Back in the bad old days the only way to purchase DLC for Mass Effect and Dragon Age games was by buying BioWare Points, which came in packs of 800 and rarely went on sale. Of course, the DLC didn’t retail for 800 points and you’d usually have to buy multiple packs to get everything you wanted, then end up with several hundred points left over just to rub in what a scam the whole thing was.
In an email (opens in new tab) EA seems to be sending people with BioWare Points still in their account, the publisher has announced the system is finally ending: “We’re reaching out to let you know that starting October 11, 2022, BioWare Points will no longer be available as a form of currency in the Origin store. Other currencies like Crystals and Platinum in other BioWare titles remain unaffected.”
Some of the add-ons for classic BioWare RPGs that could previously only be bought with BioWare points are now available for free. You can log into Origin and grab DLC for Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 by selecting the games in your library, clicking on Extra Content, then selecting Get it Free for each one.
While Mass Effect Legendary Edition has all the singleplayer DLC bundled with it, if you own the original versions of Mass Effect 2 and 3 you can now grab essential expansions Lair of the Shadow Broker and Citadel for zero dollars, as well as the rest. For a guide on how to start them, here’s Which Mass Effect DLC is best and what order to play them in.
Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer DLC packs aren’t free, however. For the next three months, you can use up any leftover BioWare Points you may have on them. After October 11, they’ll only be available in return for credits you earn in-game. (Or by downloading a money hack, you cheeky devil.)
The email ends by noting, “Don’t worry — you’ll still have access to any content previously purchased using BioWare Points. We’re here to support you if you have any questions on this, just reach out to EA Help.”