Mass Effect-3 News: FREE Multiplayer DLC. With New Characters, Map Effects and NEW ENEMY! to fight.

Let me start by saying WOW where did this come from!!! I heard nothing nothing about the approach of this for the last couple of weeks. Though I've had my head buried in borderlands-2 but did still check up on the Bioware forum for any new changes etc... to this awesome multiplayer game. This just blew me out of the water when I spotted it today. Very excited to give this a try as it looks like there's loads of fresh additions in the update

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Today we are excited to announce Mass Effect 3: Retaliation, a new expansion to the critically-acclaimed Mass Effect 3 multiplayer mode, and our largest upgrade to date! The Retaliation begins on October 9th (October 10th for PS3 in Europe), and will be free to download for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Watch the Mass Effect 3: Retaliation trailer now!

What’s Included in the Retaliation Pack?

New Enemy Faction
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Prepare to face off against the Collector Praetorian, Scion, Abomination, Trooper, and Captain. Reports have also come in that Cerberus has enlisted the Dragoon to their ranks and the Geth are deploying new Drones to the battlefield.

New Class Kits to Unlock
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A host of new characters have joined the war to fight this new threat, including the Turian Havoc Soldier, Turian Ghost Infiltrator, with many more being added on a regular basis.

New “Hazard” Versions of Existing Maps
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Wage war across six maps, featuring new environmental hazards and traps. A regular rotation of Firebases will be introduced to different hazards as they come under attack. Survive the onslaught of Acid, Lightning, Meltdowns, Sandstorms, Swarms and Whiteouts!

New Unlockable Weapons
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The Collectors have also brought deadly new weapons to the fight: the Collector Assault Rifle, Sub-Machine Gun, and Sniper Rifle. Unlock these weapons and new equipment upgrades to build to your arsenal.

New Powerful Upgrades

Outfit your weapons with new ammo modifications and fortify your gear with unique upgrades to defeat even the toughest foes.

They've Also added a new challenge feature to the multiplayer mix to keep things interesting for the players.

New Multiplayer Challenge Feature

Think you are the best soldier in the Alliance? Make sure to track your progress in the new “Challenges” database. Complete various multiplayer assignments and feats of strength to unlock titles and banners to display in-game, and then compare your progress against your friend.

How does it work?
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The “Challenges” database tracks various in-game statistics, such as your N7 Typhoon usage. To earn challenge points, you’ll need to complete mini-goals. For example, accumulate 140,000 points while using the Typhoon in multiplayer and you’ll be rewarded with 10 challenge points.

What Can You Do With Challenge Points?
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Challenge points are used to unlock cool in-game multiplayer bonuses, such as new titles and banners. Want other players to know that you’re a Council Operative? You can do that. Want to be the envy of your friends with a flashy new banner to display in the player lobby? You can do that, too!

Challenge points lead to unlocks, and unlocks allow you to personalize your multiplayer experience. Now, you’ve got some work to do, Soldier!

SOURCE: Bioware Blog