Mass Effect 2 will be receiving its final piece of downloadable content with "Arrival" to bridge the story between it and the upcoming Mass Effect 3. The DLC will arrive on March 29th, 2011 and will task Commander Shepard with rescuing an undercover operative on the edge of the galaxy that may have information on an impending Reaper invasion. Reprising the role of Admiral Hackett in the DLC is the legendary Lance Henriksen (Alien, Terminator), who has also voiced other BioWare characters like Master Gnost-Dural in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

The Mass Effect series has used a detailed story system, which allows players to transfer their characters over from each previous game. Decisions made during those games actually influence the story as you continue through the sequel. Even small side-missions can have an impact on the story. Arrival will be the final piece of DLC before the launch of Mass Effect 3.

BIOWARE MARKS ‘ARRIVAL’ DATE FOR FINAL MASS EFFECT 2 MISSION

At the furthest edge of the galaxy, the Reapers are preparing to make their return. Will Commander Shepard have what it takes to stand in their way? BioWare is announcing today Mass Effect: Arrival, the thrilling final mission for Mass Effect 2. Available for download on March 29, 2011, Mass Effect: Arrival will also include three new achievements for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC and three new trophies on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.  The PDLC pack will be available for 560 MS Points on Xbox 360, £5.49 on PlayStation Network and also available for PC for 560 BioWare Points at http://social.bioware.com/page/me2-dlc.

In Mass Effect: Arrival, Commander Shepard is sent to the edge of the galaxy to rescue an undercover operative who may have evidence of an imminent Reaper invasion that has been looming since the very beginning of the series. Returning and playing a prominent role in Mass Effect: Arrival is fan favorite Admiral Hackett, who is voiced by legendary science-fiction actor Lance Henriksen (Alien, Terminator).

“All year, we have been extremely honored and humbled by the reception we have received for Mass Effect 2 from players around the world, including our post release DLC”, said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer, Mass Effect series. “Mass Effect: Arrival is an exciting extension to Mass Effect 2 and will show players just how close the Reapers are to returning and completing their deadly harvest.”

Mass Effect 2 is one of the most highly decorated games of all time, earning over 90 perfect scores and over 150 awards. This includes over 20 “Game of the Year” honors, ranging from individual media outlets around the world such as IGN, Eurogamer, G4, MSNBC.com and GameTrailers.com, to top honors from prestigious industry awards, including the Academy of Interactive Arts and Science’s Interactive Achievement Awards, and the Golden Joysticks. Earlier this week, Mass Effect 2 won another “Game of the Year” honor at the Swedish “Dataspelsgalan” (Videogame Awards) and “Best Game” from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) in the UK.

Mass Effect 2 is now available for the PlayStation 3 console, Xbox 360 and PC. Stay tuned for more news about the continuation of Commander Shepard’s adventure as BioWare will release more information about Mass Effect 3 soon.  For more information, please visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/ and follow the development team at twitter.com/masseffect2 or at http://www.facebook.com/masseffect.