The new multiplayer DLC for Mass Effect 3 was announced today and will be released on October 9th. “Retaliation” adds the Collectors to your list of enemies, and based on the trailer, they seem pretty pissed. I think they’re just mad because in the end, all they are are tools of the Reapers.

Sorry dudes.

Anyway.

So with the DLC comes lots of new little additions, as usual. The Turian Ghost Infiltrator and Turian Havoc Soldier are the two new unlockable characters. There are also going to be Collector weapons and upgrades to *ahem* collect. As well as something Bioware is calling “hazard maps”, which seems interesting. Really all it means is that, in addition to fighting off enemy forces, you might be dealing with a blizzard! Or a sandstorm! Or lots of lightning! Which sounds pretty cool until you think about how annoying that is going to be.

Here’s to not getting struck by lightning!

Lastly, they have added a new system that will keep track of your multiplayer success and reward you as you hit certain milestones. The rewards are “challenge points,” and you can spend them on new titles and banners and other character customization stuff.

So…is it next Tuesday yet?