Mass Effect 3 teases DLC spoilers on XBLA, exclusive PSN items and Femshep cover

Bioware's teased the first DLC for Mass Effect 3, releasing (then retracting) a vaguely spoilery blurb on Xbox Live ahead of the game's release next month. What are the spoilers? SPOILERS Available on all platforms, Mass Effect 3: From Ashes will allow players to “unearth lost secrets from the past and recruit the Prothean squad member.” END SPOILERS The Day-1 DLC is free to owners of the N7 Collector's Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition.

Above: One of the digital-only PS3 themes. Diehard cootie-avoiders will be pleased to know the other theme doesn't have a girl on it

PS3 owners, meanwhile, get an exclusive weapon and themes with preorder of the game's digital edition. Register for a day-one download and you'll get two exclusive themes, which Bioware says won't be available anywhere after launch. You'll also get access to the exclusive M55 Argus, a powerful burst-fire rifle the developer recommends for close-quarters combat.

Above: Bioware posted this unboxing clip shortly before sending the copy in question into space

However! You're basically being asked to choose between guns and women here, because only the boxed edition of the game includes this Femshep-friendly double-sided cover slick. So, you can have an extra rifle, or you can have the choice between XX and XY versions of the game's cover-art, but you can't have both. Um, unless you buy two copies, in which case you might as well just go all out and buy three, so you can have a rifle and both versions of the cover. But if that's a serious option for you, why not just buy copies for all your friends as well, and lunch for us while you're at it, moneybags?