BioWare games have a reputation for making some of the best player-driven romances in video games. To maintain that reputation, the BioWare store is filled with gadgets designed to entice players to buy something that expresses their love for a character. In its latest merchandise drop, BioWare’s talented bastards are harnessing that dedication in a genius way for Dragon Age: Origins‘ cheese-loving heartthrob Grey Warden presents the “Romance Pack”, Alistair Thelin.
The package is a beautiful wooden box with Alistair’s portrait on it and a necklace that you can give him to increase his recognition of you . According to the item’s description, the bundle also comes with “a small worn-out love letter hidden in the bottom compartment, wrapped in a thin leather strap, and concealed with a secret message to Alistair” — all for just $60 . I just shudder at the thought of all the silly but lovely stuff the letter contained.
Throw a stone in the gaming community and there’s a good chance you’ll hit someone who is sexually aroused in the hands of a BioWare character. The studio makes excellent, well-written companions that are easy to fall in love with – so much so that, in addition to knowing when to look forward to the next game, fans equally want to know who they can look forward to romantically. When I was first introduced to BioWare in 2009 by Dragon Age: Origins, I taught myself what modding is and how to mod games because I’m obsessed Working with Alistair and looking to consume all content featuring him, both in-game and fan made.
This is just Alistair from Dragon Age. What if BioWare did that for all its partners? Wow! That’s what excites me the most about this release. BioWare knows what it has in these characters and has proven it will utilize that resource to maximum effect. For god’s sake, it sells the Garrus Vakarian body pillow. It knows exactly what it is doing and what fans will pay. Imagine if people in the world who liked Liara could get a letter from her, or, if Andrast forbade, Solas’ lover received a message and his wolf bone necklace? The tormented anxieties of those Ravilan figures are enough to power the world for a century. (Let me be clear, Solas romantics will rejoice in this anxiety.) BioWare will never have to release another game again because it’s going to be a big hit. Take my money, BioWare. For that, you earn it.
