Two years of DLC planned for Dragon Age

By Oli Welsh Published 14 October, 2009

Everything from items to expansions.

BioWare has revealed that it has extensive plans to support Dragon Age: Origins with a broad range of downloadable content, across all platforms, for at lest two years after its release next month.

"We have plans that stretch out for basically two years," producer Mark Darrah told The Game Reviews (via VG247).

"And it's going to be everything from really small stuff like item packs, up to larger quests that might last an hour or two, up to even fully-fledged expansion packs. Really, it's a broad, long-term support plan for the game."

All of this will be released across PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, although Darrah admitted that "I can imagine we might release something related to the toolset, which would of course be PC only". BioWare is still exploring ways of getting user generated content onto consoles, he said.

Eurogamer understands that the sheer quantity of DLC BioWare has planned for Dragon Age is huge, easily eclipsing any other releases to date, including Fallout 3. There will be three packs available at launch, two of them free.

Also, the Dragon Age character creator launches today for free on PC, and is available at the game's official site.

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (25) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • Ornithophobe #1 2 years ago

    That dragons udders are going to be really sore after this.

  • elvenscroll #2 2 years ago

    Really looking forward to this. I assume the character creator wont be coming to the consoles though?

  • skillian #3 2 years ago

    It's really weird that with fully-fledged networks, and petabytes of content piped from platform holders to customers, that developers are still forced into "exploring ways of getting user generated content onto consoles". It's just shouldn't be that difficult.

  • hiddenranbir #4 2 years ago

    As long as it isn't like ME DLC which can only be played in an old incomplete save.

    These quests should be available after I complete main. Expand the world to be endless, woo!

  • des #5 2 years ago

    More like 2 year rip-off...EA lol

  • GamesConnoisseur #6 2 years ago

    So not like X360 only timed exclusive as in Oblivion which got right up a lot of people nose and they are apparently making it clear for all platform and for any time except for the toolset stuff.

    2 years seem a long time and depends on how much they churns out and the quality (horse armour?!) as well but with bioware, my hope is high that we will be loving most of them.

  • Fillem #7 2 years ago

    Isn't this what was promised for Mass Effect as well? Look how well that turned out.
    I know Bioware pumped out a lot of good stuff for Never Winter Nights, but that was before EA was involved. I'm a little bit afraid that every piece of DLC or even patches will need to be put through the ever reliable EA department of Quality Assurance before it gets released.

    I am still pretty stoked about the game, though I think I will wait for some reviews. Also still hoping it will come out on Steam.

  • Pardoz #8 2 years ago

    @Fillem - It's coming out on Steam. Should be in the store this week. Hopefully it won't be limited to US/Canada...
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/09 @ 10:18

  • skillian #9 2 years ago

    Just read my first review of Dragon Age: [link url=http://gameinformer.com/game s/dragon_age_origins/b/pc/archive/2009/10/05/review.aspx
    ]http://ga meinformer.com/games/dragon_age...[/link]

    I'm starting to get a little bit excited...

  • Fillem #10 2 years ago

    Thanks for that Steam info link.
    Valid questions in that thread though, concerning addons, patching, etc.
    Still might be better of with a physical copy. Oh, decisions, decisions :)

  • Markusdragon #11 2 years ago

    Dragon Armour?

  • muscleblade #12 2 years ago

    70 hours spent on one playthrough. I dont have time for this. I guess i could complete AC2 and Borderlands and still have many hours left for MW2 and L4D2. Dragon Age or AC2,L4D2,MW2 and Borderlands then. About 150 gaming hours between now and the next wave of new games in Q1 2010 is all i have. I dont put down games in the middle of a playthrough. To me that like watching half a movie. Wont happen unless the game is crap. None of these are though. Dragon Age is good value for money no doubt but i have more money than time and i like to play and complete different games so im not a person that complains if a game is short.

  • Branoic #13 2 years ago

    Brilliant, cos I absulutely loved all the Mass Effect DLC they promised...

  • miiiguel #14 2 years ago

    Except this extra content has NOTHING to do with extending the game, the main reason for this content is to stop people buying preowned versions.There is a code in the box for the free content, a code you won't have if you buy it preowned because it would have already been used.

    I don't agree with this. I don't think the two purposes are mutually exclusive. Yes fighting pre-owned is most likely a reason but "extending the game" might be the solution, hence you have both.
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/09 @ 12:04

  • hiddenranbir #15 2 years ago

    Unlikely it will last as long. They already admitted that with all their attentions on hide end textures and grapheex, the amount of playable content will always be small. They'll never ever look to make a game as epic as Baldur's Gate ever again.

    Even though they could, if they weren't so hell bent on pushing hardware limits through visuals.

  • matrim83 #16 2 years ago

    Micro-transactions up the ass. So this is the next Sims?

    +5 Flail for 1.50 USD.
    Enchanted armor for 2.99 USD.
    100 Acid arrows for .99 cents.
    Spell of fire rain for 1.99 USD.

  • Melan #17 2 years ago

    I guess ill have to wait 3 years and then get dragon age (game of the year platium hd edition) with all the ekstra DLC included in the game.. :) It always happens.

    but then again 3 year is a long time.

  • Turrican #18 2 years ago

    I'm all for choice so if people want to spend their cash on extras for the games they love, then cool.

    However, with a game this large, I would think the majority of people would be quite content to actually complete it rather than carry on with small items and mini-quests. I've always thought that DLC should add something original to the story or sequel to be indispensable - if they can do that, and the game is actually any good, maybe this will be worth it.

    However, deliberately holding back content and items for release later, as is seen with many games these days, gets on my wick.

  • BabyJesus #19 2 years ago

    Nice, now hopefully the game is up to scratch and Bioware have realised how to make good DLC (Remember ME's DLC?)

  • SilentTristero #20 2 years ago

    In many ways, it's a shame that there have been so many negative experiences in the industry regarding 'DLC', so I can understand the generally negative reception to such news.

    I do, however, have every hope that DA:o will be different. Adding content to an already lengthy title with multiple paths is probably preferred to a sequel being rushed out in a year or 2. If designing game content is similar to other creative processes, then I'm sure that more and more ideas and changes will keep coming up, and someone has to draw a line and decide that nothing else will be added in order to actually complete and ship the title.

  • systems #21 2 years ago

    Character creator is nice, I just had a play. Then I pressed the "online profile" button at the end of the process and bluescreened. Ouch. Was very good up until then.

  • mega7ech #22 2 years ago

    "but i have more money than time"

    Man I wish I was muscleblade! ;)

  • UberFrog #23 2 years ago

    I love DLCs, if the game is good enough and the DLC seems interesting enough - I'll gladly buy. Too bad most games suck in the long run, I've bought alot of games with DLC options, but only bought 2 from Fallout3 so far. Its still a super concept, more content for your favourite games - I just wish they would make Baldurs Gate DLC's or Baldurs Gate 3 in beautiful 2D graphics like the previous games. I disliked the block'o'world graphics and emptyness in NWN + its yellymen inventory, give us back some atmospheric 2D Baldurs Gate adventures again :)

  • Inigo #24 2 years ago

    Looks like we in the UK are getting really screwed. The UK collectors edition does not come with a metal case or a cloth map, and now doesn't come with the Stone Prison DLC that every one else gets free!

  • Ryuken #25 2 years ago

    They didn't say every DLC will be pay-to-play, you don't keep customers honest if the only extra content you're providing should be paid for à la Oblivion Horse Armour. Some kind of Witch's Wake revival would be very neat with this new engine and editor.

    Dragon Age is good value for money no doubt but i have more money than time and i like to play and complete different games so im not a person that complains if a game is short.

    I used to think that as well when previews talked about Baldur's Gate II's length (200+ hours) and never believed I could ever create enough free time for that but when I tried the game I really did and I still don't regret it till this day. It sure beats grinding on forever in MMO's and the like...
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/09 @ 20:12