Dragon Age II Press Release Announcement

After getting a tease, a magazine cover, and a website, we now get a press release officially announcing development of Dragon Age II. “Intense action” cometh:

Action and Fantasy Collide in BioWare’s Dragon Age 2

Rise to Power and Change the World Forever in the Sequel to 2009’s RPG of the Year

EDMONTON, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Leading video game developer BioWareâ„¢, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), confirmed today that Dragon Ageâ„¢ 2 is in development at BioWare’s Edmonton-based studio. Dragon Age 2 is the sequel to the triple-platinum-selling Dragon Age: Origins which was named (RPG of the Year) in 2009 by Game Informer, G4, IGN, and SpikeTV. With Dragon Age 2, the world’s preeminent RPG developer is revolutionizing the genre again, infusing the universe with more action, a new, more responsive combat system and a dynamic story that is already among the most multifaceted in gaming. Dragon Age 2 traces the rise to power of Hawke, a survivor of the Blight and a hero who will transform the face of the Dragon Age universe forever. The new game is scheduled for release in March of 2011 on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC.

(Last year’s launch of Dragon Age: Origins was one of the most successful in BioWare’s 15-year history and one of the most successful new IP launches in the 28 year history of EA,) said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Senior Vice President of Electronic Arts and co-founder and Group General Manager of BioWare. (Dragon Age 2 will simultaneously deliver an epic story and set a new bar for intense action in the genre. We’re very excited to deliver this next bold evolution in the Dragon Age franchise to our fans.)

(With Dragon Age 2 we are creating an exciting new entry point into the Dragon Age universe while ensuring that fans of the original game retain a sense of satisfaction and familiarity in the world,) said Dragon Age 2 Executive Producer Mark Darrah. (We are amplifying the things that made Dragon Age: Origins such a huge success while introducing a more dynamic combat system, improving the graphics, and telling the most important story in our world.)

Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever.

Dragon Age 2 is in production for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, and PC. For more information on Dragon Age 2, please visit our website at www.DragonAge.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dragonage or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/DragonAgeOrigins.

About BioWare

BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur’s Gateâ„¢, Neverwinter Nightsâ„¢, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republicâ„¢, Jade Empireâ„¢, Mass Effectâ„¢ and Dragon AgeTM. BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec), Austin (Texas) and Fairfax (Virginia). Currently announced projects at BioWare include the development of ongoing downloadable content for Mass Effect 2â„¢, one of the highest rated video games of all time, Dragon Age 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2009’s (RPG of the Year) Dragon Age: Origins, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars®: The Old Republicâ„¢. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/biofeed. To join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to http://social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSâ„¢, EAâ„¢, EA Mobileâ„¢ and POGOâ„¢. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.