Digital Version of Mass Effect Redemption Coming to the iDevice

If you’re a fan of comic books but don’t actually want to be bothered with paging through one, you should know that Dark Horse intends to release a digital version of their Mass Effect Redemption series on the iPhone and iPod Touch. In fact, the first issue will be free until February 3rd:

Mass Effect: Redemption Explodes Onto The iPhone!

THE YEAR’S MOST ANTICIPATED NEW COMIC SERIES EXPLODES OFF OF THE PAGE AND ONTO YOUR iPHONE!

JANUARY 25TH, MILWAUKIE, OR and EDMONTON, AB Tomorrow, the year’s most anticipated video game Mass Effect 2 will be released nationwide. In celebration, Dark Horse and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announces that the comic will be released to the iPhone mobile comics platform.

Mass Effect: Redemption tells the exciting back-story that leads to the events of Mass Effect 2, the eagerly anticipated video game developed by the award-winning creative team at BioWare. The game’s lead writer Mac Walters takes up the pen to give fans exclusive insight into the events that unfold between the conclusion of the original Mass Effect, and the beginning of Mass Effect 2. Scripted by John Jackson Miller (Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, The Invincible Iron Man) and drawn by Omar Francia (Star Wars Legacy), this four-part series explores the exotic and dangerous future Milky Way of Mass Effect, revealing previously unseen locations, aliens, and enemies of this rich science fiction landscape.

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 a crew 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, stunning space exploration and emotionally engaging characters, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience. Mass Effect 2 is scheduled for release on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC on January 26, 2010 in North America and January 29, 2010 in Europe and has been rated ‘˜M’ for Mature by the ESRB and ‘˜18+’ by PEGI (please visit www.esrb.org and www.pegi.eu for more information on ratings). For more news from the development team, please follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect2 or visit the game’s official website at http://masseffect.bioware.com/.

(We’ve been trying to figure out a way to not only profit from these new technologies, but to use them in a way that it would drive customers into the stores of our loyal retailers) said Dark Horse Director of Communications, Dirk Wood. (We came up with the idea of this staggered release in hopes of accomplishing just that.)

Mass Effect: Redemption is the fifth property to arrive in Dark Horse’s ever-growing stable of comics available on the iPhone platform. Other titles available now include Gerard Way’s smash hit Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, Terminator: Death Valley, and multiple titles from the critically acclaimed line of Star Wars comics. The first issue will hit iTunes February 3rd, just in time for the release of second issue of the series, initially available for a free download before going to a $0.99 price point.

For more information, please visit http://www.darkhorse.com/Features/Mobile.

About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, Serenity and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the U.S. and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publisher of licensed comics material.

About BioWare

BioWare develops computer, console, handheld, mobile and online video games focused on rich stories and memorable characters. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s best-selling titles, including the award-winning Baldur’s Gateâ„¢ and Neverwinter Nightsâ„¢ series, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republicâ„¢ and Sonicâ„¢ Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (for the Nintendo DSâ„¢). Original BioWare-created intellectual properties include Jade Empireâ„¢ and the 2007 Game of the Year, Mass Effectâ„¢. With studios in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montréal (Québec), and Austin (Texas), BioWare is hard at work on the epic fantasy roleplaying game, Dragon Ageâ„¢: Origins, Mass Effect 2â„¢, the epic sequel to Mass Effect, and the story-driven massively multiplayer game, Star Wars®: The Old Republicâ„¢, as well as several unannounced projects. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by the world’s leading electronic entertainment publisher, Electronic Arts. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSâ„¢, EAâ„¢, EA SPORTS Freestyleâ„¢ and POGOâ„¢. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. 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.