Dragon Age getting DLC expansion on day one

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Oct 7, 2009 10:00 pm GMT

All-new Warden's Keep add-on will launch alongside dark fantasy RPG Nov. 3; Stone Prisoner and Blood Armor also available immediately; first trailers inside.

Dragon Age: Origins

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With Dragon Age: Origins' November 3 launch less than a month away, developer BioWare has unveiled its initial downloadable content plans for the game. Unlike with the role-playing game developer's previous project, the acclaimed sci-fi adventure Mass Effect, players won't have to wait long to expand the upcoming dark fantasy.

They won't have to wait at all, in fact.

BioWare today announced that Dragon Age: Origins will get its first downloadable expansion on day one. Called the Warden's Keep, the DLC will add a dungeon-based quest to the game along with six new abilities, a variety of items, and a base where players can trade with merchants. It will feature a supernatural storyline set in an ancient--and possibly haunted--fortress once used as a redoubt by the Grey Wardens, the ancient order at the center of Origins' main storyline. (A magic suit of Grey Warden armor will be one of the items in the add-on.)

The Warden's Keep will be available for MSP 560 ($7) on Xbox Live Marketplace and $7 on the PC on November 3. It will cost the same price on the PlayStation Store when the PlayStation 3 version of Dragon Age goes on sale later in November. It is not included with the regular or Collector's Edition of Dragon Age: Origins, although it is included in the Deluxe Digital Edition offered by online retailers. For a sneak peek, peruse the trailer below:

Besides revealing the Warden's Keep, BioWare announced that two pieces of previously announced DLC will also be available when Dragon Age: Origins goes on sale. First up is the $15 (1,200 MSP) add-on The Stone Prisoner, which is free to anyone who has preordered or buys any edition of Dragon Age new. (It will be included with digital PC editions, with retail copies coming with a download code.) As seen in the video below, the pack will add a stone golem character to the player's party from the beginning of the game, unlocking numerous story options.

"The way that the character works in Dragon Age is they're along in your party, they're interjecting throughout the game, they're talking with other characters in your party, they're commenting on areas as you visit them," executive producer Mark Darrah told GameSpot. "So, in one way, it's 60 hours or 70 hours of content because if you put this character in your party right away, it's going to enrich it and affect your experience throughout the entire game."

Dragon Age: Origins' last piece of day-one DLC is the previously announced Blood Armor, which is also included at no cost with new copies of the game. As shown in the video below, it will provide upgraded protection for players wishing to deflect the swords and missiles of opponents in the game. As an added bonus, it will also be wearable in Mass Effect 2, due out early next year.

971 Comments

  • blackfray

    Posted Nov 28, 2009 10:43 am GMT

    perfect! Cause i think a perfect role-playing game like this, is going to end quickly and that's why we need DLCs right away!

  • shrap393

    Posted Nov 13, 2009 10:46 am GMT

    Look this is what it boils down to:
    If you have DLC from RELEASE ready to go, then you need to give people a code to get all that content FOR (yes) FREE. You didnt meet deadling, not customers problem. ALL this DLC thats available at release was SUPPOSED to be in the original campagin, wtf are you trying to make us buy what should have been free (see the part about not customers' fault you cant meet your deadlines) Not if they were smart they'd have released this stuff in December for the holidays instead of making it seem like they have ALLLL this cool DLC ready at the start. Isnt this a 60+ hr game? Who needs extra content so early on? PEOPLE WHO WANT EXTRA STORAGE (read EVERYONE) So how unfortunate that you 'ran out of time' to add something ALL players need in an rpg of this size (extra storage) yet, Magically you were able to get it all packaged and available for release...for a small additional charge. How fkn convenient.
    The taint of EA has been smeared across BioWare now. Well I guess when you sleep with filthy disgusting corporate dogs, you eventually wake up with blood sucking fleas, dont you?

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Nov 9, 2009 6:45 am GMT

    Kaos - yes you can.

    Although I think, based on many rumours, that we are getting things back via DLC that were in the game (at least on PC) 6 months ago,

  • jetfreakist

    Posted Nov 5, 2009 1:03 am GMT

    B)

  • Kaos_Losstarot

    Posted Nov 4, 2009 12:27 pm GMT

    Ok I have a really odd question here: if i buy Dragon Age for PC can I unlock the Blood Dragon Armor on a Mass Effect 2 for X360? This is really bugging me...

  • Darkfire22

    Posted Nov 3, 2009 1:47 am GMT

    my 360 red ringed...I have nothing to trade in...and no method of getting additional cash...I think I'm going to cry

  • scyldschefing

    Posted Nov 2, 2009 3:40 pm GMT

    Ack, I didn't realize that the Warden's Keep isn't included in the physical Collector's Edition and only in the Deluxe Digital Edition.

    Oh well, at least I'll be receiving the other stuff for free. Can't wait!

  • P0T

    Posted Nov 1, 2009 5:39 am GMT

    Just to note about DLC - games are locked by a certain point. As in there can be no additional content due to the need for testing and rating. All that can be done is basic polish work. For Dragon Age the game was locked down in early spring, before the big delay. During this delay, while programmers are polishing the game and porting it to consoles, the designers are free to do their own thing. Some of them went on to finish cut content (Stone Prisoner, which is available for free for new copies) while others became part of the DLC team created. The latter had a new budget separate from that of the main game, hence the need for actual payment. People don't work for free, unfortunately.

    The delay upon delay ended up pushing the game so far back that the game is now being released after the DLC for it was finished - only recently within the last couple weeks. While they could have lied and delayed it for a couple weeks to look better, it was decided having the content available sooner for players was the best option. So they're releasing it right away.

  • joecwild

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 6:23 pm GMT

    I got the Digital Deluxe Edition from Direct2Drive

  • noodles297

    Posted Oct 29, 2009 7:37 am GMT

    Ha! 560 MP finally I have something worthwhile to spend my remaining 720 MP on. Yea...I was dumb enough to buy some stupid gamer pic and that screwed me from buying any good DLC lol.

  • Fearless62

    Posted Oct 29, 2009 3:32 am GMT

    Phuu!! I don't get it. I see some don't like DLC, some think its great, well let me see I am right here with games that don't have DLC are not worth buying and better yet they need a construction set. DLC and a construction set means more game play then the content of the game the day it was made. I have been playing TES 4 now for 2 years on and off. Yep down load free content that some else makes.I mod my game for day or 2 getting ready and jam. I would never buy any game that don't have both out of box RPG's are BS, it needs the mods to make it worth anything. Whats 60 hours? I have added 60 to 70 hours of game play to My TES game already not counting expansions. I have replayed the game 6 times 3 different starts and 3 charters that never came with he game 100s of weapons landscape GUI mods and you guys want to wine about DLC WOW its a no brainier DLC bring it ON or stay home. They could however forget the console stuff because the cheesy GUI they have use for consoles is a drag and always ruins the game. RPG's are for the PC. I had a PS3 it was and is worthless the games all where for the fishes. You can't pack a $1500 gaming machine in to a $300 Console Just like without DLC you don't get a game you can play for 2 years and make it different each time. So there is my $1.50s worth skipped right past the 2 cents

  • SopranosFan

    Posted Oct 28, 2009 4:36 pm GMT

    As long as the game on the disc is lengthy and entertaining I don't care if they release a dozen DLC on release date. If they give me a 5 hour game and then expect me to pay more for a DLC on day 1 then that is a problem but most people are saying this is going to be 30-70 hours I believe that is a fair amount for $60 considering Halo 3:ODST charged $60 for a 4 hour expansion. I also agree the free content is to try to slow down second hand sales and once again I say good for them. It allows you to get it second hand if you want but it does give you a very nice incentive to pay the extra $5-10 to get the new copy instead.

  • Dominicobaggio

    Posted Oct 24, 2009 12:50 pm GMT

    Just read your comments Cabaji_Ec, you are so right

  • Dominicobaggio

    Posted Oct 24, 2009 12:47 pm GMT

    An expansion free to everyone who buys the game and who gets a copy and everyone.

    So... Its not an expansion is it?

    Really these are just extra chapters, shouldnt they all be free with the game if they are already ready. Maybe im being negative though.. depends how deep the orignal game is. Waiting patiently for the reviews!!

  • ElderonWise

    Posted Oct 23, 2009 1:01 pm GMT

    These expansions are all cool, shame the keep has a price tag

  • Cabaji_Ec

    Posted Oct 16, 2009 1:20 pm GMT

    ps for adamwriter

    i saw all the previews and the teasers for this game, i played over the years and bioware always make one nice final product, all the games i played were a lot of fun, but this game looks a lot like oblivion...maybe it make a lot better, but the knights, castles, war, magic....of course it could look a lot like dungeon and dragons, might and magic...and definitely its that kind of game the difference its BIOWARE version of it...and that makes it worthwhile and incredible....but the influence..the influence....

  • Cabaji_Ec posted Oct 16, 2009 1:06 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Cabaji_Ec

    Posted Oct 16, 2009 1:06 pm GMT (hide)

    Well, im guessing the developers are already finding that dual layer dvds in the xbox system are not enough to put the whole game!...so HOW i am gonna fix that...mmm ok maybe i make a game in two dvds..infinite undiscovery, magna carta 2, or another rpg...so after a while thinking they came with a clever
    idea ..LETS MAKE DLC..and lets make the users pays us with extra missions that cant fit in a 7.3 gb disc...so its easy...for pc people nah dont care make more dlc too..and ps3 blue ray?..mmm nah make for them too...lets make a standar of this

    So i make one game with 30 missions....so in the disc just enter 20?..how can that be you fu... morons...what the h..im gonna do with u...im gonna fire u....you piece of....

    Lets make 10 dlc extra over a year...hows that...YEAH you are a genius im gonna give u a promotion...you are now more near the window...move your seat...

    Another genius says...hey i can make them fit in the disc..we can...SHUT UP you ...fu...baboom....fire him FIRE HIM!!...lets go with the window guy idea....

  • Blargsman

    Posted Oct 15, 2009 1:30 pm GMT

    Anything to expand the Dragon Age universe is a plus in my book.

    Something that BioWare had forgot to do with Mass Effect...

  • Evilnator

    Posted Oct 15, 2009 10:41 am GMT

    Im rather happy that they are going the "buy new" thing, its so much more profitable for them, and bioware, as great as it is can finally get more of it's deserved money,

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