Someone at Microsoft pushed a button ahead of schedule and gave the world a sneak peek at one of Mass Effect 3′s top secret DLC packs. Spoilers ahead; I regret looking.



A Mass Effect 3 DLC pack called From Ashes was added to the Xbox Live Marketplace, reportedly offering players the chance to “unearth lost secrets from the past” and recruit a Prothean.

The existence of a Prothean – a race thought extinct for millennia – was first revealed by diligent unpacking of the demo’s files, unearthing some of the character’s dialogue.

The DLC has since been removed from the Marketplace, but not before Kotaku got a good look at it – but found it wouldn’t download.

Although BioWare and EA are yet to detail the game’s post-launch DLC, this is the second incident of an unplanned reveal. Even the name is strongly reminiscent of the From Dust DLC which reportedly turned up at retail last week.

Mass Effect 3 is due in early March, on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Thanks, Joystiq.