Mass Effect: Andromeda Goes Gold Ahead Of Release Next Month

BioWare’s highly anticipated sci-fi RPG Mass Effect: Andromeda has gone gold ahead of its scheduled release next month, meaning initial development has finally wrapped and the game is ready to start being mass produced. Assuming no day one patch is required – which is a rarity in this day and age – the code present on BioWare’s master copy of Andromeda is what you’ll be getting come March.

Mass Effect: Andromeda has gone gold. pic.twitter.com/bNKIKNuErA

— BioWare (@bioware) February 24, 2017

In order to ramp up anticipation for the title, a new Andromeda Initiative video has been released, which provides an overview of all the combat abilities the player’s own Pathfinder will have access to, including firearms, biotic powers and melee weapons. The two former categories will be immediately familiar to anyone who’s spent any time at all with the original Mass Effect trilogy (albeit they look considerably flashier here), but Andromeda marks the first time that BioWare has placed specific emphasis on melee combat.

Mass Effect: Andromeda releases for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on March 21, with a 10-hour early access period available for all Origin/EA Access members five days early on March 16. If PS4 is the only platform you own, you’ll unfortunately have to wait until the official release date, as EA has yet to bring the service to Sony’s console.

Lastly, in case you missed the windfall of new Andromeda-related news earlier this week, BioWare announced yesterday that Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer has joined the voice cast of the RPG, and will play an Asari doctor taking up residence aboard The Tempest. See here for the full story.