Microsoft Game Studios and BioWare Corp. announced today that the highly anticipated action role-playing game (RPG) “Mass Effect” has gone gold, and will also be offered in a limited collector’s edition.

The limited collector’s edition will be offered through participating retailers, and will include the following bonus materials:

· A “Mass Effect” fiction book titled “Galactic Codex: Essentials”
o A 36-page guide to the “Mass Effect” universe, including a Citadel timeline and a guide to all non-human races, biotics and the key locations in the Perseus arm of the galaxy

· An additional “Mass Effect” art book titled “A Future Imagined”
o A 36-page collection of BioWare’s concept art for the game

· A bonus DVD of exclusive “Mass Effect” background material and additional content including:
o “The Vision of “Mass Effect” documentary
o “The Making of “Mass Effect” documentary
o “Interactive Storytelling” documentary
o “Inside BioWare” documentary
o 18 “Mass Effect” themed gamer pics (three unique sets of six)
o 16 dashboard themes (four unique sets of four)
o Ten songs from the “Mass Effect” soundtrack
o Five historical “Mass Effect” trailers from X05 through E3 2007 and the official TV trailer
o A demo for “Blue Dragon” and videos for “Lost Odyssey,” “Halo 3” and “Halo Wars”
o Design galleries featuring 600 concept images fully commented by the Art Directors