Dragon Age Co-Creator Offers EA Some Advice: Follow Baldur’s Gate 3 Developer Larian’s Lead

Former BioWare developers have criticized EA's assessment of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's underperformance and subsequent restructuring of BioWare. EA CEO Andrew Wilson attributed the game's failure to a lack of broad appeal, specifically citing the absence of "shared-world features and deeper engagement." This statement, coupled with BioWare's restructuring to focus solely on Mass Effect 5, has led to layoffs and the reassignment of staff who worked on The Veilguard.

EA's financial report revealed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard engaged only 1.5 million players, significantly below projections. This followed a tumultuous development, marked by layoffs and the departure of key personnel, as previously reported by IGN and Bloomberg. Reports suggest the game's shift from a planned multiplayer model to a single-player RPG, under EA's direction, contributed to the challenges.

Wilson's comments implying that a multiplayer focus would have boosted sales have been met with criticism from former BioWare employees. David Gaider, former narrative lead on Dragon Age, argued that EA's takeaway – that the game should have been live-service – is short-sighted. He suggested that EA should instead emulate Larian Studios' success with Baldur's Gate 3, which prioritizes single-player gameplay while offering co-op multiplayer. He emphasized the importance of focusing on what made Dragon Age successful in the past.

Mike Laidlaw, a former creative director on Dragon Age, expressed stronger dissent, stating he would have resigned if pressured to transform a successful single-player IP into a purely multiplayer game. He highlighted the potential damage to the core game's identity.

The outcome of these events suggests the future of Dragon Age is uncertain, with BioWare now fully committed to Mass Effect 5. EA's CFO, Stuart Canfield, acknowledged the changing industry landscape and the need to allocate resources to high-potential projects, a decision that has resulted in significant staff reductions at BioWare.