Former BioWare developers have weighed in on the underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and EA CEO Andrew Wilson's subsequent comments. Wilson attributed the game's failure to not resonate with a broad enough audience, citing a shortfall of nearly 50% from projected player engagement (1.5 million players versus projected figures). This followed EA's restructuring of BioWare, focusing solely on Mass Effect 5, resulting in staff reassignments and layoffs.
IGN previously documented The Veilguard's troubled development, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, BioWare staff considered the game's completion a miracle given EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed. Wilson, however, argued that BioWare's RPGs require "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside strong narratives to achieve broader appeal. He stated that while The Veilguard launched well and received positive reviews, it lacked sufficient reach in a competitive market.
Many interpreted Wilson's comments as suggesting that incorporating shared-world features and increased engagement could have boosted sales. However, as reported by IGN, a development reboot saw the game transition from a planned multiplayer structure to a single-player RPG.
Prominent former BioWare employees took to social media to offer their perspectives. David Gaider, former narrative lead on Dragon Age, criticized EA's takeaway from The Veilguard's performance, suggesting that simply adding live-service elements is short-sighted. He argued that EA should instead emulate Larian Studios' success with Baldur's Gate 3, focusing on the core strengths that made Dragon Age popular in the past. He urged EA to double down on what worked best for the franchise previously.
Mike Laidlaw, former creative director on Dragon Age, expressed a stronger stance, stating he would have resigned if pressured to transform a beloved single-player game into a purely multiplayer experience. He highlighted the potential folly of fundamentally altering the DNA of a successful single-player IP.
The outcome appears to be the apparent demise of the Dragon Age franchise for the foreseeable future, with BioWare now fully committed to Mass Effect 5, under the leadership of industry veterans. EA CFO Stuart Canfield acknowledged the evolving industry landscape and the financial underperformance of The Veilguard, justifying the resource reallocation towards Mass Effect 5 as a move towards higher-potential opportunities. This restructuring reportedly reduced BioWare's workforce from 200 to under 100 employees.
