Rumor: Mass Effect 2 DLC details leaked

EA and Bioware, oh damn,...not only did you do this once already...your doing it again.

I think I should cancel my pre-order thank you very much, maybe I'll wait till it's in the $20.00 bin, then I'll go buy it and by then the DLC should be half off and then I'll buy that and have myself a 30 dollar game, saving me 60.00 dollars.

This is my favorite series so far by Bioware and it hurts me to have to put this game on hold for something like this.

How about companies take a few more months and add that DLC content to the title, I wouldn't mind seeing that, I would vote for that in a second.

DLC should be free, only expansion worthy content should cost anything.

DLC is a fail, ppl need to boycott this crap before it get's even worse, looks like EA and Bioware know how to f@#$# with ppl's money all to well.

Trolls galore!

This "day one" dlc will be free to anyone who purchases a new retail copy of Mass effect 2"

I bought it gladly, rip-off or not. I'll wage holy wars elsewhere.

Eh. I'll probably get it.

I can't wait for this game!

I know I'm rehashing old news, but I'll do it anyways.

1: All editions of the game come with something called a Ceberus Network card, that allows you increased access to content, in addition to (this is a guess here) the ME2 version of the social network Bioware set up for Dragon Age. You know, achievement tracking, screenshots of memorable moments, DLC and mod content management.

2: Some content will be available on release for free, just like Stone Prisoner was, with the same limitations. You must purchase the game new, not used from Gamestop in the case of the 360 version. The reasons for this are many.

3: What this launch day DLC is exactly has not been revealed, though there will be an official announcement according to Bioware sometime this week of the 17th-23rd. It may be a new party member, weapons and/or armor, planets to explore, or other things.

4: More DLC is and will be created down the line. With the framework they designed they can do micro-updates of just a few armor and weapons to smaller, medium, or large, expansion pack-sized adventures. Assuming you survive the ending they have said you can continue playing the game to explore content, or you can see it via a new game or new game plus. The price points on this content have not been announced, but are constantly being looked at and revised to provide a reasonable value for the consumer and a return on the investment of time and resources on the part of the developer and publisher.

5: Bioware designed ME2 from the ground up to support DLC and have had a team working on said content before the game's release, rather than after it as was the case with ME1. ME1's first DLC pack, Bring Down the Sky, used assets originally intended for Therum, the planet you find Liara on. It was originally intended to be a Human mining colony and act as another hub, but got cut. All development cycles on games and even movies and television lead to them creating more than they need or could fit into the project, so parts get cut. Sometimes these cut parts are added back, like deleted scenes on DVDs, and in other cases they're used to create something new with existing assets, as seen in Bring Down the Sky.

Now I don't know if ME2 has any such reshuffled content, but I do know that as a developer they had a design window where they had to get the core content completed and test-worthy, and that which did not prove worthwhile, for whatever reasons, would be eliminated from the final product, but those assets would still exist and the DLC team would have access to them while the core team worked on the game. If they could finish it before the production deadline it would be reinserted into the base product, if it could not then it would exist seperately as a candidate for future DLC.

You are not missing out on anything if you do buy the DLC or not. DLC is not evil, it exists to broaden a game in a manner designers could once only dream of. Before you could get almost no after-release support for a console game, with only PC games getting expansion packs typically 8-18 months after the release of a game. Now developers can give both console and PC gamers new content a mere month after release or less, and increase the lifespan of a game significantly.

Monologue over, take it how you will. I know I'll be preloading the game and playing on day one. I will enjoy it, and I will strongly consider future DLC. The game is worth the day one investment to me.

Having read through 3 pages of comments here so far I'm not sure that anyone knows for certain if the DLC will be free or not. Perhaps the article author could find out and update accordingly?
If the content is free then it's simply a day 1 patch, like many games companies are doing these days - nothing wrong with that. However, if it's charged content then they're clearly taking the piss.

@Remmy2112
Probably the smartest post anyone here has actually made.

It really doesn't matter if it comes out on the 26th or months later. The people here who are complaining will do one of two things. Not buy until it they feel like it or buy it on Day 1 anyway, like most "internet activists" do.

Just because it comes out on Day 1 does not mean it can be put on the disc. DVD's do not have an infinite capacity, they are limited. BioWare has to finish the game a couple months before it's release to let the game discs be made. Why not spend the time before it's release working on some extra content for the gamers? This way employees have zero downtime between projects and the company can make some extra money.

You need to start appreciate the work developers do for the gaming community and be happy that they even make DLC for use.

"Yeah, where are all the pro-payfor-DLC idiots now?

I never had a problem paying for expansions, at least if they were good.

But this DLC B.S that people still defend idiotically, needs to go away. Of course I don't need to buy it and of course I won't buy it. So somehow, they are LOSING business AND creating an antagonized user base, but that's good business. BRILLIANT.

Go back to the expansion pack formula and if it's something small, just give it away for free, include it in the original release, or don't flippin' bother creating it. And at the very least don't release DLC until at least a month after the original release so when can at least imagine we aren't being abused.

We are their employers after all. If we don't pay them, they don't keep their jobs. Consumers are meant to be served not the other way around."

Wake up douche. Have you seen the figures for DLC sales. People seem to like it. Just because you are too tight fisted to add value to your gaming experience doesn't mean everyone else is. I like the thought that i'll still be getting new content down the line. And it's a little naive to think they would do it for free.

I didn't pay anything for any of it, i just pirated it, then pirated all the DLC and wam bam thank you ma'am i got everything, for free. and I could give 2 shits about a network or anything like that.

I bought ME2. ALL CONTENT IS INDEED FREE DAY ONE!!

Here is a list of DLC for the game thus far:

Ceberus Network Card: (COMES FREE WITH GAME)
Blood Dragon Armor (Like when you bought DA:O on 360)
Normandy Crash Site (Extra Mission)
Zaeed (That mercenary guy)

Best Buy Exclusive: (Pre-order at Best Buy)
Inferno Armor (Negotiation Bonus 10%, All Power Damage 10%, Sprint Speed 10%)

Gamestop Exclusive: (Pre-order at GameSTOP)
Terminus Heavy Armor
Terminus Heavy Gun
(Sorry I threw out the card for this, forgot what they did)

For people who want to buy this used, You can still access the Cerberus Network; you'll just have to PAY for it (They prompt you that in the marketplace). I guess 'day one' content is looking pretty great right now. So you can play your game and buy the content months from now.

A perfect example about a company NOT CARING for the consumers. How dare they offer FREE dlc?! On the day the game is released?! FOR FREE!! Where do they get off thanking me for my day one release?! Now I'm pissed...I'm boycotting Day one DLC, no, ALL DLC altogether!

/sarcasm.

Who is "Mass Effect 2 DLC" installed? adik and you have to go on and on zaeed planet where he was thrown Norman SR1 air, armor, etc.. Who has the game to enter the ID petrica_alex or send at email petrica_alex@yahoo.com the subject Mass Effect 2 as DLC are to go and if you give me your code, too REEDEM CERCEBUS CODE (I mind that we are connected account through the game). Please help-very ma.Ma enmerveaza work with the code. please help me a lot to install and support.
I have Mass Effect 2 DLC (kit) instalej the 10 files and crack and do not go, I want to go, say I connect to network, but not without REEDEM CERCEBUS CODE. SUPPORT MA