It seems that as with Spore the overall aim is to blur the line between single player and multiplayer. With Spore you created creatures who existed in a universe populated by the creations of others. The developers are looking for some method of connecting the community of Dragon Age players through a ‘network of manually and automatically shared content’.

Some of that will be more passive, similar to the stat-tracking features of games like Halo 3 where you can nip over to Bungie’s and check out lifetime game stats for yourself and others. Given that they’ll be including a suite of content creation tools though there could be some other aspects to it. In-game merchants selling weapons and armor others have created is a possibility, as well as other people’s characters being used for NPCs or hirelings.

"With Dragon Age, our DLC strategy is doing it in maybe a year and-a-half or two years, planning exactly when you’re going to do it and how you’re going to do it," he said.

While he wouldn’t offer any details of the content itself, he had this to say: “Some of our fans would really like us to extend the world, so it’s going to be something that will make the world even bigger and more interesting."

Dragon Age is due out this fall on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Previously slated to arrive before its console brethren, the PC version of Dragon Age: Origins has been delayed to the second half of 2009. It will now launch alongside the console versions.

“I’m really proud of our team, who are working very hard to make Dragon Age: Origins the biggest and most exciting BioWare game yet, and we will work to ensure it not only meets, but exceeds the expectations of our loyal audience,” said BioWare CEO Ray Muzyka.

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello said that the delay was due to marketing, and that BioWare will continue to polish the PC release.

Dragon Age: Origins

“Yes. Dragon Age: Origins will be coming to consoles in the near future, yes,” he said. Eurogamer notes that he hinted at a late 2009 release for consoles, though a representative later stated that “plans for consoles haven’t been finalized yet.”

Dragon Age is being billed as the spiritual successor to BioWare’s hardcore RPG effort Baldur’s Gate. The game is expected to arrive on PC sometime between January and March of 2009.

The first look will offer fans a sneak peek at the combat, magic and “digital actors” that make up the game. The studio will also reveal new details about combat, exploration, dialog and the game’s origin story, among other things. Select members will also be invited to a special lounge hosted by the studio.

Be sure to attend these expos, as well as Leipzig in Germany, if you want to be one of the first to see the game in person.