Dragon Age: Origins expansion announced @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on January 05, 2010

News: Prepare your Grey Warden Commander for an Awakening.

BioWare and Electronic Arts have announced that the first expansion for Dragon Age: Origins will be released for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 16. The disc-based expansion will retail for $39.99 and will require Dragon Age: Origins to play.

Titled Dragon Age: Origins Ц Awakening, the expansion will offer players "a brand new area of the world to explore known as Amaranthine, featuring an epic story that will allow players to unravel the secrets of the darkspawn - and their true motivations! Players will face a range of horrific and terrifying creatures including an evolved, intelligent breed of darkspawn and other menacing creatures such as the Inferno Golem and Spectral Dragon."

As is customary with expansions, Awakening will include an increased level cap and new features such as new spells, abilities, specializations and items. Players will also have the option of recruiting five new party members, either with their existing character from Dragon Age: Origins or with a brand new character created for Awakening.

All of these features will be used in a story that takes place directly after the events of Dragon Age: Origins:

"" Dragon Age: Origins Ц Awakening puts players into the role of a Grey Warden Commander entrusted with rebuilding the order of Grey Wardens. In addition to rebuilding the ranks of the Grey Wardens, you will be tasked with uncovering the mystery of how the darkspawn survive after the slaying of the Archdemon. How players choose to rebuild their order, resolve the conflict with the mysterious УArchitect,Ф and determine the fate of the darkspawn are just some of the many intriguing moral choices that will shape each player's heroic journey. ""

If March 16 seems too far away, EA and BioWare have launched the expansion's official website at DragonAge.com/awakening.

We'll have more soon.