For as great a job as they did at making Mass Effect into a sprawling, unforgettable sci-fi rpg, BioWare kinda blew it when it came to their DLC offerings.  There were several annoying delays and miscommunications, but what’s worse is that the packs turned out to be disappointing.  Bring Down the Sky wasn’t bad, but it felt very shallow and somewhat unfulfilling, even at only $5, and Pinnacle Station…well, the less said about that, the better.  We have no idea if Mass Effect 2’s DLC will be any better, but we do know that we’ll be accessing it differently, for whatever that’s worth.

A new portal for DLC called “The Cerberus Network” will come as a free download with all new copies of Mass Effect 2, both retail and digital.  This “Cerberus Network" will serve as an in-game DLC hub where new content can be directly downloaded.  It will also include a code to download new missions, in-game items, and even an exclusive character, Zaeed.

The only other known DLC in the work is the Hammerhead hover tank, which is planned for later this year, but all DLC will likely be available through this portal.  The big question is whether or not DLC will be available any other way, as those who buy Mass Effect 2 used in a couple months will not have access to the “Cerberus Network,” which is part of the “Day-one” content pack.  It’s doubtful that they would (or even could) do that, but if they somehow do, then the portal becomes absolutely essential.  This probably won’t happen, though, meaning that it should be the kind of thing that will be nice to have as a new game purchaser, but one that won’t be missed too much by those who save some money buying pre-owned.