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BioWare outlines Mass Effect 2 DLC plans

Hammerhead hover tank! New character!

BioWare plans to release a free DLC pack including new missions and a new character for Mass Effect 2 next week.

The developer has also said to expect a new vehicle, the Hammerhead, in DLC following the game's release. The Hammerhead is a hover tank for trundling around planets shooting and exploring.

Looking further ahead, we should expect Cerberus Assault Armour (boosting shields, health and heavy weapon ammo capacity) and the M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun to follow.

Next week though we get a package of new missions, in-game items and the rumoured Zaeed character, "a rugged and deadly gun-for-hire", who can be convinced to join Commander Shepard's team.

That's if we buy the game new, however, as the only way to access the free DLC will be via a single-use unlock code that introduces a "Cerberus Network" portal in-game.

The Cerberus Network will then be used to handle "bonus content as well as daily messages and news on upcoming releases for Mass Effect 2".

There's no word on how much the Hammerhead of armour/shotgun bundles will cost, or whether the Zaeed pack will be made available as premium content for those who don't buy the game new.

Mass Effect 2 is due out for PC and Xbox 360 next Friday in Europe, 29th January.