Former BioWare developers have shared their perspectives on *Dragon Age: The Veilguard* and the recent statements from EA CEO Andrew Wilson regarding its perceived lack of success. During a financial call, Wilson stated that *Dragon Age: The Veilguard* failed to "resonate with a broad enough audience."
Following this, EA restructured BioWare to focus exclusively on *Mass Effect 5*. This shift resulted in some developers who worked on *The Veilguard* being reassigned to other EA projects, while others faced layoffs. This decision came after EA revealed that *Dragon Age: The Veilguard* had only engaged 1.5 million players in its recent financial quarter, falling nearly 50% short of the company's expectations.
IGN has documented various development challenges faced by *Dragon Age: The Veilguard*, including layoffs and the departure of several project leads. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, BioWare staff considered it a "miracle" that the game was completed, given EA's fluctuating directives on whether to incorporate live-service elements.
Wilson emphasized the need for BioWare's role-playing games to include "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside high-quality narratives to meet EA's success benchmarks. He suggested that *Dragon Age: The Veilguard* had a strong launch and positive reviews but failed to capture a wider audience in the competitive gaming market.
Many interpreted Wilson's remarks to imply that *Dragon Age: The Veilguard* could have achieved better sales with shared-world features and deeper engagement. However, a development reboot supported by EA shifted *Dragon Age* from a multiplayer framework to a full single-player RPG.
Former BioWare staff, including David Gaider, the creator of the *Dragon Age* setting and its former narrative lead, expressed their views on social media. Gaider, now at Summerfall Studios, criticized EA's takeaway that *The Veilguard* should have been a live-service game, calling it "short-sighted and self-serving." He advised EA to focus on what made *Dragon Age* successful at its peak, suggesting they follow the example of *Baldur's Gate 3* developer Larian, which has thrived with a primarily single-player RPG experience.
Mike Laidlaw, former creative director on *Dragon Age* and now at Yellow Brick Games, echoed these sentiments. He stated he would quit if forced to transform a beloved single-player game into a purely multiplayer one, highlighting the absurdity of such a demand.
The current situation suggests that *Dragon Age* may be discontinued, with BioWare now concentrating on *Mass Effect 5*, led by series veterans. EA CFO Stuart Canfield discussed the restructuring, noting the industry's shift away from traditional blockbuster storytelling and the necessity to redirect resources toward high-potential projects.
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