Gamers will also get access to a number of in-game weapons

Feb 15, 2012 12:32 GMT  ·  By

Video game publisher Electronic Arts has announced that all gamers who pre-order the upcoming Mass Effect 3 via the Origin digital distribution service will now get a free copy of the DICE made first-person shooter Battlefield 3.

Gamers will also get access to the M55 Argus Assault Rifle and the AT12 Raider Shotgun, which were previously announced as bonuses for those who used Origin.

Before players place the order they would be well served by getting the demo of Mass Effect 3, which allows anyone to take a closer look at the experience offered via two missions taken from the early part of the experience.

The move to offer a free copy of Battlefield 3 for a pre-order of Mass Effect 3 via Origin is designed to expand the player base for the Electronic Arts made digital distribution design.

It can also be seen as a cross promotion, trying to get first-person shooter fans to take a shot at the mix between role-playing and third-person action that Mass Effect has offered since the first title in the series.

The offer could also expand the number of players who are engaged in the multiplayer side of Battlefield 3, keeping the game viable in the long term.

Mass Effect 3 tells the final story of Commander Shepard, with players able to control him and his team as he tries to gather all the allies that Earth needs in order to beat back the Reaper invasion and make the galaxy secure.

The developers at BioWare have promised that long term fans will see the return of many of the role playing features that disappeared in the second game and a more solid set of shooter mechanics.

Mass Effect 3 arrives on the PC, the PlayStation 3 from Sony and the Xbox 360 from Microsoft on March 6 in the United States and three days later in Europe.