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, reassigning some Veilguard staff to other EA studios, while others faced layoffs. This followed EA's announcement of Veilguard's underperformance, reporting 1.5 million engaged players—significantly below projections. The figure's exact calculation (including subscription access and free trials) remains unclear.
The news, coupled with BioWare's restructuring and confirmed layoffs, fueled concerns within the Dragon Age community about the franchise's future. The Veilguard lacks planned DLC, and BioWare's work concluded last week with a seemingly final major update.
Chee, now at Motive Studios working on Iron Man, shared her perspective on social media. Acknowledging the difficult past two years, she emphasized her continued employment and highlighted the enduring power of fan engagement. Quoting Camus, she stressed that the series lives on through fan fiction, art, and the community forged by the games. While EA owns the IP, Chee argued that ideas remain unconquerable, asserting that Dragon Age's future rests with its fans. She cited fan responses, such as plans for extensive fan-created alternate universes (AU), as evidence of this enduring spirit.
The Dragon Age series began with 2010's Dragon Age: Origins, followed by Dragon Age 2 (2011) and Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014). The Veilguard, released a decade after Inquisition, represents the series' most recent installment. Former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed in September that 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 a dedicated BioWare team, led by Mass Effect veterans, is developing Mass Effect 5, though specific team sizes weren't disclosed.
