Mass Effect is a science fiction media franchise set in an alternate universe in the 3rd millennium developed by the Canadian video game company BioWare. Composed of multi-platform video games and associated media, the core of the franchise is an eponymous trilogy of action role-playing third-person shooter video games, released between 2007 and 2012, which follow Commander Shepard's mission to save the galaxy from a race of mechanical beings known as the Reapers. A fourth main series game, Mass Effect: Andromeda , was released in 2017. The Mass Effect franchise also includes three mobile games, each with a different gameplay style; seven novels, some written by BioWare writers and some by science fiction authors; four art books; ten comic book series or mini-comics and their anthologies; a coloring book; an animated film; a 3D theme park ride; and eleven soundtrack albums or singles.
The video games have had high sales, with the last major game of the original trilogy, Mass Effect 3, shipping over 3.5 million copies in its first week of release. [1] Reception of other media in the franchise has been mixed: the comics, such as Mass Effect: Redemption , have been praised for their writing, and novels such as Mass Effect: Revelation have been recommended to fans of the games; but Mass Effect: Deception was derided as inconsistent with the main trilogy. [2] [3] [4] The first part of the franchise—the first game—was published in 2007, while the latest game was published in 2017 and the latest piece of media in 2018.
Title | Details |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2007 – Xbox 360 [5] 2008 – Microsoft Windows [6] 2012 – PlayStation 3 [7] 2021 – PlayStation 4, Xbox One (Legendary Edition) [8] |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2010 – Microsoft Windows, [14] Xbox 360 [13] 2011 – PlayStation 3 [15] 2021 – PlayStation 4, Xbox One (Legendary Edition) [8] |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2012 – Microsoft Windows, [25] PlayStation 3, [26] Wii U, [27] Xbox 360 [23] 2021 – PlayStation 4, Xbox One (Legendary Edition) [8] |
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Original release date(s): March 21, 2017 [33] | Release years by system: 2017 – Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 [33] |
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2009 – iOS [34] |
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2012 – Android, [36] iOS [35] 2013 – BlackBerry [37] |
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Mass Effect: Datapad Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2012 – iOS [38] |
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Mass Effect: Andromeda APEX HQ Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2017 – iOS, Android [40] |
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Title | Release date | ISBN | Media type | Ref. |
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Mass Effect: Revelation | May 1, 2007 | 978-0-345-49816-8 | Novelization | [41] |
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The Art of Mass Effect | November 20, 2007 | 978-0-7615-5851-4 | Concept art | [42] |
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Mass Effect: Ascension | July 29, 2008 | 978-0-345-49852-6 | Novelization | [43] |
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Mass Effect: Retribution | July 27, 2010 | 978-0-345-52072-2 | Novelization | [44] |
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Mass Effect: Deception | January 31, 2012 | 978-0-345-52073-9 | Novelization | [45] |
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The Art of the Mass Effect Universe | February 8, 2012 | 978-1-59582-768-5 | Concept art | [46] |
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Mass Effect: The Poster Collection | August 12, 2015 | 978-1-61655-742-3 | Concept art | [47] |
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Mass Effect - Andromeda: Nexus Uprising | March 21, 2017 | 978-1-78565-156-4 | Tie-in book to Mass Effect: Andromeda | [48] |
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Mass Effect Adult Coloring Book | March 1, 2017 | 978-1-5067-0287-2 | Coloring book | [49] |
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The Art of Mass Effect: Andromeda | March 21, 2017 | 978-1-5067-0075-5 | Concept art | [50] |
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Mass Effect - Andromeda: Annihilation | November 6, 2017 | 978-1-78565-158-8 | Tie-in book to Mass Effect: Andromeda | [51] |
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Mass Effect - Andromeda: Initiation | November 28, 2017 | 978-1-78565-160-1 | Tie-in book to Mass Effect: Andromeda | [52] |
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The Art of the Mass Effect Trilogy: Expanded Edition | February 23, 2021 | 978-1-5067-2163-7 | Concept art | [53] |
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Title | Release date(s) | Media type | Ref. |
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Mass Effect: Redemption | January 6, 2010—April 7, 2010 | Comic book series | [54] [55] [56] [57] |
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Mass Effect: Incursion | June 21, 2010 | Mini-comic | [59] |
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Mass Effect: Inquisition | October 24, 2010 | Mini-comic | [60] |
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Mass Effect: Evolution | January 19, 2011—April 20, 2011 | Comic book series | [61] [62] [63] [64] |
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Mass Effect: Conviction | September 1, 2011 | Mini-comic | [66] |
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Mass Effect: Invasion | October 19, 2011—January 18, 2012 | Comic book series | [67] [68] [69] [70] |
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Mass Effect: Homeworlds | April 25, 2012—August 29, 2012 | Comic book series | [72] [73] [74] [75] |
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Mass Effect: Blasto - Eternity is Forever | November 7, 2012 | Mini-comic | [77] |
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Mass Effect: He Who Laughs Best | May 4, 2013 | Mini-comic | [78] |
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Mass Effect Library Edition Volume 1 | May 15, 2013 | Anthology | [79] |
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Mass Effect: Foundation | July 24, 2013—July 23, 2014 | Comic book series | [81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] [88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93] |
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Mass Effect Library Edition Volume 2 | May 6, 2015 | Anthology | [97] |
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Mass Effect: Discovery | May 24, 2017—October 25, 2017 | Comic book series | [99] [100] [101] [102] |
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Mass Effect: The Complete Comics | October 21, 2020 | Anthology | [104] |
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Title | Release date | Media type |
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Mass Effect: Paragon Lost | November 29, 2012 | Animation |
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Title | Release date | Media type |
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Mass Effect: New Earth | May 18, 2016 | Theatrical amusement park ride [108] |
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Title | Release date | Release type | Ref. |
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Mass Effect: Original Soundtrack | November 20, 2007 | Album | [109] |
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Mass Effect 2: Original Video Game Score | January 19, 2010 | Album | [110] |
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Mass Effect 2: Atmospheric | September 7, 2010 | Mini-album (digital only) | [111] |
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Mass Effect 2: Combat | October 5, 2010 | Mini-album (digital only) | [112] |
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Mass Effect 2: Kasumi's Stolen Memory | November 30, 2010 | Mini-album (digital only) | [113] |
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Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker | December 14, 2010 | Mini-album (digital only) | [114] |
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Mass Effect 2: Overlord | December 14, 2010 | Mini-album (digital only) | [115] |
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Mass Effect 3: Original Soundtrack | April 24, 2012 | Album | [116] |
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Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut | August 12, 2012 | Mini-album (digital only) | [117] |
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Mass Effect: Paragon Lost Original Motion Picture Score | November 13, 2012 | Album | [118] |
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Mass Effect 3: Citadel | August 8, 2013 | Mini-album (digital only) | [119] |
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Mass Effect Trilogy Vinyl Soundtrack | November 29, 2016 | Box set | [120] |
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