Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Demo Officially Confirmed, Comes With Mass Effect 3 Cross-promotion Items

Given how it already appeared in Major Nelson’s “coming soon” list for Xbox Live this is not much of a surprise, but Electronic Arts and 38 Studios have announced that a demo for the open-world heavy-on-the-action RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will be released on January 17th on all platforms the game is slated for (PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3).

In addition to that, and I may add unsurprisingly considering the publisher’s similar strategy with recent titles such as Dragon Age II, they have also announced a cross-promotion with Mass Effect 3, where gamers who try out each title’s demo will get exclusive items for the other title and vice versa.

Here’s the full press release:

38 STUDIOS SUMMONS A DEMO FOR KINGDOMS OF AMALUR: RECKONING AND UNVEILS EXCLUSIVE MASS EFFECT 3 BONUSES FROM BIOWARE

Cross-Promotion Rewards Mass Effect 3 Fans with Exclusive Items Designed by Todd McFarlane and Reckoning Fans with Items Inspired by Mass Effect

REDWOOD SHORES, CA. JANUARY 11, 2012 The massive world of Amalur will finally break open when Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) and 38 Studios, LLC release a demo for Kingdoms of Amalur: ReckoningTM on January 17, 2012. Available for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC, the demo will give players a taste of the rich, diverse, action-packed world of Amalur, and will also unlock special items in the final game.

In addition to the demo, 38 Studios has teamed up with BioWare to create a cross promotion to reward fans of both Reckoning and Mass Effect 3*. By playing the upcoming demos for both Reckoning and Mass Effect 3, gamers will receive special in-game items, including Mass Effect inspired, Omni-blade daggers in Reckoning and special Reckoning-themed armor and assault rifle in Mass Effect 3 designed by award-winning artist Todd McFarlane.

(We are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver this massive one-two punch with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Mass Effect 3. We wanted to provide fans of the Mass Effect franchise with a unique set of rewards for diving into the expansive universe of Reckoning,) said Curt Schilling, Chairman and Founder of 38 Studios.

(We are excited to be collaborating with 38 Studios to bring pieces inspired by the Mass Effect universe into the world of Reckoning and to have items designed by Todd McFarlane in Mass Effect 3,) said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager of EA’s BioWare Label and Co-Founder of BioWare. (This is an awesome way to reward our fans with unique content that not only looks cool, but also delivers some great in-game benefits.)

By playing the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo,gamers will receive two unlocks for Mass Effect 3 when the highly anticipated game releases on March 6, 2012, both designed by the renowned creator of Spawn, Todd McFarlane:

‘¢ Reckoner Knight Armor: This armor will maximize damage done in close-quarters combat while a beefed up power cell feeds energy into weapon systems to increase projectile velocity.

‘¢ The Chakram Launcher: This weapon uses a fabricator to manufacture lightweight, explosive ammunition discs. This weapon is earned after completing the Reckoning demo and watching the trailer at the end.

By playing the upcoming Mass Effect 3 demo, fans will unlock the following items for Reckoning when the game launches on February 7, inspired by Mass Effect:

‘¢ N7 Armor: Players can unlock special armor inspired by Commander Shepard’s iconic N7 battle armor including Helm, Cuirass, Gauntlets, Chausses and Greaves.

‘¢ Onmiblade Daggers: A holographic blade stemming from Commander Shepard’s Omni-Tool, the Omni-blade allows players to stab enemies in close combat. Once players install and play the Mass Effect 3 demo, they will unlock the daggers.

The Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo features the introduction to the game, allowing players to experience the game’s Tutorial Mode and a portion of its large, open world. Players will create and customize their hero and drop right into the action. Once players master the basics, they will have 45 minutes to explore the vast world of Amalur and begin to embark upon a quest that could redefine their character’s destiny forever.