First Mass Effect 3 space trips end up in the trees

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It sounded like a good idea at the time. Developer BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts wanted to give a few fans a chance to get the long awaited sci-fi RPG Mass Effect 3 earlier than its scheduled March 6 release date.

The plan? Launch copies of the game into "space" via a high altitude balloon in several locations around the world. Fans could track the balloons' progress on the Mass Effect web site and if they were the first to retrieve the balloon when it landed they could keep the game.

Those plans got off to a shaky start on Thursday when EA released two balloons with copies of Mass Effect 3 from San Francisco. As reported by G4TV.com, the balloons made landfall later on Thursday in two rural and awkward locations south of the city. One landed in the high branches of a redwood tree while the other is reportedly on an inaccessible cliff.

BioWare was clearly afraid someone might try to get the Mass Effect 3 copies at the expense of their own lives. In a Twitter message from BioWare's David Silverman, he stated, "Balloon 1 is on a cliff somewhere or on top of a Redwood. Please do not kill yourself for these."

Today, another balloon took off from Las Vegas and has apparently landed somewhere in the desert south of the city. The official Mass Effect Twitter page has been keeping track and as of the writing of this post it looks like this package will in fact be retrieved by someone.

Tomorrow, two balloons with a Mass Effect 3 game package will launch in New York City, followed by two more from London on Monday and another two balloons in Berlin on Wednesday.

Posted:

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/first-mass-effect-3-space-trips-end-up-in-the-trees

Comments

"First Mass Effect 3 space trips end up in the trees" :: Login/Create an Account :: 33 comments

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xAVxPosted:

sounds cool wouldnt mind gettn 1 to bad i dont live near those cities...

MightyMitchPosted:

xsuperxsmashx Bioware are a bunch of ******, only did it that way so they get publicity for the game. They will sell millions of copies yet they only release 2 copies from each city ?? thats just lame and the first 2 copies are already unreachable hmmmmmmmmmm.


Right...complain that they aren't giving out more free games b/c you wont get one. Makes sense.

Hollowed_FearPosted:

I wonder if they ever considered Model Rockets, joking. This was a really cool idea, too bad that they're so hard to get to though...

suckit206Posted:

I don't understand why some of you are hating on this idea and calling it a failure. Personally, I've never heard of a video game company doing this, and I'm too lazy to research it right now, so I'm going to say that this is the first time this has been done. And of course, with any first time idea/projects, difficulties and problems will occur. It was a great idea, and hopefully if something similar to this is going to be done again, I hope they do it in more locations. I live in the center of the U.S. so it's impossible for me to get a copy of it, or even SEE what's going on without having to travel out of my way. If they'd send them higher, or provide official video feed, I wouldn't mind because I'd at least be able to see it. Also, if this were to be done again, they'll probably do more planning to ensure one doesn't get stuck in a tree, or on a cliff again. :(

xsuperxsmashxPosted:

Bioware are a bunch of ******, only did it that way so they get publicity for the game. They will sell millions of copies yet they only release 2 copies from each city ?? thats just lame and the first 2 copies are already unreachable hmmmmmmmmmm.

AntPosted:

I guess Chuck Norris has two copies now.

(I know, I know. Bad joke...)

ClovrPosted:

it was still an amazing idea, i would climb a cliff for a copy. :P

RazgreezWolfPosted:

I don't care how bad it fails, it was still an awesome idea

Props to BioWare

ThePredaZorPosted:

Why not release one in Canada.. that's stupid.

TheBrownGuyPosted:

They should have done more in other areas!!