Mass Effect 2 DLC details this week

By Tom Bramwell Published 18 January, 2010

BioWare won't charge for launch content.

BioWare has said it will not charge for any Mass Effect 2 downloadable content released alongside the game next week.

"Addressing rumours: BioWare will not be charging extra for any new Mass Effect 2 content on launch day. More DLC details next week," the developer tweeted on Friday.

Those rumours were based on a story in Norwegian newspaper DagBladet (since removed, but Joystiq retains details) that said we should expect new armour, weapons, a new planet and a new ally to follow the game's launch.

Apparently it's all going to be sold through an in-game store called Cerberus Network. Cerberus is the non-Alliance human organisation with which protagonist Commander Shepard joins forces in the upcoming RPG sequel.

BioWare has previously said to expect an "intense" schedule of DLC for the game, having lost out by only releasing a couple of add-ons for the original.

Mass Effect 2 is due out for PC and Xbox 360 on 29th January in Europe. Look out for our review early next week.

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (28) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Emmit_Assassin #1 2 years ago

    Yeah, that's cause Bioware don't try and rip us all off at every given opportunity. They'd prefer their reputation gets them the cash. Unlike some I won't mention..*cough* Capcom *splutter* Bastards ...'scuse me...

  • TheJuriel #2 2 years ago

    In other words, Bioware apparently had good experiences with 'encouraging' people to buy a new copy of the game with Dragon Age and its 'free on release (if you bought the full price game)' DLC.

    Which I'm actually fine with.

  • Caimbeul #3 2 years ago

    Well done Bioware!

    Thanks a fcking lot Eurogamer "Cerberus is the non-Alliance human organisation with which protagonist Commander Shepard joins forces in the upcoming RPG sequel." I REALLY Didnt want to know that. Having read the books and knowing about them it spoils the surprise. I expected to read a little about DLC and i get spoilers. PLEASE eurogamer - if there are spoilers or hints to plot WARN PEOPLE FIRST!!

    **Edited for spelling mistake during rage.
    Edited by 1 at 18/01/10 @ 08:35

  • chudders #4 2 years ago

    Calm down dear.

  • the_dudefather #5 2 years ago

    @Caimbeul
    ditto

    Although I didn't read the story, I read your post

  • Miths #6 2 years ago

    @Caimbeul

    Unless you're among those who completely avoid any and all articles and videos about games you're looking forward to (in which case you probably should have stayed out of this one as well :)), that "spoiler" is very old news.

  • bad09 #7 2 years ago

    @ Caimbeul

    Calm down it's no secret that in ME2 Shepherd works with Cerberus so it's no spoiler by EG.
    Edited by 1 at 18/01/10 @ 08:52

  • soviet_ #8 2 years ago

    Booking 29th off work, bring me your free DLCs Bioware

  • actionfitz #9 2 years ago

    @ TheJuriel.

    yup, thats my thoughts too.

  • LiveForever #10 2 years ago

    This is mainly to deter piracy and pre-owned copys. Dont expect the DLC to be anything great.
    It's the new way of using cd-keys on a console. EA will probably do this with all their games.

  • jambo74 #11 2 years ago

    Do you hear that Codemasters, FREE DLC on a game!!!!!

  • Moribundman #12 2 years ago

    The free day 1 DLC is in exactly the same business model as Dragon Age.

    It's an additional character - a Bounty Hunter named Zaeed Messani with a British accent (of whom there is a screenshot if you Google him) and an additional planet allegedly featuring return to a familiar place.

    This went online on a Danish site on Friday, filtered through to Joystiq and was pulled presumably via a quiet word qwith EA/Bioware.

    As with Dragon Age, this is "ripped from the main game" style content, which is fully available to anyone who buys the game new. It's designed to be an anti-piracy incentive.

  • ParanoidZombie #13 2 years ago

    The wait is almost over!!! And yet I'm still stuck in Dragon Age, 70 hours in and that supid archdemon is nowhere in sight, Im' afraid I won't be able to reseume my Shepard's journey on launch day... All of this because of those dwarves, the Orzammar chapter drags on forever...

  • ybfelix #14 2 years ago

    I personally can't stand playing an "incomplete" single-player game nor playing a game piecemeal over several months. With this "aggressive" DLC plan I guess I would be waiting for the inevitable GOTY edition.

  • ChthonicEcho #15 2 years ago

    So long as I don't see DLC quest givers in my game, I'm content.

  • tachometer #16 2 years ago

    I can imagine you'll get a mission to go to some planet, get halfway through then some cerberus guy will pop up saying "give me 400 MS Points to continue" then you either pay up or get back to the main quest.

  • TeaFiend #17 2 years ago

    @tachometer:
    So, Dragon Age? "There is a sweet castle with phat lewt!" if you say you want to go it becomes time to buy DLC.

  • Moribundman #18 2 years ago

    @ybfelix I really don't think they will release a GOTY edition - it doesn't seem to be something they do. And bearing in mind Bioware have talked about DLC over a 2 year period for both Dragon Age and ME2 I seriously doubt they'll go down that path. They seem to be adopting a similar stance to DLC as Rockstar, so maybe you'll see one or more compilations of DLC in the shops down the line, but if they wait for ALL DLC to be released it will no longer be "the year" that its the Game of the Year of(!)

    With ME1 a version was released with the FIRST of only two pieces of DLC included, and that took 2 years to emerge...

    Keep waiting if you like, but I think all the real fans of Mass Effect will be snapping this up, probably the collectors edition on preorder to take advantage of the various bolt ons and DLC offered. If you pre-order the collectors edition of ME2 you'll receive:

    A bunch of physical extras.
    A set of Collector armour and a collector weapon.
    Either the Terminus or Inferno armour.
    The DLC to be announced this week.

    Also if you bought/buy Dragon age you'll get the Blood Dragon armour.

    If you choose the standard version after release you miss out on the first couple, and if you buy the game second hand you'll miss out on the others.

  • muscleblade #19 2 years ago

    Dont know about the Danish but Dagbladet here in Norway reported this on Friday: Along with the expected armour and weapons, there will also be an unlockable planet to play through plus a new ally known as Zaeed Messani. The DLC will be available through Cerberus Network, an in-game store named after one of the Black Ops groups in Mass Effect.

  • JensonJet #20 2 years ago

    Oh great... thanks Caimbeul, now I know Sheppard's alive. When I stopped reading about this sequel (for fear of spoilers) I was told Sheppard's dead... now you tell me he/she is alive! You could've warned me early in your post!

  • Moribundman #21 2 years ago

    @muscleblade Yeah, sorry dude. Call it Monday morning befuddlement... Or Brit ignorance of Scandinavia... (Oh whats that? Not part of the EU? Completely different culture? Oh. Sorry.) ;-)

    Yeah, that's what I heard.

    You get a log-in card to the Cerberus network with the Collecters addition. I'm wondering if that makes the Day 1 DLC CE exclusive (probably not) or if the card gives you exclusive DLC or reduced price/free DLC in the future (more likely).

    When I played the hands on at the EU expo, the control screen (or something) had a view of Shepard's PC screen at his desk. I think ALL DLC will be administered from here without breaking the atmosphere. Also read a preview talking about in-game email so I'm betting DLC will be highlighted with an email to your ingame inbox rather than an annoying character who serves no other purpose.

  • Kerome #22 2 years ago

    Actuallly the free DLC is not just an anti-piracy business model, it's also an anti-second-hand one...

  • Moribundman #23 2 years ago

    @Kerome Indeed. But TBH if its a game I'm into, I don't mind buying a game new to get the extra stuff. If I'm meh about a game, I'll buy it second hand. And of course you can still buy the big DLCs for Dragon Age (at a silly price) if you buy the game second hand. I doubt things will be any different with ME2.

  • metalangel #24 2 years ago

    Oh well, strike me from the ranks of "real Mass Effect fans". They can shove their "intense DLC schedule" up their "fucking arses" and I will happily wait for a GOTY edition.

  • Nephirion #25 2 years ago

    Going to wait a few months for price drop, really stupid to release this so close to Dragon Age a game thats easily 100 hours if you do everything in the game over different play throughs. The DLC for ME1 was crap and Pinnacle Station is still being charged for WTF?
    Edited by 1 at 18/01/10 @ 20:06

  • Moribundman #26 2 years ago

    @Metalangel: There won't be a GOTY. Still have fun waiting, and I hope those attitude adjustment classes go well.

  • metalangel #27 2 years ago

    @Moribundman: Won't be a GOTY? Look on Amazon, there's the ME1 Classics edition which includes the first of the two DLCs, £15.75. That's what I'll wait for. I've still got Dragon Age to finish, there's no rush, especially with Bioware outlining the plans to rip me off if I want the complete ME2.

  • Kerome #28 2 years ago

    Tbh I'll be fine with what's in the box, I know it's unlikely I'll have time for DLCs anyway... there are a lot of other decent games on the horizon.