Mass Effect 3 Interactive Story Trailer

It seems like it was just yesterday that Mass Effect came out of nowhere, storming the third-person shooter and RPG genres by storm. And if current plans for Mass Effect 3 DLC are any indication, the developers at BioWare aren't showing any signs of slowing.

After hinting that the next dose of Mass Effect 3 DLC would be bringing "all hands on deck" members of the development team released the first teaser images for what they have in store. It appears the 'decks' in question will be of the casino sort, not military.

Though the biggest questions (and largest supplies of optimism) where Mass Effect's future are concerned rest with the next game in the franchise - will you play as an alien? Will it be a prequel or sequel? - BioWare isn't done with ME3 just yet. They're calling more writers and voice cast members than any expansion previous, setting the stage for the largest (and potentially most interactive and open-ended) DLC we've seen yet.

Exactly what this talented group is being assembled to deliver isn't clear, and a release date or detailed descriptions aren't in the foreseeable future. But that didn't stop a few mischievous members of the development team from teasing the as-yet-unnamed DLC.

The first image, tweeted by BioWare's Casey Hudson, gives a look at what appears to be the 'Silver Coast Casino' on the 'Silversun Strip.' Hudson refers to it as "a nice place for some R&R" but until we get some more details, it's hard to know what to make of it ourselves.

Have a look:

Not to be outdone, BioWare producer Mike Gamble went ahead and released an image of an armored Krogan swinging what appears to be one devastatingly large warhammer. It's difficult to decipher the backdrop (or the identity of this particular Krogan), but we'll agree with Gamble's assertion that the warrior is one we do not want to "mess with."

See the new weapon for yourself:

Since the 'Silversun Strip' and the pictured hammer aren't present in the existing game, we're going to assume that this is, in fact, more Mass Effect 3 DLC being teased. Of course, a new weapon - which may only be applicable in the game's multiplayer - and an apparently new casino location are hard to get excited about just yet.

As anyone who played through the entire Mass Effect series can attest, a new location doesn't necessarily mean that the 'Silver Coast Casino' or surrounding districts signal a completely new planet, space station, or similar structure. It's entirely possible that the area may simply be added to the Citadel, Omega, or any of the other existing environments found in the ME3 main campaign. Those locations did feel a bit constricting at times, so we won't begrudge the developers trying to expand on them via DLC.

Whether fans have found the previous DLC offerings necessary or worthwhile will likely have a larger impact on the DLC's success than the effectiveness of the hammer. That being said, hammers tend to be pretty effective, so who knows? For now, we'll remain optimistic and assume that Shepard will soon find himself testing his luck in more ways than one, not simply gambling away credits at digital slot machines.

What do you think BioWare has in store? Are you waiting for a big, dense Mass Effect 3 expansion, or has your playing experience come to an end? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments.

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Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.

Source: Casey Hudson, Mike Gamble