Dragon Age 2: The Black Emporium UPDATED

January 17, 2011
Ash
Games

Preorder or I cost 7 dollars...

Bioware is releasing Dragon Age II on March 11th , but the only way to get some great “free” stuff is to pre-order the game by January 11th. Here is what you get.

A download code for a bonus playable character and missions
Downloadable game soundtrack
Exclusive in-game digital armory featuring multiple weapons
Additional downloadable items *UPDATED* – If you pre-ordered before January 11th you gain access to a Mabari Warhound pet (not like a WOW cosmetic pet, this one kills things) as well as the key to the Black Emporium, a shop so diabolical only people crazy enough to pre-order will gain access. What is inside? Nobody knows for sure, although there are rumblings of The Mirror of Transformation which can be used to alter your appearance after the game has already begun.
That's a lot of free stuff

Waaaitt – Hodup, did you say bonus playable character?

I sure did, by simply preordering the game you get access to “The Exiled Prince: Sebastian”. I for one have loved all of Bioware’s DLC characters: Shale, Kasumi and Zaeed. And truth be told, I went to the store today and pre-ordered two copies. One copy for myself, and one for Dragon Age addicted wife Christinabot.

Take a look at Sebastian in action

Do you guys like the marketing strategy of “giving away” free content to people that pre-order? Or do you feel it’s an underhanded way of punishing people that don’t pre-order? – Thanks to Derek for the heads up.

This Post Has 9 Comments

Chrisfits January 17, 2011 at 7:52 pm

Yay! That sounds really cool. Is it weird that I’m most excited for the Mabari though?
Pilx January 17, 2011 at 7:58 pm

I understand why they do it…but I don’t always like it. Especially because for the most part you have to go to Gamestop who I find horribly shady.

And of course like you said you get “punished” for coming in to a game, even a week late. Sometimes I like to wait and see how a game is before I buy it, crazy.

Obviously with Dragon Age 2 you pretty much know what you are getting in to so it makes sense and all those bonuses sound like a great deal. I need to jump on the Bulletstorm pre-order so I can get my free dick cream.
1. Ash January 17, 2011 at 9:16 pm
  
  Yeah, I agree. While I love getting “free” stuff for pre-ordering, it has become so commonplace that I feel like I have to pre-order everything just so that I don’t miss out. On another note, this Dragon Age 2 stuff looks great.
Scott January 18, 2011 at 9:56 am

IMO, Gamestop is going to sell this game for $60, buy it from you for like $25, then sell it again for $55. Unless EA is getting a cut of this resale, I don’t understand why so many digital bits are exclusive only to Gamestop.

Of course, a few months from now a box retail copy of this game will be available for less than the original price, with all of the disc content unlocked*

Notice I didn’t say DLC, because most of the time it’s not. It’s already on the disc, you just need to pay more to get it. Companies would love to sell you their games for $80-$100 upfront, but settle for the installment plans instead.
Pilx January 18, 2011 at 1:45 pm

All this talk of pre-order made me peek at the Dead Space 2 bonuses. A rivet gun EXCLUSIVE to the the pre-order. The fact that I have to pre-order to get that specific gun and there is no other way to do so seems pretty lame.

Although the special edition comes with a fucking Plasma Cutter replica with LEDs that light up when you pull the trigger. Are you kidding? Guess I have to buy it.
1. Ash January 18, 2011 at 4:12 pm
  
  Dead Space 2 pre-orders also come with Dead Space Ignition. And if you beat that you get access to the “Hacker Suit” which looks damn awesome. I haven’t played Ignition yet.
2. Scott January 18, 2011 at 6:35 pm
  
  Dead Space ignition is a motion comic with multiple paths and some hacking mini-games. Add a bonus suit to it, and it’s worth five bucks, or free with that preorder.
  
  Now the real test of your dedication to Dead Space starts here:
  http://visceralstore.com/_accessories/dead-space-rig-backpack
  1. Pilx January 18, 2011 at 10:45 pm
    
    Ha that backpack is frightening. I need to go through Ignition for sure. I just want to finish my Impossible run…I feel like I’ve had enough of game 1, yet I still really enjoy playing it.
helloscientist January 19, 2011 at 10:57 am

Well, I wasn’t going to preorder this, but now I think I will be. Pilx how is the impossible run going?