More free Mass Effect 2 DLC very soon

By Tom Bramwell Published 4 February, 2010

Couple of weeks away, says BioWare.

BioWare has said that more free Mass Effect 2 downloadable content will be released soon.

"Free in-game content in a couple weeks for those who have activated Cerberus Network! Stay tuned for more details," BioWare noted on its Twitter feed.

Cerberus Network is the in-game system for distributing downloadable content, which comes free with every new copy of the game via redeemable code and otherwise costs 1200 Microsoft Points or equivalent - the idea being to discourage second-hand sales by making new copies more attractive.

The launch DLC for the game consisted of The Price of Revenge, which introduced the companion Zaeed Massani, and another bit of content allowing you to visit an old friend on a distant world.

BioWare has previously said to expect more DLC post-release, including the Hammerhead hover tank and additional weapons and armour, but it's not clear whether these specific elements will be free or sold separately.

Check out our spoiler-free Mass Effect 2 launch DLC roundup for more on the content released so far.

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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 (39) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • Nephirion #1 2 years ago

    While the new Zaeed char is nice the normandy crash site was pathetic so excuse me if I don't get to excited about this ...

  • INSOMANiAC #2 2 years ago

    Couple of weeks ? Dont they realise Bioshock 2, Alien Vs Predator and Heavy Rain are out very shortly ??

    Most people will have completed the game by then so its a bit pointless, still, its free so Ill stop whinging.

  • Beano #3 2 years ago

    Free or not, I'm curious what use the Hammerhead tank has...

  • geeza2020 #4 2 years ago

    I should be just about finishing my second playthrough on Insanity when this comes out, so I'm really looking forward to this. I thought the dlc was pretty good, Zaeeds mission was quite engrossing, and yes the Normandy mission was a little short and the areas you explore are pretty empty but the story is poignant none the less.

    Bring it on BioWare!!!

  • miiiguel #5 2 years ago

    Most people will have completed the game by then so its a bit pointless, still, its free so Ill stop whinging.

    Don't understand this. Even if I totally complete a game, like do everything, if it gets a new, interesting DLC even if after a long time (which 2 weeks isn't) I'll be very happy to play new content. Surely it isn't pointless. Not for me anyway.
    Edited by 1 at 04/02/10 @ 09:36

  • Darren #6 2 years ago

    More free DLC... for a game from EA?!?!? Woooooah... v. nice! :)

    As for the free stuff deterring second hand sales... I can't see it myself. In a year's time, new copies of this game will be £20 and second hand copies cheaper still. Not only does the game have ample content on the discs for that price anyway but the lower cost would offset the £10.80 you'd have to pay for the Cerberus Network.

  • Beano #7 2 years ago

    "More free DLC... for a game from EA?!?!? Woooooah... v. nice! :) "

    Actually it's content taken out from the retail game (we allready payed for) and holding it back to prevent second-hand sales :o

    It's EA after all...

  • swissorc #8 2 years ago

    Rock ON Bioware.

    Wish they would do a port of Jade Empire my Wii

    But I'll continue throw my evenings away infront of Mass Effect 2 :-)
    Still months away from monster Hunter 3

    @INSOMANiAC

    If you think people would have moved on by then your either not a fan or haven't played (or both) Mass Effect lasted me for months and month like a sci fi zelda
    Edited by 1 at 04/02/10 @ 09:53

  • Inigo #9 2 years ago

    If they are releasing the hover tank then they'll have to release some planets and areas specifically for it. Everything in the game so far is designed to walk.

    I can't believe people are complaining about free stuff.

  • Moribundman #10 2 years ago

    WTF is your problem Nephirion?

    FREE content, which fits right in with the other N7 missions and gives you an XP boost and a brief breather for contemplation...

    It's not a massive add on, it never purported to be, and it came alongside Zaeed which was a MASSIVE add-on (full fat mission, completely new and integrated character, achievement, heavy weapon...).

    The Hammerhead is clearly going to come with its own RANGE of missions (with potential for more of those down the line), and there's the twelfth companion Kasumi on the horizon too. It's not like they intend to charge you 400-800 MSP for a single mission along the lines of the Normandy one.

    INSOMANiAC, people may well have completed the game by then. But you can still play side missions after that (I went through about 10 N7 missions and a couple of hub missions after I had completed the main plot). Hopefully, since you won't be levelling up any more (unless they raise the cap with DLC) and you won't likely have any upgrades left if you fully prepared for the final mission, they will introduce another incentive to continue with side missions.

  • Gunzberg #11 2 years ago

    Please make it longer than Return to Ostagar for DA:o

  • Monkey_Puncher #12 2 years ago

    One of the Bioware guys was on the Giantbomb podcast and said that the tank will come with a set of it's own missions to use it with.

  • muscleblade #13 2 years ago

    @Monkey_Puncher

    I couldnt see any missons where it would seem natural to use it ( ive completed every possible misson in the game) so this sounds like the only possibility. Cant wait for more ME2. Completed the whole thing in less than a week. It was too good to not play all the time.

  • hiddenranbir #14 2 years ago

    Hammerhead comes with hammerhead missions obv.

  • hiddenranbir #15 2 years ago

    As for the free stuff deterring second hand sales... I can't see it myself. In a year's time, new copies of this game will be £20 and second hand copies cheaper still. Not only does the game have ample content on the discs for that price anyway but the lower cost would offset the £10.80 you'd have to pay for the Cerberus Network.

    I don't think it is intended to deter second sales but to try and get some money out of it. Cerberus Network allows this.

  • kinky_mong #16 2 years ago

    @ Beano: Think you're tinfoil hat is too tight, it's cutting the circulation to your brain.

  • shaunomacx #17 2 years ago

    Well I guess we know the DLC will include the character Kasumi seen here. Kind of makes sense.

  • jambo74 #18 2 years ago

    Free DLC with a full price bought game - see this Codemasters!

  • Zaltan #19 2 years ago

    Do you need an XBOX live gold account to download DLC? I don't really want to have to renew when my account expires, I'll just drop down to a Silver account.

  • shaunomacx #20 2 years ago

    No, I had silver when I downloaded the DLC. Works fine.

  • Moribundman #21 2 years ago

    If you use your brain, the Hammerhead CLEARLY can't be dropped into ANY of the existing missions. Which means 100% that there will be a slew of new missions along with it.

    This cannot possibly be described as "something left out of the game" and I am sick to the back teeth of people saying that about Mass Effect/Dragon Age/Fallout 3/Borderlands. I assume all the people whining about this are aware of the fact ME2 went gold well over a month ago, and that a dedicated team has been working on the part-completed DLC ever since then. The game was complete, it was released, but some of the further ideas are being worked on after the fact. Do these people also moan that "those 50 songs weren't included in Rock Band - I can't believe they are charging for them now"?

    We have a full game NOW, with some game changing add ons in the works (new characters, new TYPES of mission entirely). If you insisted that the Hammerhead et al should have been included on day 1, then you are a cretin and as a protest you should wait and buy the game in two years time after all the DLC is completed and reduced on XBLA promotions. At which point the "incomplete" ME3 will be in the shops.

    In fact, why don't you moan that ME1 was released "incomplete" and ME2 and 3 should have been included in 2007?

  • Beano #22 2 years ago

    I got marked down for saying the truth?

  • Beano #23 2 years ago

    @kinky_mong : So the content released on LAUNCH day was created after the game went gold?

    Really?... REALLY??

    Tinfoil hat?.. no, You are a dumb sheep of you buy EA's PR BS.

    I love ME2 but this cerbeus network concept is crap and hurting customers.

  • Moribundman #24 2 years ago

    @Beano Your *opinion* that the additional content that was "taken out" of the game in order to make a fast buck later holds no water. The DLC that came out with the game was free (and an incentive to buy new). The planned DLC is additional content that was planned but not complete when the game was released. They could release the game in 6-12 months once they've had time to complete and polish all the additional ideas they have, but this is game changing ADDITIONAL content. For fucks sake I wish people would stop whining about this. See the above Rock Band example. And maybe games like FIFA should come with next years commentary and team add-ons straight out of the box once the devs get Mystic Meg to tell them whats going to happen.

  • Moribundman #25 2 years ago

    @Beano - No it wasn't. And it was free. And as the fucking article states, it was intentionally released as a free add on to encourage people to buy the game new. I usually pick games up second hand myself, but I have absolutely no problem buying a game I really want new, and if I get additional content free with it then thats even more of an incentive. Further future content was NOT finished at the time of the game going gold. If you look at that Youtube vid that's revealed Kasumi, you'll see that whilst the graphic of her on the squad selection screen (and presumably her dialogue) were complete, the grpahics and character model are not there and the debug mode says so.

    Stop whinging and buy the game new for the free DLC if you like Mass Effect, or do without and play the basic game 2nd hand if you don't care. Likewise, buy the collectors edition if you want the extra armour, or buy the regular edition if you don't care.

  • Moribundman #26 2 years ago

    Actually fuck all this and fuck the people at Bioware for even thinking about enhancing their game after it's been published

    And how DARE they FORCE extra missions and new characters on fans after the release date. They should release the game and sit on their fucking hands for two years rather than bringing new ideas and enhancements to the table.

  • linksdad #27 2 years ago

    Currently playing on rental. Will not be paying out for Cerberus or other DLC, as I have already legally PAID to use the product.
    I may have gone the DLC route (I'm not usually a fan of DLC but have bought on occasions) if I enjoyed the game enough and fancied the look of content. If I'm expected to spend 1200 MSP just to be able to buy DLC then there is no chance.

    If I paid for cerberus and it still worked when I returned the rental disc it would also be a consideration, but then everyone in the world could just install from one disc and pay the 1200MSP.

  • Rubarack #28 2 years ago

    We know how difficult Bioware find it to add in content after release so there's a simple test here. If this content comes in smoothly with no kind of problem (ala Warden's Keep/Shale) then it's content cut from the game and added in later. If it is bug ridden and gets delayed, pulled off the store and then put back we can safely assume it's new content.

    Either way Bioware are entitled to release whatever they like and call it the complete experience, just as I'm entitled to not buy it until it's actually finished.

  • MasterNameless #29 2 years ago

    "When did the word patch get replaced by DLC?"

    This is nothing like a patch... besides DLC isn't a word, it's an acronym.

    Aww, the poor gamers who take offense at DLC. Some people will never, ever be happy. They will always find something to pick at and moan about, I don't believe these people even enjoy playing the games anymore. If they did, why would they be constantly chewing on their own nose, despite the mess it makes of their face? :D

    Even without the DLC, I've put a good 30 hours in already and have a little way to go yet. That already seems pretty good value for money to me already - and a phenomenal game to boot! The worst thing about this game is that it will inevitably come to an end, and that's a little depressing. I'd take any DLC they want to throw our way, whether it's free or not, I'd lap it up!
    Edited by 1 at 04/02/10 @ 13:42

  • VicViper #30 2 years ago

    I bought this new, i was going to anyway but thats beside the point, so their rewarding me with free DLC (for now at least) for doing so, well fine happy days, I haven't seen everything in the game yet in my first play through and if every time I go back to play through the story again its now expanding with even more stuff that can only be a good thing.

    However when they start selling armour and weapons well then I might be less enthusiastic, it would need to be amazing stuff. Hopefully they'll keep extra story/N7 missions/Characters prices resonable.

  • Turrican #31 2 years ago

    I can see both sides of this argument, but from my personal view I would rather they had delayed the launch by 2 weeks and included the DLC in the game from the start as myself and many others will have got far through the game and will not really feel like revisiting it for a long while.

  • Moribundman #32 2 years ago

    @Turrican The DLC that's already been released (and is free) is a "buy new" incentive not something they didn't have time to get finished. The as yet unreleased DLC is an add on to the main game that has been produced after the game was released. It's different from AC2 for example where a whole 2 chapters integral to the plot of the game were completely omitted to speed up the release date and sold back to players. The ME2 stuff consists of bolt ons to freshen up and prolong the game experience.

    When you complete it, you get the option to continue the game (for DLC and unfinished missions) with whoever you have left OR you can restart with the same character at a higher level for new game plus. Either way, adding new content to the game enables you to experience new adventures, missions, weapons, armour, characters after the game.

  • Bulbatron #33 2 years ago

    I cannot believe that people will even complain about FREE stuff. MasterNameless, I think there's a lot of truth in your comments earlier.

  • kinky_mong #34 2 years ago

    @Beano: You've opened my eyes to the truth! I can't believe I was so naive! Quick, we must formulate our plan to stop the Lizard People controlling the world powers spreading their lies about free DLC!

  • butler` #35 2 years ago

    "I usually pick games up second hand myself, but I have absolutely no problem buying a game I really want new"

    Did you stop to consider if this becomes the norm, you'll rarely if ever be able to buy a game second hand?

    I'm all up for putting money in the hands of devs rather than retailers; it's the other bit between me and the devs I have a problem with.

  • Zaiz #36 2 years ago

    I dunno about the rest of you guys, but why would I have to download a 400 megabyte file to get Zaeed if the content was already on the disk? 400 megs sounds about right for a relatively small mission, and a significant amount of dialogue.

    In short, stop staring a gift horse(arabian?) in the mouth while being offered armor for a horse for cash. Or something. Zaiz can't do grammar things this morning.

  • GamesConnoisseur #37 2 years ago

    I applaud Cerebus Network idea as being a very workable solution for SECOND HAND sales (third and fourth etc), that Developer such as BioWare still makes something out of continuing to support DLC for ME2 long time after the release and if the money comes in from new subscribers to Network to fund the DLC?

    DLC being free shortly after release IS also to be applauded, as not 'ripped out of game and charge more', this is an addition at no costs.

    Now as for Hammerhead and extra maps to play around in, I would expect this to be paid for DLC, especially if adding a lot but would not be suprised if continues to be free for a good number of DLC to justify the Cerebus Network model.

    Which is a first, and look forward to see how its works out for EA and Bioware and the consumers!

  • Flooq #38 2 years ago

    I can't believe people are actually arguing that paying towards a rental service with no connection to anyone involved in the creation or publication of the product is equal to paying 40 quid for a new game.

    Also Bioware have already stated that Cerberus DLC will all be free (after membership by either method) and pay-for DLC will be separate. So long as both channels are supported then I can't complain. It might actually be a good way for developers to offer free content after purchase to appease Microsoft and their concerns about devaluing content.

  • Caimbeul #39 2 years ago

    Yay Bioware!