Mass Effect is no longer a Microsoft exclusive. No, that previous sentence was not a typo but simply a statement of fact. With the release of Mass Effect 3, the highly anticipated conclusion to the trilogy, BioWare and Electronic Arts are making the game available to the widest audience yet with a concurrent release on the Xbox 360, PC, and now the PS3.

Over the past weekend, during the Spike Video Game Awards, the first trailer for Mass Effect 3 was released to much fanfare and some naysaying. This time around it looks like Commander Shepard will be working to protect home planet Earth from an invading army. Deciding to use Earth as a source of conflict in the finale is a major point of contention among Mass Effect fans. While it certainly should have been expected considering the series’ “protect the universe” plot, the decision to venture to Earth has left some gamers fearing a finale that will leave them unsatisfied.

No matter what the plot and game end up delivering, what can be rejoiced is the fact that Mass Effect 3 is now a mass-market commodity. It is absolutely a wise decision on Electronic Arts’ part to make Mass Effect 3 available on the PS3 on day one of release. Not only does this bode well for them financially, but also it’s a chance to set a precedent for top tier titles to step away from console exclusivity. While the idea of keeping a title close to home base helps on a very immediate basis, in the long run it only hurts the people that should be at the center of it all: the gamers.

Choosing to get PS3 owners in on the Mass Effect storyline so late in the game may hurt the third title’s chances of selling as well as it could, but that has yet to be determined. Even the fact that Microsoft has their hold on the first game is creating some trepidation on the part of unfamiliar gamers.

At the end of the day, bringing Mass Effect 3 to the PS3 better serves the property and the fans. This move certainly won’t create any great changes in the ongoing battle of console exclusives but it should be marked as a win for video game players.

How do those PS3 gamers feel about Mass Effect 3 simultaneously releasing on their console? How do Xbox 360 and PC owners feel about losing their exclusive?

Mass Effect 3 releases holiday 2011 for the Xbox 360, PC, and now the PS3.

Source: Game Informer