It’s a good time to be a fan of Mass Effect 3. BioWare has just announced yet another free add-on titled ‘Retaliation’ which adds a swath of new features to the multiplayer portion of their title. In just five days on October 9, the Collectors are making their return with the Praetorian, Scion, Abomination, Trooper, and Captain. And they’re not the only one’s receiving new troops as Cerberus has enlisted the Dragoon to their ranks and the Geth are deploying new Drones to the battlefield.

The content also includes new character classes such as the Turian Havoc Soldier and Turian Ghost Infiltrator. BioWare promises that more will continue to be added on a regular basis.

New “hazard” versions of the existing maps are also being added which feature new hazards and traps including acid, lightening, meltdowns, sandstorms, swarms and whiteouts. These sound like they’re going to be used during the bi-weekly weekend challenges which typically feature some kind of assault by enemy forces.

There are a couple of new weapons as well with Collector versions of an assault rifle, a sub-machine gun, and a sniper rifle. BioWare also noted that there will be new ammo modifications and unique gear upgrades.

On top of all this content, the multiplayer is receiving an overhaul. Challenges are being introduced which reward you for completing various tasks in the multiplayer. These will earn you titles and banners to display in-game, ultimately allowing you to personalize your multiplayer experience.

I for one, can’t wait to dig into this new content. I’ve always loved the whole opening packs mechanic, and with this update not only adding even more free content, but also adding personalization, and more goals to work towards, BioWare has won me back.

What are you most excited about? Surely you have to be excited about something! Comment below or ready your team in our forums!