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Mass Effect Andromeda Release Date Tips

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Everyone in gaming has something to lose if this week’s Mass Effect Andromeda release doesn’t go well. That includes you. Mass Effect Andromeda is Bioware’s opportunity to prove that one of its least experienced development teams has what it takes to deliver a blockbuster video game after what seemed like an endless delay.

For Electronic Arts, the game’s publisher, the Mass Effect Andromeda release will determine whether the success of the first three Mass Effect games in the series were flukes. Gamers have something on the line here too. They’ve spent years longing for the Mass Effect Andromeda release date. Will it turn out that all that anticipation was for a game that barely resembles the franchise they love? Or, will Mass Effect Andromeda boldly plot a new course forward?

The Nomad in Mass Effect Andromeda.

The Mass Effect Andromeda release date is almost here.

The Mass Effect Andromeda release is tonight. Beginning at midnight, millions of fans will line-up, wallet in hand, to be amongst the first to get the role-playing game starring Scott and Sarah Ryder. Thousands more will sit huddled around their consoles waiting for the game to unlock on their system. They’re looking over their pre-order receipts and reading overviews of extras people get for placing a Mass Effect Andromeda pre-order.

Read: Mass Effect Andromeda: 6 Amazing Reasons to Get Excited

Here are some Mass Effect Andromeda release date tips to get you through the game’s launch tonight and playing as the Pathfinder on March 21st.

Check Your Mass Effect Andromeda Pre-Order & Plan Your Purchase

The first thing that you’ll want to do is check on your Mass Effect Andromeda pre-order. You may have placed one with GameStop or Best Buy and forgotten all about it. Either way, you’ll need to settle up with them when you pick up your copy of the game. Everyone that places a pre-order gets a free Deep Space Explorer Armor Skin for their Pathfinder and a Multiplayer Booster Launch Pack for online play.

One thing that you won’t need to do is pay for your Mass Effect Andromeda pre-order to attend a midnight release. Right now, GameStop’s Events page doesn’t have an entry for the Mass Effect Andromeda release date. That means that its stores won’t be open at midnight to begin giving gamers their copies of the title. Pre-orders will need to be picked up during normal business hours beginning March 21st.

Update A representative has confirmed to Gotta Be Mobile that many GameStop stores will open at 9 PM to hand out copies of the game and sell collectibles. That’s despite the store’s website still not showing an event listing for the midnight release.

Mass Effect Andromeda pre-order extras.

Mass Effect Andromeda pre-order extras.

If you don’t have a Mass Effect Andromeda pre-order, don’t worry. Head to a Wal-Mart in your area that stays open at night to get the game. Clerks should allow you to leave with your copy at midnight local time. You may be able to use Amazon Prime to get a copy of the game on release day without having to visit a store at all.

Read: Mass Effect Andromeda Pre-Orders & Editions: Which to Buy?

There are two versions of the game on store shelves, Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition. Deluxe Edition includes a casual outfit, armor, access to the game’s soundtrack, weapons and equipment for multiplayer and a pet Pyjak for $69.99. The Super Deluxe version of the game is only available digitally. It adds 20 weeks of multiplayer booster packs to the game for $99.99.

Mass Effect Andromeda Deals

Both Best Buy Gamers Club Unlocked and Amazon Prime get you 20% off the price of a Mass Effect Andromeda purchase, provided you have a subscription to them. The Microsoft Store and GameStop are giving the game away free when shoppers purchase an Xbox One.

Sara Ryder, one of Mass Effect Andromeda's two main protagonists.

Sara Ryder, one of Mass Effect Andromeda’s two main protagonists.

Use EA Access & Origin Access to Play Mass Effect Andromeda Early

EA Access and Origin Access began allowing subscribers to play ahead of the Mass Effect Andromeda release date on Thursday, March 16th. Using the free trial, you can get 10 hours with the game before its formal arrival for everyone else. That’s 10 hours to explore the game’s story and multiplayer before you head out to pick up your copy. The service includes a discount on any digital version of Mass Effect Andromeda that you buy too.

Read: Mass Effect Andromeda Early Release: Play with Origin

Review the Mass Effect Andromeda System Requirements for PC

In exchange for tamer graphics, Mass Effect Andromeda players on Xbox One and PS4 get the comfort of knowing that the game will work on their console no matter what. PC gamers get the best graphics, but they need the right hardware.

Mass Effect Andromeda will run on any computer with an Intel Core i5 3570 processor or better, 8GB of RAM or more and a NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB video card or better. Again, these requirements only get the game running on your PC. For the best experience, Bioware says players will need an Intel Core i7 4790 or better, 16GB of RAM or more and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB or better. In either situation, your computer needs to run Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. It also needs 55GB of free space to install the game, according to the Origin Store. As Mass Effect Andromeda is an EA published title, it won’t come to Valve’s Steam gaming service.

The crew of Mass Effect Andromeda’s Tempest exploration ship.

Make Room for Mass Effect Andromeda on Your Drive

This goes hand in hand with the Mass Effect Andromeda system requirements on PC. Be sure that your Xbox One or PS4 console has at least 55GB of storage space to download the game. If you’re planning to make use of the HDR capabilities on the Xbox One S or PS4, be sure that your television and console are properly configured for those options.

Keep Aware of Mass Effect Andromeda Problems

Since the early release kicked off, the gaming community and Bioware have kept a running tally of Mass Effect Andromeda problems and issues. Be aware of these problems as you settle down to enjoy the game. Some of these issues will get fixed in coming updates.

Here’s to hoping these Mass Effect Andromeda release date tips help you make it through the game’s exciting launch. Mass Effect Andromeda arrives in Europe on March 23rd.

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