BioWare offers free copies of Mass Effect to Black Ops II players

Earlier today, it was reported that some gamers who purchased a PC retail copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops II also found a copy of Mass Effect 2 inside the box.

Responding to the report, Mass Effect developer BioWare has embraced the mistake, offering the first 50 players who can prove that they were affected by the shipping mistake a free PC copy of Mass Effect Trilogy.

"If you were one of the affected, chances are you thought it was a mistake, but we prefer to think that it was an omen, and when the universe talks, you should listen," BioWare wrote on its official blog.

"If the universe thinks that you should be playing Mass Effect right now, who are we to argue?"

To qualify, players must take a picture of themselves with their copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and send it to BioWare. More details can be found here.

The issue has been reported by users on the official Call of Duty and Steam forums, as well as from gamers on Reddit. The cause of the error is unclear, though it appears to be related to a mistake made on the game's production line.