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First Dragon Age expansion Awakening March 16, 2nd DLC delayed

[UPDATE] $40 add-on to BioWare’s critically acclaimed RPG will increase level cap and add new party members, spells, and storyline; Return to Ostagar yanked at last minute for unknown reasons.

Awakening will feature smarter darkspawn….

Awakening will feature smarter darkspawn….

Canadian developer BioWare was roundly criticized for not providing much additional content for its 2007 sci-fi role-playing game Mass Effect. That criticism certainly can’t be leveled at the Electronic Arts subsidiary's dark fantasy RPG Dragon Age: Origins, GameSpot’s 2009 PC Game of the Year. Also available for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the title saw its first downloadable expansion pack launch alongside the game itself in November.

[UPDATE] A second DLC add-on, Return to Ostagar, was set to launch on Tuesday--but its release was stopped at the last minute. "We found a last minute issue and have delayed Return to Ostagar to ensure we deliver the highest quality experience to our fans," a BioWare rep told GameSpot. "We will update you once we have more information regarding the new date and are working hard to get Return to Ostagar out as quickly as possible."

Just over four months after Dragon Age's debut, the game will also be getting its first full-fledged expansion, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. Available on March 16 worldwide for the PC, 360, and PS3, the major add-on will feature an all-new storyline that focuses on the rebuilding of the Grey Wardens after the bloody events of the original game's campaign. It will allow players to import their Dragon Age characters or start over as an all-new new Grey Warden from the empire of Orlais. It will also delve deeper into the backstory of the Darkspawn and their ongoing objectives.

…and deadlier dragons.

…and deadlier dragons.

In addition to a new storyline, Awakening will raise the level cap for Dragon Age: Origins. It will also add new foes, with BioWare mentioning such creatures as the Inferno Golem, Spectral Dragon, and a hyperintelligent sub-race of Darkspawn. It will be set in the all-new realm of Amaranthine and will also add new spells, abilities, and five all-new party members, which players can enlist.

[UPDATE] According to EA, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening will cost $40 in the US on all platforms and require the original Dragon Age to play. However, retailer GameStop is listing the PC version of the expansion for just $30--a price that BioWare said was erroneous. "It's $40 on all platforms," a rep confirmed. No UK or EU price was given.)

Available both digitally and as a boxed retail product, Awakening is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board in North America and 18+ by PEGI in Europe. The expansion’s official Web site has more details.

459 Comments

  • cosita46

    Posted Mar 11, 2010 6:19 pm GMT

    Brilliant, Amazing and Nightmares!! Talking Dark Spawn OMG Bring it on

  • Marder-I

    Posted Feb 21, 2010 9:51 pm GMT

    Looking forward to this, can't wait to see what they have cooked up in this one, should be interesting!!

    Cheers

    tom

  • mwmars

    Posted Feb 11, 2010 12:06 pm GMT

    Any word on how much content this 40 dollar expansion will provide (in terms of hours)? The estimates on the original were pretty accurate, as I just got to the Archdemon last night (and completed basically all the quests) in around 95 hours.

  • Lord_Xanatos

    Posted Feb 2, 2010 2:57 am GMT

    My ONLY complaint about the expansion is: There is no Morrigan, that's the only thing I would complain about. Though Bio ware mentioned that they are working on the dragon age engine for the second game, I can only hope they cast Claudia Black and Morrigan returns, I want her back! I'm waiting for this expansion and I'm definitely gonna buy it. For the PS3 players, in an unrelated comment, there will be a DLC for GTA.

  • Excelsior69

    Posted Jan 31, 2010 11:12 am GMT

    I really hope that this will be an EXPANSION (in the Neverwinter Nights expansions kind of way) and not just another DLC (in the Mass Effect kind of way)... Otherwise they can shove that price tag up a randomly selected bodily orifice.

  • darkchaostitan

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 5:47 pm GMT

    $40 is way too much for a DLC. If they put it in with a new game bundle that included all, then I'd sell my original now, and wait and rebuy it. THat'd be the best deal going, that way they pull in the new market of ppl who havn't played it, with the feeling they havn't been left behind, and end up pushing it back to nearly retail again, but seirouslY? $40? and publishers wonder why they're losing money. You'd think that they may just put reasonable prices, but no, it's $20 for that DLC, and then $20 for another. Popular games at least have 1-2, so you end up paying for about half your game again, with barely a quarter more of the content. A total jip if you ask me. So this is why I'm moving to the PC, online modding communties build their own packs. Popular RPGs have 100s of these lying about, sure they arn't made by the developer, but there's at least a top ten that reaches the same quality these do, and guess what? They're free.

    Yes I'm complaining at an outrageous price that will cost about the same as buying the game over again, for content that will not match the price. I'd like to get it, I think the game is great, but really whatever happened to aiding the community as a whole. I forgot, MS XBL and Sony PSN owns all the content and has you in line begging to get it. They really restrict the movement of today's gamer.

    On that note, I'd hoped they'd release the robot level for KOTOR, but that never happened, or was that Obisiden, I'm not sure.

  • Karstux

    Posted Jan 16, 2010 5:30 pm GMT

    I don't know why you US gamers are complaining about $40 price tag in Britain we will have to pay at least $47 with VAT. Looking forward to this expansion though especially since its looks better than a DLC disguised as an expansion.

  • feleas

    Posted Jan 14, 2010 5:37 am GMT

    @ chertoo

    Dude, both my gf and I play this game. If you say it's so boring, chances are you've not had sex before this game according to what you say. If you don't like it, don't complain about it in a thread of supporters.

  • Jerard66

    Posted Jan 13, 2010 11:06 am GMT

    Wow. I cant wait for it! Damn it! Lots of games to choose from this coming march and I will definitely get this one.

  • starduke

    Posted Jan 11, 2010 4:26 pm GMT

    I'm getting it, even though it's almost as much as the game was. I just hope it's worth it.

  • ssh83

    Posted Jan 11, 2010 11:26 am GMT

    why $40 on PC? :O

    I blame MW2.

  • King_Jeremy_77

    Posted Jan 11, 2010 9:36 am GMT

    I don't understand why so many are complaining about the price, you're not being forced to buy it...your loss though. I'm getting it right away because this game rules!

  • twv25

    Posted Jan 11, 2010 9:28 am GMT

    who cares about dlc?i bin playing games before dlc was even around. Anyways im buying this since dragon age origins was awesome.

  • rann89

    Posted Jan 10, 2010 8:30 pm GMT

    This is the first expansion? What was the other extra $50 of content?

  • Sholtriu

    Posted Jan 10, 2010 8:17 pm GMT

    All that is necessary to point out in the conversation is Left 4 Dead 2.
    That came out almost exactly a year before the first one and that is a full blown game, not an expansion pack. What did Valve do? They made it better, they added more guns, better characters, balanced the special infected out etc. I really, highly doubt, that Bioware would screw this up.
    But, on a sidenote, I think all the people who say they will not buy are hypocritical.. Just saying.

  • downloadthefile posted Jan 10, 2010 2:22 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    downloadthefile

    Posted Jan 10, 2010 2:22 pm GMT (hide)

    I doubt that this will be worth even $20, let alone $40. Bioware hasn't convinced me that they deserve my money.

    If they didn't have DLC the first day, maybe my confidence wouldn't be so shaky in them.

  • grnsuperman4

    Posted Jan 10, 2010 1:10 pm GMT

    Personally, I have faith in Bioware. I rented Dragon Age and after finishing it I decided I have to buy it. And next time around I'm getting the DLC, but not the $15 one. And I'll have to buy the expansion since it won't be available for rental. With rebuilding Vigil's Keep, venturing off to a new area, and 5 new characters it sounds like a full expansion to me. Figure Alistar and you plus 2 to start, then 3 more along the storyline. $40 for an expansion is what I would expect to pay. Kind of the average expansion price. It always amuses me though to see complaints on both sides. If they wait too long after the original to make an expansion the complaint is they waited too long. Too soon and they're ripping people off. I'm a fan myself. Crank out those expansions as I have faith Bioware will give me my monies worth. You could throw us a bonus DLC to further the story and I won't complain. Just keep it in the $8 range please.

  • siarhei

    Posted Jan 10, 2010 7:15 am GMT

    Sounds pretty cool

  • brouger

    Posted Jan 9, 2010 11:25 pm GMT

    stop whining if you enjoy the game download it if not then dont

  • Edricane

    Posted Jan 9, 2010 11:14 pm GMT

    Read the books, enjoy the game, stop complaining about the price of expansions, don't buy it if it's to much.

  • Zingoe1

    Posted Jan 9, 2010 2:42 pm GMT

    couldnt care less about the price tag, it looks awesome and im getting it

  • Mirha77

    Posted Jan 9, 2010 12:56 pm GMT

    In a way, this probably will be it's own game. Different timeline. Different set of characters. Different major enemy. In most senses, it seems like a sequel. But calling it something like "Dragon Age Origins 2: The Skeletor-spawn" kind of kills the cool factor. As for the price tag... wait until it's on sale and get it for $10-$15 cheaper, which makes it about as expensive as two or three little DLC dungeons. As for me, I'm happy about the new shiny, AND the fact that Alistair returns. What can I say? I'm a fangirl.

  • THOMJOHN3

    Posted Jan 9, 2010 12:10 am GMT

    $40 is too much for an expansion pack. If there is that much content to justify the price, why not release it as a standalone game?

  • samaside

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 10:37 pm GMT

    All right, so, I loved Dragon Age: Origins. Hands down probably one of my favorite games ever. But I paid $40 for the actual game. So it's going to have to add quite a bit of content and game play to make it worth it. Then again, as a kid I spent all that money on the Sims expansion packs so I probably have no idea what I am talking about and I'll wind up buying it anyway. And it looks fantastic. So I guess we'll see how it goes.

  • dalvon

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 5:37 pm GMT

    i just hope that BioWare don't fall suffer from the condition known as blizzdilorious!

    and just to say in plaion englinsh if u can't figure out what i'm saying suffering from the blizzard entertainment effect

  • NeleNel

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 3:40 pm GMT

    Ok, I take back what I said about paying $40 for this. Not only does it look amazing, but it adds a good chunk of gameplay to an already amazing game.

  • AnubisRaHorus

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 12:36 pm GMT

    Hey maybe it is Skeletor and Maybe an unmentionable character will rise up with a sword and Yell " I HAVE THE POWERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!" But not gonna mention any names.

  • JWRask

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 11:47 am GMT

    Talk about bleeding your customers.....4 months later you charge $40 for an expansion? On top of DLC? Guess EA is working hard to recoup the money they spent buying Bioware

  • STRIFE9288

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 10:19 am GMT

    HAHA skeletor

  • azrael2514

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 7:02 am GMT

    Did anyone else get a distinct Skeletor vibe from the talking darkspawn guy?

  • t_walk1

    Posted Jan 8, 2010 1:00 am GMT

    This is great, Bioware is once again showing why it has the dedicated following that it has. I know I'm not the only one when I say that if Bioware comes out with a game, it's going to have the effort, the content, and the longevity of gameplay that we look for as gamers.

    Keep up the incredible work Bioware, you might as well just keep my credit card on file at this point.

  • Chaeffer

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 11:51 pm GMT

    This is crazy... At this point I do honestly believe they worked on this game for five years, but they are releasing that content slowly over time. All I can hope is they don't do this same stuff with Mass Effect 2, and instead release a full retail product with plenty of content . (ha. ha. ha. Yeah right.)

  • cjburnfist

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 10:43 pm GMT

    @ OminousShadow87: Seeing as its an expansion pack, and not DLC, it will be more than 10-12 Hours, and even if it isn't, you would be missing out on the story of what happens after Origins. If you wanna miss out its fine by me, but its your loss kiddo.

  • calevenice

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 5:24 pm GMT

    @solidsnake7882:

    Level cap is 25. Although I haven't reached it personally, I do have a level 23 human rogue that nulls your comment. I believe without DLC, I would have still been able to get to level 21. Does anyone know if some origins give more experience than other origins? The mage origin is significantly longer than the dalish elf origin. Then again, some of the origins become "dungeon crawls".

    *SPOILERS*
    I may have been able to get to level 24 if I killed every killable enemy (kill swiftrunner's minions before driving him off, don't "skip" any battles, go to easy mode and kill the group of archers in the arl of denerim keep before being arrested, etc.), wore the +1% xp belt, and didn't miss the optional boss in the orzammar throne room.

  • Steffl3r

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 5:09 pm GMT

    Bioware is yet to ever distribute a bad product, I have full faith in any product they distribute and I'll faithfully purchase it knowing I'll be getting my money's worth.

  • OminousShadow87 posted Jan 7, 2010 3:12 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    OminousShadow87

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 3:12 pm GMT (hide)

    $40? Hell to the no. You know this won't have more than 10-12 hours of gameplay. Definetly going to pass

  • Ryan0001

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 2:42 pm GMT

    @rann89
    Dude, WoW sucks arse compared to DA:O

  • Falcon084

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 12:33 pm GMT

    One a disc woo-hoo.! I don't shop over the net and I hate waiting a year for the game of the year edition to come out

  • Bruno-K

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 11:21 am GMT

    It's not a DLC, people. It's a full old school Expansion pack. It will be worth its price.

  • rann89 posted Jan 7, 2010 8:42 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    rann89

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 8:42 am GMT (hide)

    Dragon Age may be good, but these prices are getting ridiculous. Ironically enough, I bet a lot of Dragon Age players say how they would never pay monthly for a MMO. Yet when you divide the months and how much these expansions cost, this is way more expensive than playing WoW, with half the reward. I'll pass.

  • Langway

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 8:39 am GMT

    I think it's excellent that BioWare is expanding the playability of DA:O.

    If you look at a series of games, like Mass Effect, you are paying $60 per game. After 3 games, you have spent $180. Only $20 less than a new console.

    What if the remaining parts of the Mass Effect series were made into DLC expansions? I don't know about anyone else, but I can make an extra $40 go a long way.

    More and more, the industry is bypassing the traditional means of distributing their product, via direct to consumer means like DLC. I personally like the convenience of it.

  • dogders

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 3:38 am GMT

    The recent Sims 3 expansion also rang in at $40, so EA knows they can get that amount from the consumers. Personally I will not be purchasing this xpack as I didnt think DAO was that great a game to start with, I just dont like this trend at all. I also expect their MMO will come in at the highest monthly sub price of all.

  • moh_sakhaii

    Posted Jan 7, 2010 12:54 am GMT

    Just looking forward to it. I love BioWare

  • JaredTrotterboy posted Jan 6, 2010 9:44 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    JaredTrotterboy

    Posted Jan 6, 2010 9:44 pm GMT (hide)

    @BatThink

    I got the Shivering Island Expansion for Oblivion for free. I don't think it's worth the money. 40 dollars is a lot of money for an expansion. But then again I'm cheap when it comes to buying games. I'd rather wait a year or 2 when the price goes down a whole lot and I spend less money. For esxample I still haven't bought Halo 3 or even rented it.

  • JaredTrotterboy

    Posted Jan 6, 2010 9:40 pm GMT

    man i still got to send my X-box for repairs.

  • noclue_27

    Posted Jan 6, 2010 9:12 pm GMT

    Just to put the price into perspective, how much do you pay for a 90min dvd, or ticket to a movie theatre?

    Do the math.

    Now, obviously I don't want to be paying more for games. But it is true that games still have better value than movies and other forms of entertainment.

  • thibbledorfP

    Posted Jan 6, 2010 9:10 pm GMT

    I disagree with the comparison between the pricing of coffee or going out to dinner, being compared to the pricing of video games. Just beause a five dollar cup of coffee lasts twenty minutes, does not mean customers should be happy to receive half an hour of game time for a $5 expansion. Just because going out to dinner may cost you $100 and last two hours, that does not mean a $100 game should last three hours, with anything above that as gravy.

    Videogames are a different type of product to coffee and eating outside, and different types of products have always been priced differently. Eating dinner outside is not just about the food, it is about the ambience, being able to relax and let others cook/clean for you and your fellow diners, having the opportunity to be seen or socialize with your companions etc. There are many intangible parts of the product when it comes to eating food or consuming drinks outside. Many people purchase coffee at a cafe not because they really care about consuming the product, but because they want to rest or socialize with others in the cafe, and buying a coffee is the cost of entry. Videogames are all about what is on the disk. Also when you are at a restaurant there are man and women who spent quite a lot of time making your dish from scratch. When developers make a video game, the game is mass-produced into thousands or millions of disks, which are sold en masse. The nature of the product is different, hence there are different expectations about length.

    Bioware is more than capable of making games that are both long and high-quality, and I don't see why consumers can't demand both with our dollars.

  • solidsnake7882

    Posted Jan 6, 2010 9:00 pm GMT

    @NickW1
    Actually it's 20 and I've gotten all my characters to that mark. From what i've seen this will be well worth the money.

  • zgreenwell

    Posted Jan 6, 2010 7:44 pm GMT

    So... does morrigan come back?

  • ruitaurus11

    Posted Jan 6, 2010 6:35 pm GMT

    Men i love Dragon age & Bioware!!!
    Will buy this game for sure...

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