'Mass Effect: Andromeda' release date, news, update: Amazon spills the beans on March 2017 release date?

An art book listing on Amazon may have accidentally revealed the release date for the upcoming "Mass Effect: Andromeda," the first game in the popular "Mass Effect" franchise to feature an open world environment.

The action role-playing shooter video game was supposed to be launched in December but was indefinitely postponed. But while game developer BioWare and game publisher Electronic Arts have yet to officially announce the release date for "Mass Effect: Andromeda," it now appears that Amazon has already beat them to the punch.

Earlier this month, a description for the Dark Horse Comics tie-in art book "The Art of Mass Effect: Andromeda," reportedly revealed that the hardcover is slated to come out on March 21, 2017 in the U.S. and on March 23, 2017 in the U.K.

While the Amazon listing isn't for "Mass Effect: Andromeda" itself, Destructoid points out that the description for the art book indicates that it will be released "simultaneously with the game."

Sources say that the release date for "The Art of Mass Effect: Andromeda" doesn't seem to be merely a placeholder, given the standard two-day difference between the U.S. and U.K. release dates. The fact that the U.S. release falls on a Tuesday and the U.K. release on a Thursday is also notable as this is fairly standard for popular video game titles.

As such, it does appear that Amazon has inadvertently confirmed the "Mass Effect: Andromeda" release date ahead of BioWare and Electronic Arts' announcement.

Meanwhile, "Andromeda" director Mac Walters recently assured fans that the upcoming video game will have all the essential elements fans have come to love in the "Mass Effect" series.

"I think people should be excited about the same things we as developers are excited about," he told GeekPron. "We wanted a fresh start, not just for story and game, but for ourselves. A lot of the magic of developing the first game was that we didn't have a background on 'Mass Effect' yet. So, what can we do, that will surprise and delight the players? That's what I think people should look forward to — all the elements you'd want of a 'Mass Effect' game, of course they'll be there," he added.

The official release date for "Mass Effect: Andromeda" has not been announced. It is nonetheless expected to come out before the end of March 2017.