Mass Effect 3 is going to space

To promote Mass Effect 3, EA is going to launch copies of the game into space; catch one on re-entry and it's yours to keep.

USA Today reports EA will send Mass Effect 3 into the upper reaches by means of weather balloons launched in New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Berlin, London and Paris.

Each space-faring unit will be fitted with a GPS tracker, allowing hopeful Commander Shepards to follow their return to Earth. If one lands near your house, leg it - you could be one of the first in the world to be playing the full game.

Follow the brave astronautical games on the Mass Effect website. For those unlucky enough not to live near a re-entry point, Mass Effect 3 releases on March 6 in the US, March 8 in Australia, and March 9 in Europe, for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.