EA Games has announced the first downloadable pack to hit Dragon Age: Origins. The pack itself will launch on March 16th, 2010.The expansion pack will be available in disc form for $39.99 and will require Dragon Age: Origins to play, you'll also be able to download the pack on Xbox Live or PSN that same week.

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, BioWare's next thread in the Dragon Age: Originstapestry, occurs following the events of Dragon Age: Origins and puts players into the role of a Grey Warden Commander entrusted with rebuilding the order of Grey Wardens. In addition to rebuilding the ranks of the Grey Wardens, you will be tasked with uncovering the mystery of how the darkspawn survive after the slaying of the Archdemon. How players choose to rebuild their order, resolve the conflict with the mysterious "Architect," and determine the fate of the darkspawn are just some of the many intriguing moral choices that will shape each player's heroic journey. Players will be able to import their character from Dragon Age: Origins or start out as a new Grey Warden from the neighboring land of Orlais.

"Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening shows BioWare's commitment to our fans by delivering new story-driven experiences which enrich the dark heroic fantasy universe our fans have come to know and love," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group, EA, and Co-Founder, BioWare. "The vibrant worldwide community of Dragon Age fans will relish uncovering the secret motivations of the darkspawn, revealing how the darkspawn continue to infest the world despite the defeat of the Archdemon."

Check out more info at: http://dragonage.com/awakening

When it comes to the new year, Nintendo isn't wasting any time here. A new set of games have been released on both the Wii Ware and DSi Ware services this morning and you can check out the list of them below. This new year rings in 7 new games to download, check it out.

DSi Ware

• Trajectile (500 DSi Points, 1 Player)
• Animal Puzzle Adventure (500 DSi Points, 1 Player)
• Hells Kitchen Vs. (800 DSi Points, 1-2 Players)

Wii Ware

• Heron: Steam Machine (500 Wii Points, 1-4 Players)
• Pub Darts (500 Wii Points, 1-4 Players)
• Fast Draw Showdown (500 Wii Points, 1-2 Players)

And we have a lone Virtual Console release this week

• Final Fight 3 (Super NES, 800 Wii Points, 1-2 Players)

Seems like the highlight would be Final Fight 3 coming from the original Super Nintendo days for those wanting to take a trip back in time this week. Don't forget the Nintendo Download appears every week bringing gamers more games to play and enjoy from Nintendo.

The Game Plasma staff would like to wish the gaming industry and our readers a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.

May this year bring gaming joy to all of our hearts, and may we get the games we wish for this year!

2k Games wishes everyone a Happy Holidays this week, and gives us a couple of games to look forward too in Quarter 1 of next year. Bioshock 2 and Mafia 2, two highly anticipated console releases will be making their way officially to store shelves.

BioShock 2:

This is the sequel to the widely regarded 2007 Game of the Year that obtained a Metacritic score of 96 (the highest score received by any 360 video game up to that point). BioShock 2 is a first-person shooter that brings gamers back to the depths of Rapture, the underwater utopia overrun by greed and genetic altercations. Players take on the role of the iconic Big Daddy for the first time as they fight past enemies of all shapes and sizes. New to BioShock 2 is an entirely new multiplayer offering that adds an incredible amount of depth and replayability to the game. 

Release Date: February 9, 2010

Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC

Mafia II:

The highly anticipated sequel to the 2004 hit Mafia takes gamers back in time to meticulously crafted clothing, cars and advertising replicating the feel of a 1940s and ‘50s American city, Empire Bay. This gritty third-person shooter contains intense action, outstanding graphics and a deep story-driven plot. Powered by 2K Czech’s next-generation engine built specifically for Mafia II, players will experience the true evolution of the Mafia game that defined a genre. Gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and vehicular exploration feature new depth and dimension that allow players to experience the world of Mafia II in a way that will keep them coming back for more.

Also from 2k Play comes The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom for the Xbox Live Arcade

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom:

This indie-developed Xbox LIVE Arcade game follows P.B. Winterbottom, a villainous gentleman with a predilection for pies.  Swiping the mysterious Chronoberry Pie changed everything for our beloved Winterbottom, one bite made him more than an ordinary pie-grabbing humbug.  That first taste changed him into something quite extraordinary, granting him the ability to break the rules of time.  With these newfound time recording tricks up his cufflink, and with the help of his time clones, Winterbottom can now snatch pies with the greatest of ease.  But on his journey to devour every pie, Winterbottom must mind the signs and the perils of being unstuck in time. The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom started as student thesis project at The University of Southern California, and went on to be an Independent Games festival student showcase winner. 

Release Date: Early 2010

Platform: Xbox LIVE Arcade

During this issue of the Nintendo Download, we get a special treat today, with the release of today's title, it brings the count to 500 Wii Ware and Virtual Console games on the service. Nintendo decided to treat us gamers this week by providing the original release of Super Smash Bros from the days of the Nintendo 64. This is an exciting week for many of us old timer gamers. I know for myself I have many fond memories of the game playing till all hours of the night. Also on the release list was the infamous original release of Ninja Gaiden.

Virtual Console

• Super Smash Bros. (N64, 1-4 Players, 1,000 Wii Points)
• Ninja Gaiden (1-2 Players, 600 Wii Points, Arcade)

Wii Ware

• Eco Shooter: Plant 530 (1,000 Wii Points, 1 Player)
• TV Show King 2 (800 Wii Points, 1-4 Players)
• Paullurikio (1,000 Wii Points, 1 Player)
• Happy Holidays Christmas (500 Wii Points, 1 Player)

DSi Ware

• UNO (800 DSi Points, 1-4 Players)
• Dragon's Lair (800 DSi Points, 1 Player)
• Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure (1-2 Players, 800 DSi Points)
• High Stakes Texas Hold 'Em: (1-4 Players, 500 Wii Points)
• myNotebook: Green (1 Player, 500 DSi Points)

And that's it for this weeks issue of the Nintendo Download, check back next for more new releases.

Capcom has announced that Mega Man 10 is coming to the Nintedo Wii, Xbox Live, and the Playstation Store in March 2010. Mega Man 10, the latest entry in Capcom’s long-running series, will return gamers to the classic 2D Mega Man gameplay, embracing retro platform action and NES-inspired graphics.

More information after the jump.

SEGA of America  today announced that Napoleon: Total War, the follow up to the 2009 PC strategy game Empire: Total War, will be released in 2010 as exclusively as a special Limited Edition in North America for PC Games For Windows. 

The Napoleon: Total War Limited Edition features additional in-game content that will expand the strategic options open to gamers.  Players will receive the “Heroes Of the Napoleonic Wars” and the “Elite Regiment” packs containing a total of 15 new units including the courageous 88th Foot Connaught Rangers from Ireland and the expert horsemen of the Pavlograd Hussars. 

Napoleon: Total War is developed by the Creative Assembly and will allow PC gamers the chance to relive Napoleon’s historic military career. PC gamers will have the choice to exceed the exploits of history’s greatest General or instead face him in an attempt to stop his relentless march across Egypt, Italy and Central Europe culminating of course in the legendary Battle Of Waterloo.

For further information on Napoleon: Total War please visit www.totalwar.com

Sonly Online Entertainment has been bitten by the holiday season bug and will be supporting the Child's Play Winter Charity Drive. To raise money, SOE will be offering gamers limited-time Child's Play items in EverQuest, EverQuest II and Free Realms. The second annual fundraising effort is scheduled to run from December 18, 2009 until January 17, 2010.

For every item purchased, SOE will donate $10 (up to $50,000) with each Child's Play item purcahsed from the in-game Marketplace with Station Cash. In addition to being able to purchase the items, gamers can get into the holiday spirit and gift items to another player.

"We were thrilled with the contributions our players allowed us to make to the previous Child’s Play campaign and with the addition of Free Realms this year, we are hoping to double our previous $21,000 donation,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment.  “The support the video game industry has given Child’s Play over the years is fantastic, and we are humbled to be a part of it.”

Child’s Play is a charity that is dedicated to providing children with toys and age-appropriate games at more than 70 hospitals worldwide. For more information on Child's Play, head to www.childsplaycharity.org.

Cyanice and Focus Home Interactive have announced that they will be hosting the first major competition organized for the Blood Bowl video game since its release. The first qualification phases - open to all Blood Bowl coaches - have already launched for the Winter Championship, the first main tournament of the season. At the end of it the Winter Champion will be determined, during the Winter Tournament final match at Games Day in France, and will be the first finalist aspiring to the title of World Champion.

The winner of the winter competition will then challange the winner from the Summer Championship  in November 2010. Both finalist will be awarded a "substantial" cash prize with the winner being awarded the title of "Blood Bowl video game World Champion 2010."

For more information on the Blood Bowl World Cup 2010, and how to register, head to http://www.bloodbowl-game.com/index.php?rub=worldcup.

Capcom has released several new screenshots that show off some of the new stages in Super Street Fighter IV (SSFIV), due for release in Spring 2010 on the XBox 360 and Playstation 3. SSFIV will feature new characters, an enhanced Ultra combo system, new online modes and new stages.

To check out the other screenshots, head to Capcom-Unity.com.