Dragon Age - Collector's Edition and Preorder PR

BioWare and EA have sent out a PR on the Dragon Age Collector's Edition and the Pre-Order Program:

BioWare Unveils Dragon Age: Origins Collector’s Edition and Pre-Order Program

Dragon Age: Origins Fans Sign Up for Free Downloadable Content, Unique Pre-order Packages and Exclusive Mass Effect 2 Content

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced the Dragon Age™: Origins Collector’s Edition and pre-order incentive program*. The Collector’s Edition is a premium package available in limited quantities featuring exclusive Dragon Age: Origins collectibles including a unique steel case, a cloth map of the world of Dragon Age, a Making-of documentary DVD, a digital version of the Dragon Age: Origins soundtrack, game trailers, wallpapers, strategy tips and a concept art video, plus three exclusive downloadable items that will provide special advantages to the player.
The Collector’s Edition is available for pre-order today at www.eastore.ea.com for an MSRP of $74.99 (console) and $64.99 (PC) in North America.
As an added bonus, Dragon Age: Origins (both original and Collector’s Edition) includes two special pieces of downloadable content: The Stone Prisoner, as well as a suit of Dragon Age themed armor that can be used in Dragon Age: Origins as well as in the upcoming BioWare Shooter RPG, Mass Effect™ 2 on all available platforms.
With The Stone Prisoner download pack, players will have access to Shale, the mighty stone golem who can become one of the most powerful party members in the game, and comes with its own personal back-story and unique quests for the player to discover. The Stone Prisoner will also include new environments, items and hours of additional gameplay, further deepening the epic Dragon Age experience. TheStone Prisoner is available to original purchasers ofnew copies of Dragon Age: Origins at no additional cost. The Stone Prisoner can also be purchased separately for $15.
In addition, players who purchase a new copy of Dragon Age: Origins (original or Collector’s Edition) will receive a code to download the Blood Dragon Armor, an exclusive set of themed armor that will give the player additional protection in combat. This armor will be available for use in both Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2.
All gamers who pre-order Dragon Age: Origins will receive the Memory Band, an in-game item that can be equipped to add +1% to all gained Experience Points and which adds one bonus point that players can use to boost their character’s skill set. In addition to the Memory Band, several leading retailers are also offering a bonus Dragon Age: Origins item for a limited time. Players should check with their favorite retailer for additional pre-order item offerings.
In Dragon Age: Origins, players take the role of a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians. Now, as a rising evil threatens to destroy all life, it is up to players to unite the shattered lands and slay the corrupted dragon known as the Archdemon. To restore peace, players must make ruthless decisions and be willing to sacrifice their friends and loved ones for the greater good of mankind.
Dragon Age: Origins will be released on November 3rd in North America and November 6th in Europe on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. The PLAYSTATION®3 version will follow later in November. Dragon Age: Origins is rated M by the ESRB. For more information about Dragon Age: Origins, visit www.dragonage.com.

More information.

Preordering sausages?

Information about the sausage was left out so's as to not damage the sales.

So all NEW copies of DA:O come with Shale and the armor. Used copies will have used those up? How do they tell a used copy from re-installing an old copy?

I wonder how far off we are from the standard game only containing half the game. To actually get to the end you need to buy the collectors edition. Kind of like a return to shareware.

Any reason their homepage is full of blood? It's a little over the top if you ask me. Is this the homepage for True Blood or Dragon Age.

You know I've been defending DA a bit. Even with the Manson trailer (Still didn't think it was that bad and definatly fun to put into your comments every now and then), but come on we get it. It's a bloody game… lots and lots of blood. I'm beginning to think that this is a Vampire the Masquarade game.

The marketing guys must think that blood = cool and mature. Here is a great thing to put in the collectors edition A Blood Pack

Originally Posted by Zloth
Information about the sausage was left out so's as to not damage the sales.

So all NEW copies of DA:O come with Shale and the armor. Used copies will have used those up? How do they tell a used copy from re-installing an old copy?

Not sure how the ps3 and xbox 360 will handle it but for pc you enter the code and register it to a bioware account. Whoever controls the account can redownload the items.

Iam either gonna buy this one or Risen. Not sure yet, Risen gives me a better vibe….

Originally Posted by skavenhorde
Any reason their homepage is full of blood? It's a little over the top if you ask me. Is this the homepage for True Blood or Dragon Age.

There shurely will be people who will like that.

I fear that these people are also the targeted audience for DA.

As an added bonus, Dragon Age: Origins (both original and Collector’s Edition) includes two special pieces of downloadable content: The Stone Prisoner, as well as a suit of Dragon Age themed armor that can be used in Dragon Age: Origins as well as in the upcoming BioWare Shooter RPG, Mass Effect™ 2 on all available platforms.

Wait, what? I can use Dragon Age armor in ME2?

Originally Posted by skavenhorde
Here is a great thing to put in the collectors edition A Blood Pack

Fresh stolen from your local hospital!

Yeah, I don't like the new "blood and white" site. Plus, loading times are a pain for me, so I rarely visit it.

If the CE is not released in EU too then Ill just buy it for pennies when its in special sale year or more from now.

Originally Posted by pox67
I wonder how far off we are from the standard game only containing half the game. To actually get to the end you need to buy the collectors edition. Kind of like a return to shareware.

I know … it is sad. I don't care about action figures and cloth maps … but extra content? Cost me $15 because I couldn't let it pass …

AFAICT both Shale and the armor are available for the normal version as well.

As an added bonus, Dragon Age: Origins (both original and Collector’s Edition) includes two special pieces of downloadable content: The Stone Prisoner, as well as a suit of Dragon Age themed armor that can be used in Dragon Age: Origins as well as in the upcoming BioWare Shooter RPG, Mass Effect™ 2 on all available platforms.

I'm a bit confused about the rest, though.

(Shale is featured in DA: The Stolen Throne, btw.)

Here's hoping that the cloth map is larger than a cocktail napkin. Also, I didn't see any mention of an art book. Did I miss that?

Call me old school, but I don't want to pay $75 for in-game bonuses. I liked when CE's contained real-world loot (like the cloth map, art book, figurines, coins, whatever). "Making of …" DVDs are nice, I guess, but not really a bonus in my book. Soundtracks are nice, if the music is really good (Morrowind and Age of Empires III come to mind).

I know "to each his own" (and I guess I've just described "my own") but the quality of CEs have declined in my view. I mean, do you really want to pay extra for a *virtual* item.

Just my 2c

Originally Posted by txa1265
I know … it is sad. I don't care about action figures and cloth maps … but extra content? Cost me $15 because I couldn't let it pass …

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it doesn't sound like you have to pay anything extra to get the extra download content. It just sounds like you have to pay if you buy the game used. Though maybe you have to pre-order the regular version to get the extras free?

The press release is definitely confusing. It would be nice if one of the Bioware or EA folks could shed some light on how this actually works.

FREE CLOTH MAP Too many fond memories of Ultima to pass on a cloth map over a few lousy dollars.

Still think they should put in a blood pack.

Originally Posted by Grog
Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it doesn't sound like you have to pay anything extra to get the extra download content. It just sounds like you have to pay if you buy the game used. Though maybe you have to pre-order the regular version to get the extras free?

The press release is definitely confusing. It would be nice if one of the Bioware or EA folks could shed some light on how this actually works.

If you buy the regular edition or collector's edition you get a code which allows you to get the download for free. The code is only useable once -- so, yes, if you buy a used version of the game where the code has been used you would need to pay for the download (provided you want the extra content).

Originally Posted by Grog
Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it doesn't sound like you have to pay anything extra to get the extra download content. It just sounds like you have to pay if you buy the game used. Though maybe you have to pre-order the regular version to get the extras free?

The press release is definitely confusing. It would be nice if one of the Bioware or EA folks could shed some light on how this actually works.

Unless GameStop misrepresented things, the added maps and much of the other DLC content were exclusive to the CE. While I could let a ring or amulet pass, teh hold-back of core content at once annoyed and lured me.

Originally Posted by Dgaider
If you buy the regular edition or collector's edition you get a code which allows you to get the download for free. The code is only useable once -- so, yes, if you buy a used version of the game where the code has been used you would need to pay for the download (provided you want the extra content).

Wait, wait: does this mean that if you uninstall and reinstall, or change computers, your DLC is gone, and you have to buy it?

If so, that makes me mad.

Not at all PJ. It means that you register the code online on your BioWare account, so all you have to do is simply login to your BW account and download it again. They did the same for ME: Bring Down the Sky.

What Dgaider means is: If someone has already registered the code coming with the game to their account, then sells you their DVDs, you can't re-use their code on your account to activate the downloadable content. You can only activate it once, but once it is activated, you can download as many times as you want.

At least that's how I understood it. Correct me if I'm wrong, Dgaider.

Originally Posted by Maylander
Not at all PJ. It means that you register the code online on your BioWare account, so all you have to do is simply login to your BW account and download it again. They did the same for ME: Bring Down the Sky.

Exactly … and as you also said, this is a clear anti-used game shot. Which I hate! I know it is EA at work here, but there is a part of me that hates Bioware a little for this crap.