Leaked via GameStop in the United States, and now confirmed over on the BioWare Social Network, the hard working folk set to bring us Mass Effect 3 next month have blown the lid off the first downloadable content pack, a controversy stirring premium “Day 1” pack that will be free for purchasers of the Mass Effect 3: Collectors Edition, yet require an additional down payment for owners of the standard release, unlike the Zaeed and Normandy Crash Site DLC that was offered as a day one download to all people who bought a new copy of Mass Effect 2, regardless of which version.

Controversy or not, we felt fit to deliver the goods to our readers. But be warned..

SERIOUSLY MASSIVE HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD.

Seriously, don’t say we didn’t warn you proper.

Ready?

Okay, so here’s the scoop. From Ashes is a sizable mission and character content pack which allows players to recruit *wait for it* a Prothean squad mate. How is he alive? Where do you find him? You’ll have to play the pack to find out. The long lost extra terrestrial will be usable on missions not unlike squad mates from previous games, and will feature his own mission set on a familiar Mass Effect local; Eden Prime. In addition to these, the pack will grant Shepard and co a new weapon to play with, and an alternate outfit for every squad member recruitable in the main Mass Effect 3 game.

The pack will be available not just on the usual digital distribution services, but also in stores, with Gamespot US charging US$9.99 to ‘pre-order’ the pack. Yep, pre-order day one DLC. What an age we live in.

As said, From Ashes will be available the day Mass Effect 3 launches, which for Australians will be 8 March 2012. While you wait, and if you don’t mind being spoiled, check out the first few shots from the DLC pack below.