As Dragon Age Fans Fear the Death of the Series, One Former BioWare Developer Offers Words of Reassurance: 'Dragon Age Isn't Dead Because It's Yours Now'

In the wake of significant layoffs at BioWare, which led to the departure of numerous key developers involved in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, former series writer Sheryl Chee has stepped forward to reassure fans that the beloved franchise is far from over. She emphasized that the essence of Dragon Age now belongs to its dedicated community, who will continue to keep it alive through their creative contributions.

This week, EA announced a restructuring of BioWare to concentrate solely on Mass Effect 5. As part of this shift, some developers from Dragon Age: The Veilguard were reassigned to other EA projects, such as John Epler, the game's creative director, who moved to work on Full Circle's upcoming skateboarding title Skate. Unfortunately, others were let go and are currently seeking new opportunities.

EA's decision came after Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during the recent financial quarter—a figure that was nearly 50% below projections. It's important to note that EA did not specify whether this number represented unit sales, as The Veilguard was also accessible via EA's Play Pro subscription service. Additionally, it remains unclear if the 1.5 million players included those who accessed the game through a free trial offered by the EA Play subscription.

The combination of EA's announcement, the restructuring at BioWare, and the layoffs has led many in the Dragon Age community to fear the series' end. There are no plans for DLC for The Veilguard, and BioWare's work on the game concluded last week with what appears to be its final significant update.

Despite these challenges, Sheryl Chee, who transitioned from BioWare to work on Iron Man at Motive, took to social media to offer a message of hope. Acknowledging the difficulties of the past two years and the gradual reduction of her team, Chee remains optimistic. In response to a fan's concern about the series' future, she shared an inspiring quote from Camus: “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.” Chee emphasized that while EA and BioWare own the IP, the true spirit of Dragon Age lives on through the fans' creativity, including fan fiction, art, and the connections forged through the games.

“DA isn't dead because it's yours now,” Chee asserted, highlighting the community's role in keeping the franchise alive. She further encouraged fans by noting that if Dragon Age inspires them to create and share, then it has fulfilled its purpose, and she is honored to have been part of that journey.

The Dragon Age series began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2010, followed by Dragon Age 2 in 2011, and Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014. The latest installment, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, took a decade to release. Mark Darrah, the former executive producer who left BioWare in 2020, disclosed that Dragon Age: Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, significantly surpassing EA's internal projections.

While EA has not explicitly declared the end of Dragon Age, the focus on Mass Effect 5 and the current state of BioWare suggest that a new Dragon Age game is unlikely in the near future, if at all. Meanwhile, EA confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare is working on Mass Effect 5, led by veterans from the original trilogy, ensuring the project is staffed appropriately for its current development stage.