EA CEO Andrew Wilson has addressed the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, stating that the game failed to "resonate with a broad enough audience." This statement comes in the wake of EA's decision to restructure Dragon Age developer BioWare to focus exclusively on Mass Effect 5, resulting in some team members being reassigned to other projects within EA studios.
The decision to shift focus was prompted by Dragon Age: The Veilguard's disappointing performance. EA reported that the game engaged 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, a figure that fell nearly 50% short of the company's projections. IGN has documented several development challenges faced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including layoffs and the departure of several project leads at various stages of development. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, BioWare staff consider it a miracle that the game was released as a complete product, given EA's initial push for a live-service model and subsequent reversal.
During an investor-focused financial call, Wilson emphasized the need for role-playing games to incorporate "shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives." He suggested that Dragon Age: The Veilguard's lack of these elements may have contributed to its failure to attract a wider audience in a highly competitive market. However, this stance seems at odds with EA's earlier decision to support BioWare's shift from a multiplayer-focused game to a single-player RPG, as reported by IGN.
Fans have criticized EA for drawing the wrong conclusions from Dragon Age: The Veilguard's performance, especially in light of the success of recent single-player RPGs like Larian's Baldur's Gate 3. The future of the Dragon Age series appears uncertain, at least in the short term, raising questions about the direction of Mass Effect 5.
EA CFO Stuart Canfield discussed the company's decision to restructure BioWare, which involved reducing the studio's size from 200 to less than 100 employees. He highlighted the evolving industry landscape and the importance of reallocating resources to maximize potential opportunities. It's important to note that single-player games constitute only a small fraction of EA's revenue, with live service games accounting for 74% of the company's earnings over the past year. Titles like Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, The Sims, and the upcoming Skate and Battlefield games are driving this revenue stream.
