Mass Effect 3 cover art

Mass Effect 3

by BioWare · published by Electronic Arts

Released March 6, 2012 on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Mass Effect 3 Female Shepard: Reinstated Trailer thumbnail

About Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3 is an action role-playing game in which Commander Shepard leads a final campaign against the Reapers, a machine race that has invaded Earth and is conquering civilizations across the galaxy. Players recruit squad members from various species and classes, forge alliances, and make choices that determine which characters survive. Combat features squad-based tactics with combinable biotic and tech powers, blind fire, and enhanced melee attacks. The game includes a cooperative multiplayer mode where up to four players fight waves of enemies to liberate conflict zones. Progress in multiplayer contributes to war preparedness in the single-player campaign. New and returning squad members join Shepard's team, including soldier James Vega and EDI, an AI in a physical body.

The Reapers invade Earth and quickly overwhelm its defenses. Commander Shepard escapes and is tasked with rallying the galaxy's civilizations to build a united military force and complete the Crucible, a Prothean superweapon that may be capable of stopping the Reapers. Old conflicts between species must be resolved before any alliance can hold. From curing the Krogan genophage to settling the Quarian-Geth war, Shepard must broker impossible alliances while Cerberus, a human supremacist organization, works to undermine the effort at every turn. The fate of the galaxy depends on the strength of the force Shepard can assemble and the choices made along the way.

Release dates by platform

Xbox 360March 6, 2012 · Out now
PlayStation 3NAMarch 6, 2012 · Out now
PCMarch 6, 2012 · Out now
PlayStation 3EUMarch 9, 2012 · Out now

Reviews & players

Critic score9114 reviews
Steam reviewsMostly Positive77% of 2.8K positive
Player score851854 ratings on IGDB
Playing now53on Steam at last update

PC system requirements

Official specs from Steam

Full specs

Minimum

OS *Win 7
Processor1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (equivalent AMD CPU)
Memory2 GB RAM
GraphicsSupported 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.
DirectXVersion 9.0c
Storage15 GB available space

Recommended

OS *Win 7
Processor2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (equivalent AMD CPU)
Memory4 GB RAM
GraphicsAMD/ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB or greater / NVidia GeForce 9800 GT 512 MB or greater
DirectXVersion 9.0c
Storage15 GB available space

Mass Effect 3 FAQ

When did Mass Effect 3 come out?

Mass Effect 3 was released on March 6, 2012 for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Is Mass Effect 3 on PlayStation 5?

No. Mass Effect 3 has not been announced for PlayStation 5. It is available on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Is Mass Effect 3 on Xbox Series X|S?

No. Mass Effect 3 has not been announced for Xbox Series X|S. It is available on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Is Mass Effect 3 on Nintendo Switch 2?

No. Mass Effect 3 has not been announced for Nintendo Switch 2. It is available on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Who is making Mass Effect 3?

Mass Effect 3 is developed by BioWare and BioWare Edmonton and published by Electronic Arts.

Is Mass Effect 3 multiplayer?

Yes. Mass Effect 3 supports single player, multiplayer, and co-operative.

How much does Mass Effect 3 cost?

Mass Effect 3 costs $29.99 on Steam. Prices checked October 9, 2026.

Is Mass Effect 3 good?

Steam players rate it "Mostly Positive" — 77% of 2,807 reviews are positive. Critics average 91/100.

What are the minimum PC requirements for Mass Effect 3?

The minimum GPU is Supported chipsets: NVIDIA 7900 or better; ATI X1800 or better. Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 9300, 8500, 8400, and…. See the full minimum and recommended specs on our Mass Effect 3 system requirements page.

Mass Effect series

14 games in release order

Full timeline
  1. Mass Effect2007
  2. Mass Effect Galaxy2009
  3. Mass Effect 22010
  4. Mass Effect 32012
  5. Mass Effect: Infiltrator2012
  6. Mass Effect Datapad2012
  7. Mass Effect: Andromeda2017
  8. Mass Effect Legendary Edition2021
  9. Mass Effect2021
  10. Mass Effect 32021
  11. Mass Effect 22021
  12. Mass EffectTBA
  13. Mass Effect: Team AssaultTBA
  14. Mass Effect: CorsairTBA

Games like Mass Effect 3

See all

More from BioWare

See all
60

Anthem

PC PS4 XB1