Earlier today it was announced that the Mass Effect 3 demo would be arriving on Valentine's Day (February 14th) for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. But even with the release date announced, many questions remained. Luckily, BioWare's Chris Priestly released some additional information answering many questions like PC specs, singleplayer and multiplayer demo content, and information on how to qualify for the co-op section.
Below you will find the FAQ for details and other information you may want to know. Taken directly from the forum post:
When is the demo for Mass Effect 3 being released?
The demo for Mass Effect 3 will be released on February 14, 2012. Timing may vary by platform and geographic region.
What platforms will the demo be on?
The demo will be on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC platforms.
What are the system requirements for the PC version of the demo?
Minimum Spec:
- OS – Windows XP SP3/Vista SP1, Win 7
- *Supported chipsets: NVIDIA 7900 or better; ATI X1800 or better. Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 9300, 8500, 8400, and 8300 are below minimum system requirements, as are AMD/ATI Radeon HD3200, HD3300, and HD4350. Updates to your video and sound card drivers may be required.
- CPU – 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (equivalent AMD CPU)
- RAM – 1GB for XP / 2GB RAM for Vista/Win 7
- Disc Drive – 1x speed
- Hard Drive – 15 GB of free space
- Video – 256 MB* (with Pixel Shader 3.0 support)
- Sound – DirectX 9.0c compatible
- DirectX – DirectX 9.0c August 2009 (included)
Recommended Spec:
- OS – Windows XP SP3/Vista SP1, Win 7
- CPU – 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (equivalent AMD CPU)
- RAM – 2GB for XP / 4GB RAM for Vista/Win 7
- Disc Drive – 1x speed
- Hard Drive – 15 GB of free space
- Video – AMD/ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB or greater, NVidia GeForce 9800 GT 512 MB or greater
- Sound – DirectX 9.0c compatible
What content will be included in the Mass Effect 3 demo?
There are two sections in the Mass Effect 3 demo, both included as part of a single download: The single player section includes 2 areas: the opening level featuring the Reaper attack on Earth, and a level further into the game where Shepard travels to an alien home world to seek their assistance in the war effort. This will be approximately 1 to 2 hours of content.The co-op multiplayer section includes 2 maps: Slum and Noveria. This section will be open to players who have qualified for the early multiplayer access as of Feb 14, and will then open up to all players on Feb 17.[/b]
How do I qualify to play the co-op multiplayer section before Feb 17?
The early access program for the demo’s multiplayer section begins on Feb 14, 2012To gain access to multiplayer in the demo any time between Feb 14 and when it opens up for everyone on Feb 17, a player must have met one of the following criteria:
Own Battlefield 3 and have activated BF3’s Online Pass. Logging into the demo using the EA Origin Account linked to that Online Pass will automatically unlock the multiplayer section of the demo. Note that you do not have to enter a code anywhere – if you have activated your BF3 online pass, the multiplayer section of the demo will be unlocked for you when the demo goes live.Participate in an early access program that will be announced on Feb 7, 2012 – watch this site for more details.Is there a way to verify I am qualified for the early access to co-op multiplayer?
Starting Feb 7, 2012 there will be a form on www.masseffect.com which can be used to verify if your EA Origin Account has been assigned early access privileges.
Can Mass Effect 3 co-op multiplayer be played split-screen?
No – the co-op multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 is online only.
What languages will the demo be in?
• In-Game Voice Languages: US-English
• In-Game Text Languages: US, FR, IT, DE, ES, RU, PL
Can I import saves from Mass Effect 2? Does the demo create a save game for the full version of Mass Effect 3?
The demo does not support save importing and does not create a save game for the full version of Mass Effect 3.
What character class can I play in the demo? Can I customize my character?
All six classes from the full game are included: Soldier, Vanguard, Sentinel, Engineer, Infiltrator and Adept.Players will be able to create a male or female Shepard, customize their appearance, and level up their character’s abilities and powers.
Will the demo feature the ability to set player initial player experience options by selecting “Action, “Role-Playing”, or “Story” settings?
Yes.
Is Origin required to play the PC version of the demo?
Yes. You will need to download and install the Origin Client (Link) and have a valid Origin account.
Will playing the Mass Effect 3 demo spoil the main game story for me?
The single player section of the Mass Effect 3 demo is taken from the main game and therefore by definition could be
considered to contain spoilers. The multiplayer section of the demo does not contain spoilers.How long will the demo be available?
The multiplayer section of the demo will be deactivated March 5, 2012 The single player demo will continue to be
available past game launch (for a number of months – exact date for the demo to be taken offline is TBD).Does the demo support Kinect on Xbox 360? In what languages?
Yes, the Xbox 360 demo of Mass Effect 3 does support Kinect functionality. The demo will have the same Kinect voice command language support as the full game: English (American, Australian and British dialects), French, German and Italian.
