Following recent layoffs at BioWare and a shift in focus to Mass Effect 5, the future of the Dragon Age series has been thrown into uncertainty. Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the latest installment in the series, underperformed according to EA's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during the recent financial quarter—a figure nearly 50% below projections. This number includes players from EA's Play Pro subscription service and potentially those who tried the game through a free trial on the EA Play subscription.
In response to the restructuring at BioWare, which saw key developers like John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, reassigned to other projects within EA, and others laid off, the Dragon Age community has expressed concern over the series' survival. Notably, no DLC is planned for The Veilguard, and BioWare concluded its work on the game with its last major update.
Amidst this turmoil, Sheryl Chee, a senior writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard who has transitioned to work on Iron Man at Motive, took to social media to reassure fans. Reflecting on the challenges faced over the past two years, Chee emphasized the enduring spirit of the Dragon Age community. In response to a fan's lament about the series' potential demise, Chee shared an inspiring message:
"So a cool French woman dropped a cool quote from Camus on me today: ‘In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.’ (I mean, who does resistance like the French, right?) We're going through it right now. It's a lot, everywhere…
“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.”
Chee's words underscore the idea that the spirit of Dragon Age lives on through the creativity and passion of its fans. Encouraged by a fan's response to write a giant alternate universe (AU) story, Chee highlighted the ongoing inspiration the series provides:
“So someone just reposted my thing saying they'll write a giant AU and that's what I'm talking about. If DA has inspired you to do something, if it sparks that Invincible summer, then it's done its job, and it has been my greatest honor to have been a part of that.”
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 a significant gap before the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Former executive producer Mark Darrah, who left BioWare in 2020, revealed that Dragon Age: Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, far exceeding EA's expectations.
While EA has not declared Dragon Age dead, the focus on Mass Effect 5 and the restructuring at BioWare suggest that a new Dragon Age game may not be forthcoming in the near future, if at all. Meanwhile, a dedicated "core team" at BioWare is working on the next Mass Effect game, led by veterans from the original trilogy, indicating a strong commitment to that franchise.
For fans of Dragon Age, Sheryl Chee's message is a reminder that the series' legacy continues through their engagement and creative contributions, keeping the spirit of Dragon Age alive.
