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EA Details First DLC For Dragon Age II

Publishers have gotten into the slightly irritating habit of teasing add-on content for a game that doesn't exist yet.

But hey, maybe it's just more incentive for potential consumers. Dragon Age II is set to drop in March and according to Eurogamer , EA has already spilled the beans on the first batch of DLC. It'll be called "The Exiled Prince" and we even get a teaser video to go along with the announcement. In this extra pack, a man named Sebastian Vael seeks revenge after his family met some sort of dire fate, and here's the best part: you can actually recruit the "noble archer" Vael for the "majority" of the story in the game. There is a caveat, though- we're only seeing purchase information for Xbox Live (560 Microsoft Points or $7); there's no word on the PSN cost. But maybe if you just pick up the Signature Edition, which includes a bunch of free content, including Vael's revenge mission, you won't have to worry.

Still, even though BioWare and EA are giving PS3 owners their just due by launching the Dragon Age sequel and Mass Effect 3 simultaneously for all intended platforms, it always seems as if their DLC gets to the Network last. We're sort of hoping that isn't the case for the next batch of BioWare greatness, but who knows… Sometimes, things just don't change.

Related Game(s): Dragon Age II

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coverton341
coverton341
13 years ago

Yes! I was sitting here hoping that they would make some DLC that you had to pay for or buy the signature edition for before the game came out.

</sarcasm>

On a serious note, at least the signature edition is only $60

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

Yeah, I don't get it. It seems that consumers are like marionettes in the hands of publishers. While pubs like EA might not have any ill intentions about gouging pocket books, the fact that there's so much asymmetric information between the business and the consumer we can only hope we're getting stuff that wasn't planned to be in the original release anyway.

But anyway, I think this DA2 game is going to be pretty sweet. I like the effort they're taking at giving it more artistic flair.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

Um…this seems like a total con.

You release a game which *already* has story based DLC. You include that DLC with a Signature edition, but pre-announce it so that people have the option to buy it with the signature edition or as DLC.

Isn't that simply a way of charging more for the game? You take your game, break out one of the less essential story elements, call it DLC, charge extra for it, bundle it in a special edition that you upcharge by $10/$20. Bingo, average cost of the game is now that much higher than it would have been before, and everyone thinks you're a hero for bundling all that extra content…

Complete BS. If the content is available on Day 1, it should be included in the price of the game, end of story. Anything else is simply cynical monetizing.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

"Complete BS. If the content is available on Day 1, it should be included in the price of the game, end of story. Anything else is simply cynical monetizing. "

Absolutely. Extra content is always appreciated, content that was surgically removed before the game is even released in order to inflate profits is not.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

Yes! Serial downvotes. Yes, bring me your thumbs down, I revel in them! Yes children, yes, those who adore being ripped off by game publishers, yes. Down vote me into oblivion so I can be validated! Yes!

Mwha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaa!

God I love tweaking the nose of The Eye Of Moron.


Last edited by TheHighlander on 1/7/2011 1:12:25 PM

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

No worries Highlander. I gave you a thumb up.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

Thanks Temjin, but no need for the Thumbs up. I was just amused by the drive-by downvotes.

Gabriel013
Gabriel013
13 years ago

I generally agree with you whole heartedly BUT on this occassion the sig edition with the content is a normal retail price in the UK. £40. They aren't charging more for the fake special edition here. I think it's just a manipulation tactic to encourage a higher level of preorders.

Taking the dev point of view this could prove to be a strong tactic as there are probably many who loved DA:O as it was and have some concerns about the change of game mechanics possibly to appeal more to the twitchers.

I personally loved the pace and game mechanics of DA:O and were hoping they wouldn't taint DA2 with more of an action adventure pace.

Fane1024
Fane1024
13 years ago

Also, just because the DLC is finished before release doesn't mean it was finished before the game went gold and was sent for certification. This method keeps the content-builders busy during the time after the game would otherwise have been finished. It's less about taking something out of the game and more about planning ahead.

Would you rather they kept it hidden for a few months and then released it?

I'm not saying it isn't a tactic to increase revenue, but that's what all DLC is.

I just feel you should look at what you're getting for your $60 and not worry about whether it could have been more if the developer decided to be even more generous.


Last edited by Fane1024 on 1/8/2011 4:39:26 PM

maxpontiac
maxpontiac
13 years ago

Gamers as a whole will pay for anything.

I see this as more evidence to back my theory.


Last edited by maxpontiac on 1/7/2011 12:16:19 PM

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
13 years ago

Just say No,

I'm not buying into it, if the DLC's already in the sig edition, that means it's already made.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

INdeed….

Nice to see the demon-dog make a return.

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

That demon dog would scare Hotsuma and Ryu… well, maybe not Ryu

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

I'll just survive with the regular edition, as much as I'd like to wait for a complete edition like Dragon Age 1 recently came out with, I just can't wait that long for good RPG action. Glad I got that gift card for xmas.

Jawknee
Jawknee
13 years ago

What a joke. These idiot publishers just don't get it. Most of us understand this is a con as Highlander said. EA becomes less attractive by the day. Thanks for your PS3 support EA but it's crap like this that makes me not want to support your games.

Contrast this with all the free support and content we're getting with GT5. Pathetic EA, simply pathetic.

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
13 years ago

The gaming indstry is beginning to sicken me, Seriously. I was speaking to my friend about Dead Rising 2 the other day apparently the 360 get DLC which is essentially the conclusion to the game called 'Case West'. I think thats absolutely disgusting. I believe the first PS3/360 Prince of Persia, you ahd to down load the epilouge, I'm sick of being ripped off by developers.

Alienange
Alienange
13 years ago

Aren't we all gamers here? No one sounds happy about this… So who the hell is buying this? Why do these irritating releases keep getting announced?

Or mayyyybe… mayyyyybe, the DLC goes to the 360 first because… drum roll… they don't have any games??

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

BaDum-PA!

Could be!

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

No games and LOTS of cash.

kraygen
kraygen
13 years ago

The spoiled little rich children are buying this and sadly there are more than enough of them for companies to keep pulling this crap.

Oxvial
Oxvial
13 years ago

Hey lets talks about the dlc of the game you still don't have , yes consumers gonna luv this…lol

It's like they enjoy rubbing it in our faces the extra things we aren't going to get unless we pay them more…damn this sure it's the worst generation of gaming.

Lawless SXE
Lawless SXE
13 years ago

Okay, so I'm wondering how the first one fared between consoles, just to see if it makes sense for Bioware to release the DLC on the 360 first.

Wait, what do I care? They released the Ultimate Edition of Origins with all of the DLC, so history dictates that they'll likely do the same again with this one. I'll gladly wait if they want to try to rip me off.
Peace.

Eld
Eld
13 years ago

DLCs are the worst thing that happened to non-MMO games. Not only they effectively destroyed expansions, but they also turned single player games into single player games with "monthly fees".

Jawknee
Jawknee
13 years ago

Some good single player, or even good multiplayer DLC for a fair price, created and released after the retail has hit the shelves is okay with me. It's these "hey, we have DLC for you before the game is even released" that pisses me off.

All that tells consumers is the developers are stripping content from their games in order to cash in on what should have come with the game to begin with later.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

@Jawknee, it's generally at the behest of the publisher that this happens, not the developer. The publisher is in charge of monetizng the game, the developer get's paid based on developing the game.

kraygen
kraygen
13 years ago

Couldn't agree more with eld and jawknee.

I have no prob with proper dlc, but so many companies have used dlc to steal every last dollar possible that I think we would be better off without any dlc.

Hey before we ever had any dlc we were all fine.

sirbob6
sirbob6
13 years ago

Just a friendly heads-up. If you pre-order the game before Jan. 11 then it is automatically upgraded to Sig edition.

kraygen
kraygen
13 years ago

Maybe true, but this is only proof positive that after you get your signature edition and start the game, you'll notice their is other dlc to purchase before you actually start playing.

kraygen
kraygen
13 years ago

This is reason number 1 of why I am going to wait for the uber, ultimate, goty, edition before I get dragon age 2.

I loved dragon age, but I'm sorry regardless of how they released dlc for it, it wasn't worth the what $80-$100 it all cost.

I have a problem with dlc totals costing more than the original game, especially when most of it is released within a month of the games release.

Nerull
Nerull
13 years ago

This does smell badly of chopping up the game pre-release but as long as its length is anywhere close to Origins you can't complain much.
Since the signature is the same price for now it looks like they have ensnared me but I was going to get it anyway, then it's MK shortly after.

I'm just crossing my finger that the fantasy setting means the complexity stays the same or slightly upgraded and not the clean but overly simple ME 2 style.


Last edited by Nerull on 1/8/2011 5:26:01 AM

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