Electronic Arts confirms casual/social spin-off for BioWare RPG series to launch in February as publisher signs five-year pact with social network to use Facebook Credits virtual currency.
Though Dragon Age is firmly ensconced in a medieval fantasy world, the series is in some ways more forward looking than BioWare’s futuristic sci-fi role-playing game series, Mass Effect. Last year, the Electronic Arts-owned developer used Dragon Age to explore browser-based gaming with the Dragon Age Journeys spin-off. Next February, the swords-and-sorcery series will expand into more uncharted territory with a new Facebook game called Dragon Age Legends.
Although Dragon Age was rated M for Mature on account of “intense violence” and “sexual content,” EA is developing Legends for “Facebook users of all ages.” The game will also be built around casual and social play styles commonly seen on the networking site. Players will enlist the aid of their Facebook friends to work through a storyline’s worth of quests, upgrade characters, build their kingdoms, and earn exclusive unlockable items for use in Dragon Age II, which launches March 8.
While BioWare may be new to the world of Facebook gaming, EA has considerable expertise in the subject, thanks to its $275 million acquisition of Playfish last year. Playfish is best known for running Facebook hits like Pet Society, Restaurant City, and Country Story.
In other EA-Facebook news, the publisher has announced a five-year exclusive deal with the social network to streamline the microtransaction experience for customers playing EA games. As part of the deal, EA games on Facebook will only use Facebook Credits as their virtual currency of choice.
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