Bioware has announced Mass Effect 3: Retaliation, which is a free piece of DLC that will be expanding upon Mass Effect 3′s multiplayer mode.  The expansion hits the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 9th, while launching on October 10th for PS3′s in Europe.

Retaliation is also the biggest update that Bioware has released for Mass Effect 3.  There are a number of additions, ranging from new enemies and playable characters, to new weapons and maps.  They’re also implementing a Challenge system, a la Call of Duty or Street Fighter.  Completing various objectives will give you Challenge points, and you can use these points to purchase in-game banners and icons that you flaunt.

While some thought that Mass Effect’s 3 multiplayer was going to be a completely useless and throwaway addition, it was a surprisingly well-done and compelling mode.  It’s cool to see Bioware continually update the multiplayer, and making Retaliation free is definitely a treat for those still playing Mass Effect 3.