Someone at Microsoft has flipped a switch early, leading to a piece of Mass Effect 3 downloadable content making its way online way ahead of schedule.
Spoilers start
The DLC will "unearth lost secrets from the past" and allow players to recruit a Prothean character to their crew.
BioWare's associate producer Michael Gamble responded to the leak on the official forums by saying: "We're happy to confirm that Mass Effect 3: From Ashes DLC will be available at launch for all platforms. For those of you who have purchased the N7 Collector's Edition (including the PC Digital Deluxe Edition), you will get this content at no extra charge. We'll have a lot more details for you later this week! Stay Tuned."
Spoilers end
In other Mass Effect 3 news, Sony has said those who pre-order the digital version of Mass Effect 3 via the PlayStation Network will be rewarded with a M55 Argus rifle.
"The Argus is a high-powered rifle and an excellent close-range weapon. Its bursts of fire ensure ammunition conservation during lengthy conflicts. Law-enforcement agencies across the Mass Effect galaxy are adopting the Argus as their standard rifle, as much for its intimidation factor as its suppression power."
Pre-order customers will also get an exclusive Mass Effect 3 PS3 theme only available for digital pre-orders. These offers will not be available once the game is released.
Earlier this week, BioWare released an extended version of the Mass Effect 3 'Take Earth Back' trailer.
Comments
41 comments so far...
wwinterj on 22 Feb '12 said:
Not much of a incentive to pre order in my opinion. Still I'll be pre ordering anyway but I'll be getting the normal 360 version. Can't say I'm impressed with the DLC been announced so soon but I'll possibly buy it when I'm good and ready. Just because it will be out in a short space of time after the game is out doesn't mean I have to buy it right away.
dicky1993 on 22 Feb '12 said:
hm this better not be the "exclusive bonus content" for N7 edition that they advertised as THE ONLY way of getting it,
Whiplash x360a on 22 Feb '12 said:
Why do I get the feeling that this "Prothean" squad member is a Collector?
gmcb007 on 22 Feb '12 said:
I'm not a Mass Effect fan (calm down, i've just never had the time) but is this one of those games thats going to have those nasty pre order dlc systems where every retailer and edition has seperate content?
Black Mantis on 22 Feb '12 said:
He's not.
dicky1993 on 22 Feb '12 said:
pretty much, yh just weapons mainly but now looks like other things
Moribundman on 22 Feb '12 said:
SPOILERS (obviously)
Ummm... Anyone who preorders from anywhere gets that rifle. So thats no big deal. People are better off ordering the PS3 version from GAME for more freebies unless they really love themes...
Because the Collectors are Protheans, but the Prothean you can recruit is not a Collector, he/she has been in stasis for 50,000 years.
So you are in fact wrong, but the artwork they've released shows they have designed him to look a bit more Collectory than the fossilised lanky Protheans from ME1 suggested.
I am guessing you unlock the mission and character when you do the early Mars mission from the previews, since the Sol Relay and Prothean ruins in the Solar system are there and its been confirmed as the first mission after the demo level.
I believe that that "exclusive" content is officially the alternate appearance costumes for squadmates, the N7 Arsenal weapons pack, the robot dog and the casual hoodie for Shep on the Normandy. I remain HIGHLY skeptical that this will remain 100% exclusive forever though. I foresee an N7 bundle of all that stuff becoming available about 9-12 months after release for $10, although if you didn't pre-order ME2 from Gamestop/Play.com on 360 or PC I believe it is still not possible to get the Terminus armour and Blackstorm Weapon for that game (as opposed to the Inferno pre-order armour which was released as part of a DLC pack). This DLC was bundled in with the standard PS3 version (I think).
Also wasn't the 360 Normandy avatar prop supposed to be exclusive? And before I even have my N7 edition I've had about 100 opportunities to download that from Biowares Twitter feed, by playing Mission Command on Facebook and by "recruiting" supporters on FB... SILLY. I also got the comic on my phone free from Dark Horse and I bought the Art of the Mass Effect Universe book so I already have everything from the mini art book plus much more. I confidently expect someone to start handing out sew on patches and lithographs for free soon...
jdkoke on 22 Feb '12 said:
Looked on Origin (yuck - but I play ME on PC) and you get all DLC with their version but it's 35 notes. £27 in Zavvi for a boxed copy.
kmcroc on 22 Feb '12 said:
Going to be the longest two weeks ever .
PMIKE5 on 22 Feb '12 said:
Discovering a living Prothean in this game seems like a very important plot point. Surely this should be something included in the game. One of the running themes of Mass Effect is the marginalisation of the poor. Excluding actual non-fictional people who can't afford to pay for the limited edition/DLC defeats any kind of noble work Bioware/EA are trying to convey with this game and undermines the long running story of the Protheans as a whole.
Moribundman on 22 Feb '12 said:
You'd still need to activate and run the boxed copy through Origin if you bought it from Zavvi... And you'd miss out on the exclusive shotgun. Best bet would be to supersize and go for the digital deluxe.
http://store.origin.com/store/eaemea/en ... s-effect-3
FYI Game.co.uk have sold out of N7 editions on 360 already... Can't even view it when I check my order although they assure me I will still get mine.
KMakawa on 22 Feb '12 said:
Well, the bonus content was "A new character and bonus mission!" ... that protean sounds quite similar doesnt it? :/
Anyhow, im still getting the collectors as I have since it had started.. I like the look of it all. Anyone else being able to buy it off the bat just isnt good though.
MrPirtniw on 22 Feb '12 said:
BALLS! I've been avoiding every scrap of ME3 info for months now and when I eventually decide to click on a story I discover you can get a prothean squad member? That sounds like a MASSive element to the plot. It's going to EFFECT my joy of the game now.
No, seriously- that's annoying. Damn my curiosity.
Darkwun on 22 Feb '12 said:
Same boat
except I avoided the spoilers in the article... only to have my curiosity cat raped continuously in the comments. F u all. F u all in the A! 
KMakawa on 22 Feb '12 said:
Guys, I wouldn't pay too much notice to the prothean member doing anything world saving in the game... If you all can cast your memory back to Mass Effect 2 with the additional character Zaeed Massani? Yeah.. all you did with him was 1 extra mission, and then he could tag along with you..
This additional character wont be the pivotal point to the game, its just a little bit extra..
This is not any spoiler for the main plot of ME3, Nor will it directly effect said main plot.. (Well unless s/he has broken abilitys. then you'll OP your way through).
MrPirtniw on 22 Feb '12 said:
Yup, exactly what I did. Hope you're right KMakawa- you don't want me to self harm... do you?
KMakawa on 22 Feb '12 said:
Well its kinda like this tbh.. why would they use a additional character from DLC to have a massive point in the game.. because some probably wont even download it, and therefore wont get that "massive point". If it was something crucial it'd be on the disc.
Zaeed wasnt on the disc and was downloaded, and all it was - was liberating a refinery location.. after which you could have him on your squad.. but he was useless so I didnt.
This new guy will most likely follow that tradition of.. "Yeah heres your intro mission.. now you can choose him/her if you want".
Honestly its nothing.
Moribundman on 22 Feb '12 said:
Got the art book, saw this (and another spoilerific squad member) and thought the same thing. Am now thinking more along the lines of KMakawa though that its not such an "I am your father" spoiler. Especially as the nature of the character is presumably going to be plastered all over the DLC code insert in the pack or all over XBLA/PSN/Origin.
Will be an awesome person to interact with but probably not going to tell you anything that the Prothean Ruins/Relics/AI and research on the Collectors hasn't already told you. If he went into stasis pre-reapers he's pretty much going to be in the same boat as the Humans, Salarians, Turians and Asari anyway... Might make for some interesting interactions with Hanar though, walking around with your own walking talking enkindler...
Black Mantis on 22 Feb '12 said:
That's the problem IMO. It's a bloody Prothean! He should be a big part of the plot, or at least like Vigil on Ilos. Having a Prothean be reduced to minor DLC status like Zaeed is disappointing. I just hope his story mission reveals plenty about the Protheans last days, some Prothean technology and is as awesome as the Shadow Broker DLC.
KMakawa on 22 Feb '12 said:
The CE artbook? big one?
I have that, but didnt venture into the Mass Effect 3 section is fright of revealing something too big.. But tempted to look at it, just to see what he looks like.. Give me the page number, IF he isnt sat next to the other squad member.. Cause they like to do that in this book :/
<3.
MrPirtniw on 22 Feb '12 said:
I hear you, man. That sounds more than likely- but I've gotta say- having a Prothean (possibly the last of his/her/its kind) on your squad when they've been extinct for thousands of years would offer a massive wealth of back story as we don't really know anything about them. But if it's like Zaeed DLC where we get a fairly brief mission and a very limited conversation with the character I think that would be a bit of a cop out from what could potentially be a rather epic part of the story.
Guess I'll find out soon enough.
Also- I got the artbook too!
there's a lot of stuff from the previous artbooks in there- and the fact I don't want to look at the last 3rd yet is frustrating me big time!
EDIT: Black Mantis beat me to it.
Darkwun on 22 Feb '12 said:
Pretty much what I was thinking lol! but I was trying to avoid ALL info on storyline! I had to push myself just to download the demo... but one month was too long to wait... I want it now! I've had to make a new Shep and start from one all over again to suppress my desires. Think I'll actually try killing off a few squad members this time, my other three Sheps have a perfect record after the suicide mission
KMakawa on 22 Feb '12 said:
I created one playthrough, playing it with nothing impacting my decisions but myself. Some squad members died at the end of my playthrough, im happy with that.. atleast i'd of carried through with my decisions ^^. Not trying to perfect it, but have it relate to what I did.
I will of course go back and make it clean throughout all 3 at a later stage.
jdkoke on 22 Feb '12 said:
Aye I seen digital deluxe too but it's nae worth £60 to me. Not actually bothered about the DLC, was just to say to whoever it was about a version that had all the DLC. I prefer the cheaper boxed Zavvi version, fiteva DLC i get for free and paying for the Prothean DLC seperately anyway.
Thanks for the info anyway though mate
Darkwun on 22 Feb '12 said:
that's probably my fave way to play ME and my first Shep (though looking like a chimp as I hadn't quite got to grips with the customization!) is my most personal. but with nothing but sheer fluke, got everyone through... but admittedly cheated with my others by copying the formula with my other Sheps to guarantee success (Mordin died on a second playthrough, but reset until I got it right). But definitely gonna force a few deaths... but obviously enough so that Shep lives. Oh and Legion... because he's kind of awesome.
ukdruid on 22 Feb '12 said:
I really laughed at the if you buy ME3 from the PSN store you get a free rifle, who in their right minds would actually buy the game off the PSN store?, unless they have an extra £10-20 to waste on the rediculously higher prices they slap on these games, so unless you want to buy that so called free rifle for £10, stick with a normal retailer.
PsoBloke on 22 Feb '12 said:
Yep!
Sammy_bham on 22 Feb '12 said:
SPOILER ###############
LOOK AWAY NOW IF YOU DONT WANT TO KNOW ANOTHER CHARACTER
##########################
You get Edi, as a squad member, confirmed for me3.
game is gonna be epic.
Darkwun on 22 Feb '12 said:
Must... close... window... stop... reading... thread!
Moribundman on 22 Feb '12 said:
140-142. Do *NOT* look at pages 138-9 (over the page).
KMakawa on 22 Feb '12 said:
Thats quite a cool lookin' squad member ^^. Highly doubt he'll reveal much in story.. not sure if he'd even be able to speak the same language.
Reegeee on 22 Feb '12 said:
This really doesn't sit well with me at all. If it was just locked out for buying it new then I'd be fine with that, just like the Zaeed stuff. Now they want to charge a tenner for even people who bought it new? And not only that the character is a vital character in terms of the overall plotline over the three games? It's a disgrace. An absolute disgrace.
I don't care if said character is not a huge cog in the plot for ME3, in terms of the trilogy it has to be. It's really put me off has this.
Darkwun on 22 Feb '12 said:
Yeah now I know i just googled the Prothean. Though I wish I didn't know about it, he looks pretty cool. But I do hope the Prothean isn't relegated to a few random stories a la Kasumi & Zaeed, that would be a waste. But I say that because I preordered, at the same time I can understand why people would be annoyed at having such a massive character as DLC. But I guess this is what happens when a massive corporation buys into the Mass Effect series. there's an allegory for EA being the Reapers in there somewhere...
DannyIsBatman on 22 Feb '12 said:
EA=ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL!!
Moribundman on 22 Feb '12 said:
Just watch the unboxing video they put up yesterday then and enter the glaringly obvious online pass code from there.
Reegeee on 23 Feb '12 said:
Yeah but that doesn't unlock the DLC, just the online play. (Well, as I understand it anyway)
I'm really all for incentives for buying it new, but day 1 paid for DLC is just not right IMO. Especially when it contains such a potentially important character.
Either way I don't like it. If it's really important and I have to pay a tenner extra for what should already be in the game then that's rubbish. If it's inconsequential and all you really get is a character for that price then it's rip off DLC. I can see no positive.
ricflair on 23 Feb '12 said:
You know what to do reeg.
All I'm saying is "did I go out to bat for England half out of bed?"
richomack360 on 23 Feb '12 said:
I am confused as to which retailer does what and why....is this the first game I will end up spending about £100 + on ??? (apart from the mental Steel Batallion controller bundle)
Carbon64 on 23 Feb '12 said:
The other possibility of course is that it's like cat women in Arkham. He/she/it appears in cut scenes in all version of the game eventually but the dlc let's you use him in your squad. Admittedly that probably won't be it but it's possible.
Reegeee on 23 Feb '12 said:
Even so, you got that for free for buying it new! This is an EXTRA tenner!
Carbon64 on 23 Feb '12 said:
For those that don't have the collectors edition yes. I agree it's not the best of ideas but at the very least if its what I said he/she/it will at least appear in everyone's game.
If that doesn't happen then yes it is a major balls up by whoever made the decision but let's be honest we all know people will by that dlc on day one especially since its the end of the trilogy. Hell I know I'd be tempted to if I hadn't got lucky with getting the collectors.