Following layoffs at BioWare impacting key Dragon Age: The Veilguard developers, a former writer offered reassurance to fans, stating, "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."
This week's EA restructuring prioritized Mass Effect 5, reassigning some Veilguard staff to other EA studios. Game Developer reported John Epler, Veilguard's creative director, transitioned to Full Circle's Skate project. However, other developers faced layoffs.
This followed EA's announcement of Veilguard's underperformance, citing only 1.5 million player engagements during the recent financial quarter – significantly below projections (a near 50% shortfall). Importantly, EA didn't specify if this figure represented unit sales, considering Veilguard's availability through EA Play Pro and a potential free trial via EA Play.
The combination of EA's announcement, BioWare's restructuring, and confirmed layoffs fueled concerns within the Dragon Age community about the franchise's future. No DLC is planned for Veilguard, and BioWare's work concluded last week with what appeared to be its final major update.
However, former senior writer Sheryl Chee, now at Motive Studios working on Iron Man, offered a message of hope on social media. She acknowledged the challenges of the past two years but emphasized her continued employment. Responding to a fan expressing concern over Dragon Age's demise, Chee highlighted the power of fan contributions:
"But DA isn't dead. There's fic. There's art. There's the connections we made through the games and because of the games. Technically EA/BioWare owns the IP but you can't own an idea, no matter how much they want to. DA isn't dead because it's yours now.”
She further elaborated, emphasizing the fan-created content inspired by the series as a testament to its enduring impact.
Dragon Age's history includes 2010's Dragon Age: Origins, followed by Dragon Age 2 (2011) and Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014). The Veilguard's release marked a decade-long gap between sequels. In September, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed Dragon Age: Inquisition's sales significantly exceeded EA's internal projections, exceeding 12 million copies.
While EA hasn't declared Dragon Age defunct, the future of the franchise remains uncertain given BioWare's current focus on Mass Effect 5. EA confirmed a dedicated team at BioWare is developing Mass Effect 5, led by veterans from the original trilogy. While specific numbers weren't disclosed, EA assured IGN the studio possesses the necessary personnel.
