Mass Effect 3 Sells Nearly 1 Million Copies on Day 1

Electronic Arts chief executive John Riccitiello estimated that sales of Mass Effect 3 reached 890,000 units during the first day of its release. Speaking at the Wedbush Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference in New York City, Riccitiello said that the title’s sales met EA’s expectations.

Riccitiello said, “We anticipated it doing well, so we’re happy.”

GameStop reports 40% of day one customers purchased the unlock code for the additional From Ashes DLC, dashing any sentiment that players might be able to boycott the content. Riccitiello claims the ratio is the highest in GameStop’s history.

Reception to the game has been mixed. Although critics and game reviewers are generally satisfied with the quality of the game, angry customers have swarmed Metacritic in droves. Mass Effect 3 currently holds a 3.3/10 User Score rating, in comparison to its Metascore of 92/100.

GamingXP called it “the first contender for game of the year 2012.” Metacritic user FrostWolf11 described it as “the unfortunate death of a universe that was full of potential.”
Common complaints attack BioWare for the implementation of day one DLC, the inclusion of a heavy-handed homosexual romance, its lack of RPG elements, and a lack of player input into the story.

Naturally, the sales are what matter most in the end, so history will likely remember Mass Effect 3 as a generally uncontested success. The success of the From Ashes DLC likely will provide EA with an incentive to continue producing premium day one content, so if the gaming community wants to make publishers hit the brakes, they’re going to have to really vote with their wallets instead of ponying up and complaining on the internet afterwards.