The new patch for the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 has revealed what appears to be an unannounced DLC expansion entitled Arrival.
What is Arrival? That’s the question asked by BioWare forum user Vamplosion, who noticed earlier today that the new PS3 patch for Mass Effect 2 added three new trophies for a DLC pack called Arrival. Remembering that there is in fact no Mass Effect 2 DLC called Arrival, he took the matter to the forum, where things caught fire in a hurry.
One of the trophies, as seen in a screen shot captured by Vamplosion, describes the rescue of Dr. Amanda Kenson, whose name had previously turned up in a recent Cerberus news feed that may provide some insight as to what Arrival has in store.
“Historians and astronomers alike are abuzz tonight over a new paper published by Dr. Amanda Kenson of the University of Arcturus. Her team claims that by testing the dust trapped in the gravity wells around a mass relay, and comparing its composition to that of dust clouds in the same system, scientists can create a timeline of when the relay passed through the dust. Her conclusion? ‘Only a small fraction of the mass effect relays date back 50,000 years,’ she writes, ‘The majority are far older, indicating they were created by a species predating even the Protheans.’ Dr. Aurana T’Meles of the University of Serrice met the information with skepticism: ‘While Dr. Kenson’s methods appear sound, the Asari tried a similar procedure centuries ago and discounted it. What civilization could have spanned the galaxy for not thousands, but millions of years? If this were the case, we should have found mountains of evidence of their passing. Where is this species now?'”
The trophy descriptions don’t offer up anything in the way of useful information and BioWare isn’t saying much, but it did confirm that Arrival, whatever it may be, is legit. “When we added the trophies to the patch we just assumed that they would be invisible,” BioWare’s Jesse Houston wrote on the forums. “Lesson learned.”
“More info as soon as I get a green light from PR and Marketing I promise!” he added.
Could this be the final DLC that links Mass Effect 2 to Mass Effect 3 and heralds the “Arrival” of the Reapers? Nobody knows – but you better believe we’re paying attention.
