Consider the bar raised. EA has frequently in the past offered day-one DLC for some there larger game releases, be it downloadable playable characters such as Shale and Zaeed for Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, respectively, or the very ability to play your game online (see Medal of Honor). It was all part of Project $10, an ongoing effort to combat used game sales by offered ten dollars of free content to anyone who buys a game new via a single-use code in the game packaging. Dragon Age 2 continues the “Thank you for buying this new” trend, with all preorders before January 12th getting an automatic bump up to the Signature Edition.

Apparently, EA’s prerelease madness isn’t over yet, as you can pick up the first piece of Dragon Age 2 DLC, The Exile Prince, now. As in right now. As in a week before you can play the game (assuming you don’t work for someone with a review copy). Yup, EA has released DLC for a game before the game itself. I’d hold off on buying it though, as it may be free with the retail release. (via VG247)