The long-rumoured third entry in the Dragon Age saga will launch in late 2013, RPG specialist Bioware has confirmed.
The game has been in development for two years already and will use an enhanced version of the Frostbite 2 game engine, developed by fellow EA studio DICE for its scenery-destroying Battlefield shooters. This, it is planned, will result in a "more expansive world, better visuals, more reactivity to player choices and more customisation".
The story will revolve around the rise of a new evil in the land of Ferelden and, as leader of the Inquisition, you'll be tasked with locating and eradicating the threat. The game is likely to include multiplayer arenas, based on not-so-subtle hints dropped by Bioware's Mark Laidlaw. "Any time you have a game that is aware of the advantages of teamwork, what it's like when multiple classes combine their abilities, be it a rogue not just stunning enemies but helping to conceal his friends so that they can take damage better - that's where you do an allegory that says yeah, we could do multiplayer here for sure," he said in November 2011.
The Dragon Age 3 team is also taking on board feedback from players of Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2 and the relevant DLC expansions. "We've visited message boards, read reviews, and we've gone to events to have direct face to face conversations with some of our most passionate fans," said executive producer Mark Darriah. "We've been listening, and we will continue to listen."
No platforms have been confirmed for the game. "We are not talking about them at this moment in time" tweeted Bioware community manager Tully Ackland. Could this be a launch title for the next generation of consoles?