As Dragon Age Fans Fear the Death of the Series, One Former BioWare Developer Offers Words of Reassurance: 'Dragon Age Isn't Dead Because It's Yours Now'

Following layoffs at BioWare affecting key Dragon Age: The Veilguard developers, former series writer Sheryl Chee offered reassurance to fans. This week's EA restructuring prioritized Mass Effect 5, resulting in some Veilguard team members transferring to other EA studios, while others faced layoffs. This followed EA's announcement that The Veilguard underperformed, engaging only 1.5 million players—significantly below projections. It's unclear if this figure represents unit sales, includes EA Play subscribers, or accounts for a free trial. The lack of planned DLC for The Veilguard and the apparent conclusion of BioWare's work on the game fueled fan concerns about the series' future.

Chee, now working on Iron Man at Motive Studios, acknowledged the challenging two years and team attrition. Responding to a fan expressing concern over Dragon Age's demise, she cited Camus' quote, "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer," emphasizing the community's role in keeping the series alive. She stated that while EA/BioWare owns the IP, they cannot own the ideas it inspired. Chee highlighted fan fiction, art, and the connections forged through the games as evidence of Dragon Age's enduring legacy, concluding, "DA isn't dead because it's yours now." She further emphasized that fan creations, inspired by the game, fulfill its purpose.

Dragon Age, launched in 2010 with Origins, followed by Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition in 2011 and 2014 respectively, saw a decade-long gap before The Veilguard's release. In contrast to The Veilguard's performance, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed that Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, exceeding EA's internal projections.

While EA hasn't declared Dragon Age dead, the restructuring of BioWare and the complete focus on Mass Effect 5 make a new Dragon Age game seem unlikely in the near future. EA confirmed a dedicated "core team" at BioWare is developing Mass Effect 5, led by veterans from the original trilogy.