Dragon Age Reassurance: Ex-BioWare Dev Says Series Lives On With Fans

In light of recent layoffs at BioWare, which have seen the departure of numerous key developers involved with Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a former writer on the series, Sheryl Chee, has stepped forward to reassure fans. Amidst the restructuring by EA to focus solely on Mass Effect 5, Chee, now working on Iron Man at Motive, emphasized that the spirit of Dragon Age continues to live through its community. "DA isn't dead because it's yours now," she stated, encouraging fans to keep the series alive through their own creative works and connections formed by the games.

The layoffs followed EA's announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had not met the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during the recent financial quarter—a figure significantly lower than anticipated. It's unclear whether this number represents unit sales, as the game was also available through EA's Play Pro and EA Play subscription services, which might have included a free trial.

EA's decision to shift focus entirely to Mass Effect 5, coupled with the lack of planned DLC for The Veilguard and BioWare's final major update to the game, has led to widespread concern among the Dragon Age community about the future of the franchise. Despite this, Chee remains optimistic, highlighting the power of fan fiction, art, and the connections fostered by the games. She quoted Camus, saying, "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer," to inspire hope and resilience within the fanbase.

The Dragon Age series, which began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2010, followed by Dragon Age 2 in 2011, and Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014, saw its latest installment, The Veilguard, released after a decade-long wait. Notably, Dragon Age: Inquisition was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies and exceeding EA's internal projections, as revealed by former executive producer Mark Darrah.

While EA has not declared the end of Dragon Age, the future of the series appears uncertain with BioWare's full commitment to Mass Effect 5. EA has confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy, is working on the next installment, indicating a strategic shift in focus.