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."
EA's restructuring of BioWare to prioritize Mass Effect 5 resulted 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 during the recent financial quarter—significantly below projections. It remains unclear if this figure represents unit sales or includes EA Play subscribers and trial users.
The combination of EA's announcement, BioWare's restructure, and the layoffs fueled concerns within the Dragon Age fanbase about the franchise's future. With no planned DLC for The Veilguard and development concluding, the series appeared dormant.
However, Sheryl Chee, a former senior writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard who transitioned to Motive Studio to work on Iron Man, shared a message of hope on social media. She acknowledged the challenges faced by her team but emphasized the enduring power of the Dragon Age community. Quoting Camus, she highlighted the fans' creative contributions—fan fiction, art, and community engagement—as keeping the spirit of Dragon Age alive, irrespective of EA/BioWare's IP ownership. She stressed that the fans' continued engagement and creative output are what truly define Dragon Age's legacy.
Dragon Age's history includes Dragon Age: Origins (2010), Dragon Age 2 (2011), and Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014). The Veilguard, released a decade later, marks a significant gap in the series' timeline. In contrast to The Veilguard's performance, Mark Darrah, a former executive producer, revealed that Dragon Age: Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, exceeding EA's internal projections.
While EA hasn't explicitly declared Dragon Age dead, the future of the franchise appears uncertain given BioWare's current focus on Mass Effect 5 and the events surrounding The Veilguard's release. EA confirmed that a dedicated team at BioWare is developing Mass Effect 5, led by veterans from the original trilogy.
