For those that have been wating patiently through the very long development cycle of Star Wars: The Old Republic, today marked a huge step towards the release of the game, as you can now pre-order the title for PC on Origin.com, the new EA Digital marketplace.

You can pre-order for Star Wars: The Old Republic, can be purchased in three diffferent forms, ranging in price from $59.99 and $149.99.  The first option is the standard edition which comes with the base game and 30 days of game time for $59.99.  Stepping up a notch, you can get the Digital Deluxe edition which comes with the above, but adds some new in-game items that are exclusive to the digital edition for $79.99.  Finally, the big daddy of the bunch is the Boxed Collectors Edition, which adds a Sith Lord statue, a Sith Lord journal, soundtrack and more, but will set you back $149.99.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is still set up for a late 2011 release according to EA and Bioware, but without an exact date, this title could still fall into the 2012 calendar year.

Digging through the EA quaterly financials, one thing that sticks out is the fact that Mass Effect 3 is shown as launching in Q4 of fiscal year 2012 for Electronic Arts.  This basically translates into Q1 2012 on the standard calendar.

My first reaction was disappointment, as Mass Effect 3 was my fourth quarter game, and the only title I was looking forward to come Fall.  However, this new date probably works out better, and when you think about it, Mass Effect 2 hit the same window after a short delay and ended up becoming game of the year at a lot of sites. 

So, you will have to wait a little longer for Mass Effect 3, but the extra time can only help a game that is going to close out one of the best trilogies in gaming.

This week on the Aeropodcast (well last week exactly), Fourhman and Haygood talk about how marketing can play into the images that we recognize in regards to a game.  This topic came about with the latest issue of Game Informer, which prominently features a male Shepard from the Bioware space opus, Mass Effect 3.  Haygood was a bit upset that there was no alternate cover that featured a female Shepard available with the magazine, as it is a core feature of the game that you can play as a female or male character.  But Bioware has always focused all media for Mass Effect with a male Shepard model, which seems to alienate some of the audience.

We also have some great deviations in the discussion, as well as community corner and the Facebook question of the week.

The podcast was mixed, by Stephen “Down with FemShep” Munn, and features “Droid Girl”, performed by Lazyitis.

Download the podcast from here or subscribe to the podcast using one of the services below. Also make sure to review us on iTunes and now, the Zune Marketplace. If you have not yet, make sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page.

If you are a fan of the Mass Effect universe, to the point of reading all the books, and justifying the purchase of the iPhone game, get ready for another media crossover, as Bioware and T.O. Entertainment have teamed up to create a new animated movie set in the Mass Effect universe.

Unfortunately, not much else is known beyond that, with the exception that production has already started on the project in anticipation of a 2012 release.  I would hope that they stay away from including Shepard, unless they are ready to create a female and male version of the video for fans, as each person has created their own image of Shepard for their game.

The relationship between T.O. Entertainment and Bioware is not new, as they have already been colaborating on an animated movie for the other hot Bioware property, Dragon Age.

EA and FUNimation Entertainment Announce Mass Effect Anime Movie Deal

Home Video Adaptation of Award-Winning Sci-Fi Game Scheduled for Release in 2012

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– BioWare™, a division of leading video game publisher Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and FUNimation® Entertainment, the leading distributor of Japanese animation in North America, announced today an agreement to create an anime feature film adapted from one of the video game industry’s most revered franchises, Mass Effect™. Tokyo-based anime and international feature film production company T.O Entertainment, Inc. has signed on as a co-producer on the video. Based on the Mass Effect universe, the anime video will tell the tale of an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets.

Casey Hudson of BioWare, executive producer of the Mass Effect series, will serve as executive producer on the film, along with FUNimation President and CEO Gen Fukunaga and Director of Original Entertainment Chris Moujaes and T.O Entertainment’s CEO Takeichi Honda and Yui Shibata.

“Over the last few years, we have revealed different pieces of the Mass Effect world through different media. Extending the story through an anime medium is another amazing opportunity for us,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer for the Mass Effect series. “Partnering with FUNimation ensures that we will bring this rich universe to life with the utmost quality and the same attention to detail that the Mass Effect games are known for.”

“It is thanks to the enormous and passionate Mass Effect fan base that this movie is made possible,” said Gen Fukunaga, President & CEO of FUNimation. “With production underway on the Dragon Age video, we are excited to team up with another BioWare team to add an exciting new chapter to this vast sci-fi world.”

Production of the Mass Effect anime movie has already begun. Digital and home video releases are scheduled for the summer of 2012.

The original Mass Effect game and its sequel Mass Effect 2 have received over 250 awards and 100 perfect ‘10′ scores from critics worldwide. Mass Effect 2 is available now for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. Stay tuned for more news about the continuation of Commander Shepard’s adventure as BioWare will release more information about Mass Effect 3 soon. For more information on the game, please visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/ and follow the development team at www.twitter.com/masseffect2 or at http://www.facebook.com/masseffect.

About BioWare

BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur’s Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™, Mass Effect™ and Dragon Age™. BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia) and Galway (Ireland). Currently announced projects at BioWare include Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age II, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars®: The Old Republic™. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/biofeed. To join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to http://social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

About FUNimation Entertainment

FUNimation(R) Entertainment is the leading company for Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation is known for acquiring top-rated anime series from Japan and for being the market share leader for home video sales of anime in the United States. The company has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution.

About T.O Entertainment

Since its inception in 2003, T.O Entertainment has maintained a very internationally oriented focus, with branch offices located in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Russia. The company has introduced multiple anime series (” Baka and Test – Summon the Beasts”, “Polyphonica”, “Legend of the Legendary Heroes” etc) and full-length films (“Bungaku Shoujo: BOOK GIRL – The Literature Girl-”, “Straight Jacket”, “Apartment 1303″, “RoboGeisha”, etc) with the goal of bringing various forms of Japanese entertainment to the rest of the world.

BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Mac is a trademark of Apple Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

When the first Dragon Age title was prepping for launch, EA on the down-low released a Flash based game set in the Dragon Age universe.  It told a side story, that had you in the dwarven mines on a quest, while killing ogres, darkspawn and a lot of other creatures.  To entice players to check out the game, you could unlock gear for the main Dragon Age game if you had your two accounts linked via the EA servers, and the unlocks were very decent equipment, and not just throwaways.

EA is looking to do the same thing again this time around for Dragon Age II, but have become more ambitious, deciding to head on to Facebook for their next web based title called Dragon Age Legends.  In this new game, which is entering closed beta as we speak, will give players the opportunity to visit the Free Marches for the first time, before they get to see them in Dragon Age II.  As with the previous title, those that play Dragon Age Legends and finish certain goals will unlock items for use in Dragon Age II.  And if you are selected as a closed beta tester for Dragon Age Legends, you will get a Jade Empire themed Death’s Hand Armor when the game goes into open beta.

Want to try and get in on the Closed Beta?  Well, EA is looking for people to sign up by heading over to the Dragon Age Legends Beta signup page.  Enter your EA Account info and you are entered into the running for a possible closed beta invite.

For those that might need some added incentive to purchase this game (and I have no idea why they would need more incentive), this new release on PS3 includes all the DLC content that has come to the PC and Xbox 360 version at no extra cost, as well as a new 12 minute comic book intro that will allow you to make the important decisions that were made in the first Mass Effect.  This way, you decide what happens to Rex, Ashley, Kaiden and so much more.

Sure, I am a huge fan of the series, but in all seriousness, this is a great release with about $30 worth of DLC content bundled in at a normal $60 retail price.  Get it and see what PC and Xbox 360 fans have been raving about for the last few years PS3 owners.  Remember, humanity needs YOUR participation to save them!

BioWare’s Award-Winning Mass Effect 2 Makes PlayStation 3 Debut Today

The Highest Rated Game on Xbox 360 and PC in 2010 Comes to PS3, Including Six Hours of Bonus Missions and New Exclusive Mass Effect Genesis Interactive Comic

EDMONTON, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The time has arrived for PlayStation®3 owners to take on the role of Commander Shepard and to join his fight to save humanity! BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), announced today that Mass Effect™ 2 is now available on the PlayStation 3 for $59.99 in North America at retail and on PlayStation® Network*. The PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2, which received a perfect 10 out of 10 score from PlayStation: The Official Magazine, will include six hours of bonus content, including ” Kasumi — Stolen Memories”, “Overlord” and the award-winning “Lair of the Shadow Broker”.

“The PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 offers gamers a great entry point to the Mass Effect experience,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect franchise. “We’re extremely excited and proud to now bring PlayStation 3 owners the opportunity to explore the rich and tumultuous universe of Mass Effect and shape the story and events within it by the individual choices they make.”

The Mass Effect trilogy is an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience. Mass Effect 2 has received more than 120 awards, including 2010 Game of the Year honors from IGN.com, MSNBC.com, GameTrailers.com, Eurogamer.net, Game Reactor and G4TV who praised it as “one of the best synergies of writing, role-playing, and combat.”

Mass Effect Genesis, an interactive comic from Dark Horse Comics and BioWare, will also be available today exclusively on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, giving players a high-level overview of the events of the original Mass Effect. The interactive comic offers players the chance to make critical choices that will affect their storyline in Mass Effect 2 and beyond. Mass Effect Genesis is included in the Cerberus Pack, a downloadable content pack included for first time purchasers of Mass Effect 2 on PlayStation 3. Players who do not have original access to the Cerberus Pack can purchase it for $14.99 on the PlayStation Network.

Mass Effect 2 on the PlayStation 3 has a MSRP of $59.99 in North America, and it will be available in Europe on January 21, 2011. For more information, please visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/ and follow the development team at twitter.com/masseffect2 or at http://www.facebook.com/masseffect.

*Requires PlayStation Network account and internet connection

About BioWare

BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur’s Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™, Mass Effect™ and Dragon Age™. BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia) and Galway (Ireland). Currently announced projects at BioWare include the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2, one of the highest rated video games of all time, Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2009′s “RPG of the Year” Dragon Age: Origins, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars®: The Old Republic™. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/biofeed. To join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to http://social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

I did write a commentary to accompany this video, but as it chiefly consisted of fan-serving squeals and sycophantic waffling, I thought it best to keep it to myself. You’d thank for me for if you read it – honestly. It’s hardly a shining example of impartial journalism.

Anyway, you don’t need me to tell you that the graphics look outstanding, the premise is gobsmacking and the intrigue is unbearable. Unfortunately, we’ll have at least a year to go before our curiosity is sated – Bioware have slated it for a Holiday ’2011′ release. Sob.

A handful of caps I grabbed from the trailer follow the cut …

Okay, so Bioware posted a couple of those square codes that you can scan in with your cell phone cameras and the Internet went batcrap crazy.  It seems that the codes translate into Binary, and of course, several geeks with time on their hands converted it either into the Atomic mass of the element Iron, or a temperature of -128° Fahrenheit, one of the coldest temps ever recorded on the face of planet Earth.

Shortly thereafter, Bioware posted a teaser on YouTube  talking up a commercial that will show duing the Spike Video Game awards that will feature their “brand new title” they are working on.  You do get a couple of glimpses of the new game in question during the teaser, but nothing definitive as to what it might be.  Obviously, the codes above factor into it somehow, and the mention of brand new game seems to disassociate it from things like Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

To watch the teaser, jump to the fold.  And let us know what you think the new title might be, or if it might be related to those games, and “Brand new title” just means a new game.

Are you one of those folks that looks at a special edition and says, “I would love that but not for the extra $20-30 it will cost me”.  Well, if you are, it seems that Bioware has your back, as they have just put in place a new deal for the Signature Edition of Dragon Age II.  Apparently, if you pre-order it either in-store or online at your favorite retailer, you will get the Signature Edition for the same price as a regular version of the game.  Now this deal is only in place until January 11th, 2011, so you cannot wait until the day before the game comes out to get the deal.  And the extra content is worth owning, with a new character, soundtrack, extra missions and an in-game digital armory featuring several special weapons.

Now, the bigger question to ask about this deal is whether EA and Bioware have felt the lukewarm impressions for Dragon Age II and are looking to sweeten the pot for those that might be thinking about leaving the franchise or have been sitting on the fence for the next one.  Personally, while this perked up my ears and definitely had me considering a pre-order, I still feel a bit stung by the quick turnaround on this sequel, along with the fact that they are completely dumbing down the sequel for PC owners.  The PC version was considered by most to be the superior version and now it seems that it will fall to consolification with this new Dragon Age sequel.

Hit the jump for more info in the press release.

BioWare Rewards Eager Fans With Free Upgrade to the Dragon Age II BioWare Signature Edition

Pre-Order the Highly Anticipated Action RPG by January 11, 2011 and Receive an Automatic Upgrade to the BioWare Signature Edition Including $20 of Bonus Content at No Additional Cost

EDMONTON, Alberta, Oct 14, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Leading video game developer BioWare(TM), a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), announced today the Dragon Age(TM) II BioWare Signature Edition. This limited edition of the highly anticipated action RPG will be available at no extra cost for gamers who pre-order Dragon Age II before January 11, 2011. Featuring over $20 of additional content, the Dragon Age II BioWare Signature Edition includes the full version of Dragon Age II, along with a download code for an additional playable character and new missions, the Dragon Age II digital soundtrack, an exclusive in-game digital armory featuring a variety of weapons and other digital items. The Dragon Age II BioWare Signature Edition will only be available for pre-order and online purchase on or before January 11, 2011.*

“Over the past 15 years, we’ve been privileged to have the support of a passionate community of fans, who continue to grow in number with every game we release,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Senior Vice President of Electronic Arts and co-founder and Group General Manager of BioWare. “The BioWare Signature Edition of Dragon Age II is a chance for us to reward loyal fans who pre-order the game by providing them with additional high-quality content for free.”

Dragon Age II is the sequel to the 2009′s “RPG of the Year,” featuring faster-paced action, striking new art direction and a gripping storytelling approach that allows gamers to experience the rise to power with the game’s key character, Hawke. A refugee who survives the destruction of his homeland, Hawke becomes the Champion of Kirkwall but the lore surrounding his rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. These mysteries are the driving force behind the all-new Dragon Age II story, which spans nearly 10 years in the Dragon Age universe. Players will experience how the legend unfolds by gathering the deadliest of allies, making tough moral choices, amassing fame and fortune and sealing their place in history.

Dragon Age II will be available on the PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system and PC in North America on March 8, 2011 and in Europe on March 11, 2011. For more information on Dragon Age II, please visit www.DragonAge.com, follow the game at www.twitter.com/dragonage and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DragonAgeOrigins.

* After January 11, 2011 the Dragon Age II BioWare Signature Edition will no longer be available for purchase or pre-order.

About BioWare

BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur’s Gate(TM), Neverwinter Nights(TM), Star Wars(R): Knights of the Old Republic(TM), Jade Empire(TM), Mass Effect(TM) and Dragon Age(TM). BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia) and Galway (Ireland). Currently announced projects at BioWare include the development of ongoing downloadable content for Mass Effect 2, one of the highest rated video games of all time, Dragon Age 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2009′s “RPG of the Year” Dragon Age: Origins, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars(R): The Old Republic(TM). In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/biofeed. To join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to http://social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA(TM), EA Mobile(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

So, the good folks over at IGN had a chance to sit down with Casey Hudson, lead developer on the Mass Effect franchise, and he spilled the beans on a bunch of intersting stats from Mass Effecct 2.  For starters, it seems as if the Soldier class was the most popular class for people, with more people playing as a soldier over all the other classes combined.  The Engineer class was the most neglected by players.  The most depressing stat here is the fact that only 20% of players tried playing a female Shepard in Mass Effect 2.  While some may call out bias, as we have had the voice of Shepard on our podcast, I feel that she does a better job with conveying the mood of Shepard.

For those that thought me and Jordan were dedicated Mass Effect 2 fans, take note as four Xbox 360 players have finished the game 23 times, and I can attest that I was not one of those four people.  Maybe the first Mass Effect, but not the second one.  And I was not one of the two with 28 finishes on the PC side.  Man, there are some people that have a ton of spare time on their hands.

Head over to IGN to read more about the Mass Effect 2 stats and how they help with development of Mass Effect 3.