...Skyrim is delayed too! Dun dun dunnnnnn...
    Edited by peteb at 04/05/11 @ 21:00

  • Ror1984 #26 1 year ago

    I've been waiting for this announcement ever since the "late 2011" announcement. Just as others have said, I'm sure precisely no one is surprised by this. I can wait. Use the time wisely BioWare, make it the best thing you've ever done!

  • Dave_McCoy #27 1 year ago

    I'm mixed too, I was really looking forward to finishing the trilogy but if it needs to be delayed, so be it.

    I'd rather wait a couple of extra months and have something special...fingers crossed.

  • evild_edd #28 1 year ago

    Gutted. Agree there are plenty of releases this year but this my most wanted game (TES = meh)

    As long as it's quality come release, the delay will be forgiven!

  • Stratix #29 1 year ago

    I'm happy with that, I'd rather it was the best it can be. Until then, I'll be playing Skyrim.

  • funkateer #30 1 year ago

    It's ok, take the time you need.
    Even though I thought ME2 was a 9/10 instead of a 10/10 (I thought it was not as polished as it should be for a 10/10 imho, and the obvious cover-shooting design elements became a bit too obvious), it was arguably the best this gen for sci-fi fans like me (together with Fallout 3). This just makes me more confident that Bioware will make sure ME3 will become at least another confident 9/10 and not the slight disappointment DA2 was.

  • Pistonhead #31 1 year ago

    @Fred Dutton & Subdominator:

    Hate to be a stickler, but Jan/Feb/Mar 2012 is not Q1 2012. Q* refers to financial year, not calendar year.

    Seriously though, if the greatest producer of Western RPGs (sorry Bethesda) wants more time to craft more gaming gold, then they can have it.
    Edited by Pistonhead at 04/05/11 @ 21:42

  • ISmoke #32 1 year ago

    Fuck right off...

  • CaptainKid #33 1 year ago

    Good news!
    I was worried it was being rushed like Dragon Age 2.
    And because they are also very busy with Star Wars TOR.

  • TexMurphy01 #34 1 year ago

    Yes, let us all hope the lessons of Dragon Age 2 have been learned.

  • WhiteWolf95 #35 1 year ago

    Sad but not surprised. Glad that they learned their lesson on DAII.

  • RevanNL #36 1 year ago

    Good news, since Q3/Q4 is too crowded.

  • bluem4gic #37 1 year ago

    Was there no doubt? They done this to various games since the release of Mass Effect 2

  • Spiral #38 1 year ago

    Good. They rushed DA2 and fucked that up royally.

  • Mr.DNA #39 1 year ago

    Let's hope that they use the time in order to make an actual RPG for a change.

  • Blazewamp #40 1 year ago

    nooooooozz ah well ill live

  • darkmorgado #41 1 year ago

    Is that Fiscal or Calendar QI?

  • Phishfood #42 1 year ago

    considering the mess that was DA2 its not going to be that hard to exceed my expectations

  • rottingyoda #43 1 year ago

    Skyrim is being mentioned alot in this thread. Sure to be a fine game but if it went head to head with ME3 I would most certainly drop it in favour of the latter.

  • Quixz #44 1 year ago

    This is good new for me, now I can play as much BF3 as I want :D

  • Pistonhead #45 1 year ago

    @darkmorgado

    If Casey Hudson's FB comment is to be taken at face value, then he means Jan, Feb or March.

  • StooMonster #46 1 year ago

    ensuring that it exceeds everyone's expectations

    Well yesterday we all assumed that meant a better game, but today we learn that EA's expectations are that ME3 has a "wider appeal" to the mass market.

    Are the two mutually exclusive?

  • Darren #47 1 year ago

    The delay is disappointing but I'd rather have a polished game than a buggy, unfinished one rushed out pre-Christmas as I'm sure everyone would. Anyway, Skyrim is out in November and assuming that isn't delayed as well (after all, Oblivion didn't exactly meet its original release date either) then that is likely to consume months of my time anyway as the last game did so perhaps it is for the best!

  • TruWari3r #48 1 year ago

    I have no doubt that Skyrim will be out on 11-11-11, and yes am happy with this short delay for ME3. A title I must play but with the stacked holiday season my wallet could use a break.

    August Deus Ex
    September Rage, Gears 3
    October Batman
    November Uncharted 3, Skyrim and Battlefield 3

  • Hieronymus #49 1 year ago

    Something tells me that polishing isn't the only reason, I think they wanted a release date with less competition.

  • fragglerocks #50 1 year ago

    BOOO!

  • Jonny5Alive7 #51 1 year ago

    Which game are they scared of this time? They did the same with ME2.

  • panathatube #52 1 year ago

    After the Dragon Age 2 fiasco they probably understood that ME3 needs a proper development circle not copy paste levels and enemies...

  • jimr9999us #53 1 year ago

    This announcement pretty much guarantees we'll see SW:TOR in November.

    There is no good reason for Bioware to compete with themselves. That said, the other announcement about expanding ME3's mass appeal...well, thank goodness for Bethesda is all I have to say on that.

  • SomaticSense #54 1 year ago

    Heh. Anyone with half a brain would have twigged this was going to happen even when the proposed release date in the teaser flashed up.

    There was no way it was going to be released this year.