I saw this coming from a mile away, but it's still crap. Literally the day after the Signature Edition Dragon Age 2 deal was up they finally put DA2 on Steam for pre-order for the same price.

If you're on Twitter, send them this Tweet:

Dragon Age 2 pre-order shows up on Steam as soon as the Dragon Age 2 Signature Edition deal has expired. Keep it classy @dragonage @biofeed.

Maybe if enough people show them it's bullshit, they'll rethink their stance on this. 

I think you mean EA. EA publish it, and thus most likely have full control over distribution. Developers like Bioware rarely have a say in this sort of stuff.

Can someone please just explain once and for all, to make it clear to those who don't get it, that Bioware makes cool shit, and EA tends to fuck up cool shit.  And that's just the way some things are.

" I think you mean EA. EA publish it, and thus most likely have full control over distribution. Developers like Bioware rarely have a say in this sort of stuff. "

" @MattyFTM said:

" I think you mean EA. EA publish it, and thus most likely have full control over distribution. Developers like Bioware rarely have a say in this sort of stuff. "

If Bioware hears enough about it, EA will find out.  Apparently they're banning people in the Dragon Age forums for calling them out on this. "

I feel for you PC cats, because I pre-ordered my copy back at the end of November. All paid up, too. If I was playing on PC I'd be pretty pissed about this. 
 
That said, it should be pretty easy for you guys to pirate the add-ons. Not a huge deal, eh?

I'm confused... what's the problem?  The signature edition offer expired, as we all knew it was going to do, and so now it's just the regular edition available... as we all knew was going to happen?  And they're both the same price because the signature edition upgrade was free.  So... what's the problem?  

" I feel for you PC cats, because I pre-ordered my copy back at the end of November. All paid up, too. If I was playing on PC I'd be pretty pissed about this.  That said, it should be pretty easy for you guys to pirate the add-ons. Not a huge deal, eh? "

I think the Signature Edition bonus is to appease retail stores. 
 
There is no reason for Bioware or EA to offer that up on Steam where they aren't shipping physical copies of the game.

I just pre-ordered the regular PC signature edition.

" @KingWilly said:

" I feel for you PC cats, because I pre-ordered my copy back at the end of November. All paid up, too. If I was playing on PC I'd be pretty pissed about this.  That said, it should be pretty easy for you guys to pirate the add-ons. Not a huge deal, eh? "

Yeah, and then we get called out as pirates, even when we're just getting screwed.  Personally, I would pay $60 today to pre-order a copy of DA2 Signature Edition on Steam.  Now I'll wait for a weekend deal or better yet I'll wait for the Game of the Year Edition a year from release for $30.  I got plenty of games to hold me over, I don't need petty corporate politics in my gaming, and it will definitely keep my money in my wallet. "

This is definitely EA. They seem to have a something against Steam...you can pre-order Dead Space 2 and Mass Effect 3 (!) from Direct 2 Drive, yet neither of those games are even mentioned on Steam at the moment.

Did they have a signature edition for the PC? If so you should've just ordered it from Amazon or something - it's the exact same price and release date shipping was .99 cents. There have been plenty of games from EA that got special editions on Steam. I understand that Steam has it's benefits, but if you're really that interested in Dragon Age I doubt having a physical copy would be such a huge deal.

" I'm confused... what's the problem?  The signature edition offer expired, as we all knew it was going to do, and so now it's just the regular edition available... as we all knew was going to happen?  And they're both the same price because the signature edition upgrade was free.  So... what's the problem?   "

I'm confused as to what the problem is.    Is this any different than GameStop having exclusive content over other B&M retail stores?  Any different than The Witcher 2 having better deals over at GoG.com compared to Steam?  Better deals on EA games at EA.com compared to Steam?

" @melcene said:

" I'm confused... what's the problem?  The signature edition offer expired, as we all knew it was going to do, and so now it's just the regular edition available... as we all knew was going to happen?  And they're both the same price because the signature edition upgrade was free.  So... what's the problem?   "

I think what he's saying is that DAII wasn't available for pre-order on steam until the day the pre-order bonus ended. "

Nestled deep under Kirkwall, you'll find a market with a curious collection of items, some for sale, some for free, and ranging from the mundane to the mysterious! One artifact can even transform your very body, face, hair, eyes—all new! We've even granted you your very own mabari war hound to call to your side with a whistle—a boon in battle and a beloved pet at home. Visit the Black Emporium today, and you’ll be the envy of adventurers everywhere. Your invitation awaits!

The Black Emporium features:

• A magic item store that has some of the best equipment you’ll find in the game. It’s restocked with better items as you progress through the story.
• A loyal mabari hound that fights at your side in battle.
• The “Mirror of Transformation”. Gaze into it and you can change your very appearance. Hair, eyes, tattoos, and more can be changed with the click of a button.
• A crafting store which sells powerful unique recipes.
• Explore the Black Emporium and uncover its strange secrets and lore. Be sure to see its strange proprietor. It should prove most… memorable.

" Did they have a signature edition for the PC? If so you should've just ordered it from Amazon or something - it's the exact same price and release date shipping was .99 cents. There have been plenty of games from EA that got special editions on Steam. I understand that Steam has it's benefits, but if you're really that interested in Dragon Age I doubt having a physical copy would be such a huge deal. "

Don't blame Bioware for this. They make the product but EA is in charge of pretty much everything else including the marketing and retail shenanigans.

The steam version also appears to come with bonus content. Is it the same stuff that was in the "signature edition"? I'm guessing that since the "signature edition" didn't cost any extra that it may have been misleading branding designed to improve retail sales.

It's not really a big deal. I got the signature edition (or equivalent) of DAO, and it was basically just an extra hour of half-baked content and some weapons that I quickly abandoned early on in the game for better ones. Collector Edition type stuff are almost all just marketing gimmicks. 

Eh, was already pretty iffy about this game. Now it just gives me a reason to hold off on it for awhile.

Based on what I'm seeing from Bioware's site, and the description of the steam version, you still get the same "signature edition" bonuses. I could be wrong, but if this is the case, I'll cancel my amazon order, and buy it through Steam.

I doubt the people at Bioware who made the game said, "You know what would be funny? If we screwed Steam owners out of free dlc." 
 
I'm guessing that some deal got made between EA and retailers so only they could have the Signature Edition. Its the retailers way of trying to stay relevant and ahead of Steam. But at the same time if game company's want to stop used game sales and start going all digital they need to stop making all these backroom deals with retailers.

" I think the Signature Edition bonus is to appease retail stores.  There is no reason for Bioware or EA to offer that up on Steam where they aren't shipping physical copies of the game. "

" @animateria said:

" I think the Signature Edition bonus is to appease retail stores.  There is no reason for Bioware or EA to offer that up on Steam where they aren't shipping physical copies of the game. "

Impulse and Direct2Drive managed to get the Signature Edition. I just think it's EA's way to fight against everyone going to Steam instead of their download store. I tried to find a good reason why EA would do this, maybe to increase traffic to their own store, but that's not the case if other download services managed to sell it. I'm siding with the Steam users on this one. Yeah, everyone can say that there are other places to get the game, but not for the kind of person that likes to keep it on one system instead of using different services.  I'm really beginning to think that EA just hates Steam and its users. "

I noticed this on the Steam store page for DA II... 

*OFFER EXPIRES 3/8/2011. CODE EXPIRES DATE 3/31/2012. GOOD ONLY EXISTING PRE-ORDERS OF AND FOR NEW PURCHASES OF DRAGON AGE II FOR THE PC or XBOX 360 (the “PRODUCT”). VALID AT PARTICIPATING RETAILERS. CUSTOMERS WHO ORDER ONLINE WILL BE SENT THE CODE VIA EMAIL ONCE THE PRODUCT RELEASES. CUSTOMERS WHO ORDER AT A RETAIL STORE WILL BE GIVEN THE CODE WHEN PRODUCT IS PICKED UP. OFFER MAY NOT BE SUBSTITUTED, EXCHANGED, SOLD OR REDEEMED FOR CASH OR OTHER GOODS OR SERVICES. MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER, GIFT CARD, REBATE OR DISCOUNT COUPON. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED, TAXED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. INTERNET CONNECTION AND EA ACCOUNT REQUIRED. YOU MUST BE 13+. EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON WWW.EA.COM/2/SERVICE-UPDATES. PC PRODUCT REQUIRES ACCEPTANCE OF END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT. ACCESS TO PC ONLINE FEATURES LIMITED TO ONE EA ACCOUNT.

" I noticed this on the Steam store page for DA II... 

*OFFER EXPIRES 3/8/2011. CODE EXPIRES DATE 3/31/2012. GOOD ONLY EXISTING PRE-ORDERS OF AND FOR NEW PURCHASES OF DRAGON AGE II FOR THE PC or XBOX 360 (the “PRODUCT”). VALID AT PARTICIPATING RETAILERS. CUSTOMERS WHO ORDER ONLINE WILL BE SENT THE CODE VIA EMAIL ONCE THE PRODUCT RELEASES. CUSTOMERS WHO ORDER AT A RETAIL STORE WILL BE GIVEN THE CODE WHEN PRODUCT IS PICKED UP. OFFER MAY NOT BE SUBSTITUTED, EXCHANGED, SOLD OR REDEEMED FOR CASH OR OTHER GOODS OR SERVICES. MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER, GIFT CARD, REBATE OR DISCOUNT COUPON. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED, TAXED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. INTERNET CONNECTION AND EA ACCOUNT REQUIRED. YOU MUST BE 13+. EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON  WWW.EA.COM/2/SERVICE-UPDATES. PC PRODUCT REQUIRES ACCEPTANCE OF END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT. ACCESS TO PC ONLINE FEATURES LIMITED TO ONE EA ACCOUNT.

   I wonder what the first 2 sentences mean. Are they talking about the pre-order code or the installation code? Because if it's the latter, then everyone will be pissed that they get to only play it for a year. "

This is typical EA bullshit when it comes to Steam.  They seem to think their piece of shit store (that charges you extra for "extended download" windows) is going to somehow take off.  Hot Pursuit wasn't even available on Steam until a couple weeks after launch elsewhere; a mod on the official forums noted they did everyone a  "favor" by caving in and putting the game on Steam.  The list continues on with this DA2 issue and Bulletstorm will not be released on Steam until the day of launch thus removing any chance of preorder bonuses.
 
Personally, I think this trend of "free" preorder bullshit is abhorrent and I wish they would end the whole thing, but it pales in comparison to EA's shenanigans in regards to Steam.  For those of you saying buy it somewhere else if you really want the perks, I agree.  However, that doesn't diminish the fact that EA is making it difficult for genuine PC customers to buy games at the store of their choice.

Nevermind, I was wrong. It is missing the extra content. It seems like this is a common new EA game these days (especially bigger releases). They offer you some DLC for free with a new copy of the game, and then some more with a pre-order. The problem is, that their plan is working, and they keep pushing it further and further to see how much they can get away with. I really don't mind that they're offering additional content with new copies/pre-orders, and I can appreciate that they're experimenting with new ideas on how to decrease used game sales. This move; however, appears to be an attempt to appease certain retailers, and not (necessarily) to improve sales. Now that I've found out I'd be missing out on content by doing so, I'm sure not going to be canceling my amazon order for a Steam version.

Pretty pissed about this.  There's a reason I like Steam.  It's the best digital distribution service.  I like having all my games in one place, easily accessible.   
 
I've already got a bunch of games lined up, this time I think I'll wait for all the DLC to come out and get packaged together.  I've been getting boned on that lately, and I'm getting sick of it.

" I'm confused... what's the problem?  The signature edition offer expired, as we all knew it was going to do, and so now it's just the regular edition available... as we all knew was going to happen?  And they're both the same price because the signature edition upgrade was free.  So... what's the problem?   "

" This is definitely EA. They seem to have a something against Steam...you can pre-order Dead Space 2 and Mass Effect 3 (!) from Direct 2 Drive, yet neither of those games are even mentioned on Steam at the moment. "

" @BeachThunder said:

" This is definitely EA. They seem to have a something against Steam...you can pre-order Dead Space 2 and Mass Effect 3 (!) from Direct 2 Drive, yet neither of those games are even mentioned on Steam at the moment. "

I've observed this as well. Most EA titles on Steam also do not carry over achievements from the 360 or windows live counterparts. I'm not much of an achievement buff myself, but its one other aspect I've seen EA cut corners on, most recently with Hot Pursuit. "

" @MattyFTM said:

" I think you mean EA. EA publish it, and thus most likely have full control over distribution. Developers like Bioware rarely have a say in this sort of stuff. "

If Bioware hears enough about it, EA will find out.  Apparently they're banning people in the Dragon Age forums for calling them out on this. "

" Can someone please just explain once and for all, to make it clear to those who don't get it, that Bioware makes cool shit, and EA tends to fuck up cool shit.  And that's just the way some things are. "

" @EvilTwin said:

" @melcene said:

" I'm confused... what's the problem?  The signature edition offer expired, as we all knew it was going to do, and so now it's just the regular edition available... as we all knew was going to happen?  And they're both the same price because the signature edition upgrade was free.  So... what's the problem?   "

I think what he's saying is that DAII wasn't available for pre-order on steam until the day the pre-order bonus ended. "

A pre-order bonus ended. There are still several preorder bonuses available (including the Steam version) called The Black Emporium.
 

Nestled deep under Kirkwall, you'll find a market with a curious collection of items, some for sale, some for free, and ranging from the mundane to the mysterious! One artifact can even transform your very body, face, hair, eyes—all new! We've even granted you your very own mabari war hound to call to your side with a whistle—a boon in battle and a beloved pet at home. Visit the Black Emporium today, and you’ll be the envy of adventurers everywhere. Your invitation awaits!

The Black Emporium features:

• A magic item store that has some of the best equipment you’ll find in the game. It’s restocked with better items as you progress through the story.
• A loyal mabari hound that fights at your side in battle.
• The “Mirror of Transformation”. Gaze into it and you can change your very appearance. Hair, eyes, tattoos, and more can be changed with the click of a button.
• A crafting store which sells powerful unique recipes.
• Explore the Black Emporium and uncover its strange secrets and lore. Be sure to see its strange proprietor. It should prove most… memorable.

"

" @Krakn3Dfx said:

" @MattyFTM said:

" I think you mean EA. EA publish it, and thus most likely have full control over distribution. Developers like Bioware rarely have a say in this sort of stuff. "

If Bioware hears enough about it, EA will find out.  Apparently they're banning people in the Dragon Age forums for calling them out on this. "

Why not just bitch at EA then? Why give Bioware, a fucking brilliant company, a bunch of crap 'cause EA screwed Steam users over. Seems kinda petty. "

Don't blame Bioware for this.  This is all EA. 

" Pretty pissed about this.  There's a reason I like Steam.  It's the best digital distribution service.  I like having all my games in one place, easily accessible.    I've already got a bunch of games lined up, this time I think I'll wait for all the DLC to come out and get packaged together.  I've been getting boned on that lately, and I'm getting sick of it. "

" @AceBlack19 said:

" @BeachThunder said:

" This is definitely EA. They seem to have a something against Steam...you can pre-order Dead Space 2 and Mass Effect 3 (!) from Direct 2 Drive, yet neither of those games are even mentioned on Steam at the moment. "

I've observed this as well. Most EA titles on Steam also do not carry over achievements from the 360 or windows live counterparts. I'm not much of an achievement buff myself, but its one other aspect I've seen EA cut corners on, most recently with Hot Pursuit. "

There are many, many more developers and publishers other than EA that release games on Steam without Steam achievements. Hell, most PC games, in general, still ship without any kind of achievements at all. I wouldn't exactly call that cutting corners. "

" If you pre-ordered on direct2drive you can just register the cd-key on steam and it works the same as if you had bought the game from steam. I do this whenever direct2drive has a better deal on a game. "

" Don't blame Bioware for this.  This is all EA.  "

" I agree that kind of sucks if you are really into buying games off Steam.  However if you like something enough you go to where you can find it.  Like me for instance, I went down to the local EB and pre-ordered there.  No biggie. "  

it's very funny. after deal was ended (1/11), today Steam store just added 'Dragon Age 2' standard version with two bonus. in the mean time, I went to EA store to check it out. two bonus offer is the same.  but again,  what's up with deadline? 'you should buy this until March 28th'? then what if I won't? two bonus items will be gone again just like signature edition? I guess that I will buy all DLC, bonus after March 28th. crap. well, don't bother. I won't buy dragon age 2. it's not my interesting game. I didn't even buy dragon age original neither. good luck.

Oh get over it. First of all they're a business. Second, you have no idea if they were even in on this decision. Even if they were, BioWare can do whatever they want as far as I'm concerned. Their games are always worth full price.

Any fool who pre-orders any game, let alone Dragon Effect II, deserves EA/Bioware screwball marketing tactics.