Dragon Age II: 45% On Disc Edition

Bit late, but figured I had to take a shot at this because Bioware and EA are currently the shining posterboy example for how to take what is potentially a really good game, and destroy it through scam locking EGGZKLUSIFFS and disc locked/withheld content.

The upcoming Bioware Signature Edition of DA2 will be available if you preorder the full game (read as: 40% of what the game should be). With it comes a bunch of preorder disc locked content much like in the first game. At least this time round, they're not pulling what they did with the first game, where in order to get ALL of the disc locked promo content you would have had to buy the game 7 times. Anyone with a brain obviously pirated all of that shit shortly after the game's release so it's a total non-issue. But... that hasn't stopped them from once again trying to sell a 'limited' or 'collectors' or 'special' edition that gives you nothing but disc locked content.

This is their advertising poster image below:

 

Sounds quite nice doesn't it? Nice flashy eye catching artwork. Now look closely at what you really get. $20 of additional content! Wow... REALLY?! So, why are people having to pay $20 to unlock what's already on the disc? Why is this being restricted to those who preorder only? Ah yes, of course... because if they didn't offer any incentive at all, then nobody would buy... especially after how many people were rightfully pissed off when they announced the No Withheld Content aka Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age 1, after many ultimately shelled out the extra money for the withheld and scam locked content. Obviously, the Ultimate Edition was the version that should have come out day one, for $60. Not a year later for the price of a new game AFTER the scam locking of content has largely succeeded and pissed off the playerbase.

Either way, this is what they're doing with Dragon Age 2. For the sake of honesty, I felt it was necessary to modify their advertising image very slightly below:

I believe it is more accurate in explaining to the prospective morons buyers who are considering buying this title on day one. Of course, I cannot recommend buying this at all, especially on day one. Wait a year, for the proverbial No Withheld Content Edition to come out instead. If you absolutely must play this on day one, rent or pirate it instead. 

After all, incomplete/beta versions of games aren't things that shouldn't be paid for, why should things change now? :)

Paying To Beta Test

According to this poast on Kotaku... Bioware is coming out with an Ultimate Edition for Dragon Age: Origins.

I know I'm not the only one who thought, on day one, when the game was first announced that 'oo, nice, must try this!'.

Then when all the withheld content/disc locked content was announced, along with the fact you had to buy the same game multiple times in order to get ALL of the game made many prospective buyers go 'Ok fuck this shit...'

So now, over a year later, after all the idiots who DID pay for the withheld content have been bled dry, Bioware and EA are probably hoping they can entice the original 'would have bought' people back with this little number. Well, to that I say:

TOO LITTLE, TOO FUCKING LATE

This was the version that SHOULD have been released from day one. If this had been what had come out last year initially, then I would have put down my $60 quite happily. Oh, did I mention that Bioware had the absolute balls to say that 'the entire game + withheld content is worth $114 USD' and that people are getting a DEAL by buying this little number for $59.99? So... They are saying that yes, even with Dragon Age 2 just around the corner, they are justifying selling a year old game in the format it SHOULD have been sold in from day one, for full new game price...

I also know what half of you are going to say at this point, let me sum it all~ up below because I've heard this all before:

• It's not withheld content, they really weren't finished making the game at the time!
• It's OPTIONAL content! If you don't like it don't buy it!
• It's their game, they can charge what they want for it!
• For what you're getting for $114 it's a BARGAIN!
• People like you are why the PC gaming industry is dying!

Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure.

I'm very sure all the scam DLC was real! It was so real that you had to buy the same game several times to get it all at launch! It's so optional that they have NPC's in game that tell you to purchase it before you can enter this area/do this quest! Yes! It's all REAL DLC!

...And Halo: Reach is teh BEZT GAEM EVAR!!

I VALUE THIS GAME MORE THAN MY LIFE!!!

*deep breath*

All I can say at this point is good luck Bioware, those who were going to purchase it, like yours truly, have already made our decision to never support your scamming ways, ever. We will nevar pay for your gaem either out of principle or just sheer anger alone. Yes, haters gonna hate, and I choose to hate. 

To those of you who say it's because of people like us who are killing the PC gaem industry, I say very simply: If this is what the industry has become... If games like this, are going to continue being sold in this manner... In this chopped up, episodic, withheld, disc locked manner, then it can just go fucking die.

Those of you who really want to play DA:O in it's entirety? A subliminal suggestion is the image below.

Yes, lets kill the PC game industry further! Why not! I mean, after all...

NOTHING OF VALUE WAS LOST