Mass Effect 3 launch details - guest appearances, AR game

BioWare is throwing quite the party to celebrate tonight's US launch of Mass Effect 3, with appearances from voice actors and developers as well as an intriguing AR game.

The Los Angeles launch is the flagship event, and will be graced by appearances from BioWare's Casey Hudson, plus voice actors Jennifer Hale (FemShep), Ali Hillis (Liara) and Raphael Sbarge (Kaidan).

The LA event is open to the public; get details here. Other major events likely to see BioWare appearances include Edmonton, Chicago and Boston. For everyone else, BioWare Pulse will livestream throughout the evening.

Meanwhile, BioWare's marketing is pulling out all the stops with a Twitter-based AR event. Journalist Emily Wong of the Alliance News Network is live-tweeting a Reaper invasion of Los Angeles.

Using the hashtag #solcomms, players are adding to the invasion, posting images of Reapers touching down all over the world.

To assist in this endeavour, BioWare has released Reaper-shaped balloons, which are causing momentary pants-crapping terror among gamers around the world.

BioWare hinted to Kotaku that the AR event may be linked to tonight's midnight launch. Over 3,000 GameStop stores will host midnight launch events for the anticipated shooter RPG hybrid.

Mass Effect 3 arrives on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 6 in the US, March 8 in Australia and March 9 in Europe.