Following layoffs at BioWare that impacted key developers of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a former writer from the series has reassured fans, stating: “The Dragon Age spirit lives on through you.”
This week, EA restructured BioWare to prioritize Mass Effect 5 exclusively. Some Dragon Age: The Veilguard team members were reassigned to other EA studios (Game Developer reported that John Epler, Veilguard’s creative director, joined Full Circle’s upcoming Skate project). Others, however, confirmed they were laid off and are now seeking new opportunities.
The move came after EA announced that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of performance expectations for the highly anticipated action RPG. EA noted that the game “engaged” 1.5 million players in its recent financial quarter, a figure nearly 50% below the company’s projections.
EA did not clarify whether the 1.5 million figure represented unit sales, as Dragon Age: The Veilguard was also available via EA’s Play Pro subscription service. It’s also uncertain if a free trial offered through the standard EA Play subscription was included in this count.
EA’s announcement, coupled with BioWare’s restructuring and confirmed layoffs, has fueled concerns among Dragon Age fans that the series may be effectively over. No DLC is planned for The Veilguard, and BioWare concluded its work on the game last week with what appeared to be its final major update.
However, Sheryl Chee, a senior writer for Dragon Age: The Veilguard now working on Iron Man at Motive, took to social media to share an optimistic message.
“I’ve joined Motive,” Chee stated. “The past two years have been tough, watching my team dwindle while pushing forward. But I’m still here, and that’s something.”
Responding to a fan mourning the series’ apparent end, Chee emphasized that Dragon Age endures through the creativity of its community.
“A wise French woman shared a Camus quote with me today: ‘In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.’ Resistance is real, isn’t it? We’re all feeling the weight right now...
“But Dragon Age lives on. Through fan fiction, art, and the bonds formed because of these games. EA and BioWare may own the IP, but they can’t own the ideas that inspire you.
“Dragon Age thrives because it belongs to you now.”
Chee added: “Someone just shared my post, saying they’re writing a massive AU story. That’s exactly what I mean. If Dragon Age sparks your creativity, igniting that invincible summer, then it’s fulfilled its purpose. It’s been my greatest privilege to contribute to that.”
The Dragon Age series began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2010, followed by Dragon Age 2 in 2011. Dragon Age: Inquisition arrived in 2014, but fans waited a decade for the latest chapter, Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
In September, Mark Darrah, a former Dragon Age executive producer who left BioWare in 2020, shared that Dragon Age: Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, far exceeding EA’s internal forecasts.
While EA has not explicitly declared the Dragon Age series finished, the shift to focus entirely on Mass Effect 5 and the changes at BioWare make a new game in the near future unlikely. Regarding Mass Effect, EA confirmed a “core team” at BioWare, led by veterans like Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley, is developing the next installment. “We’re not disclosing team size, but BioWare has the right people in place for this stage of Mass Effect’s development,” EA told IGN.