In the wake of significant layoffs at BioWare, which saw the departure of several key developers involved with Dragon Age: The Veilguard, former series writer Sheryl Chee has stepped forward to offer reassurance to fans. Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the franchise's future, Chee's message was clear: "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."
This week, EA announced a restructuring at BioWare, shifting its focus exclusively to Mass Effect 5. This move resulted in some Veilguard developers, including creative director John Epler, being reassigned to other EA projects like Full Circle's upcoming skateboarding game, Skate. However, other team members were laid off and are now in search of new employment opportunities.
The decision to restructure came after EA disclosed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had not met the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during the recent financial quarter—a figure nearly 50% lower than anticipated. It's important to note that EA did not specify whether this number represents unit sales, as the game was also available through EA's Play Pro subscription service. There's also uncertainty about whether a free trial offered via the cheaper EA Play subscription contributed to this number.
These announcements, coupled with the lack of planned DLC for The Veilguard and BioWare's completion of its last major update on the game, have fueled fears within the Dragon Age community that the series may be on its last legs. Yet, amidst this backdrop of uncertainty, Sheryl Chee, now working on Iron Man at Motive, shared a message of hope on social media.
Reflecting on her challenging two years at BioWare, Chee acknowledged the difficulty of watching her team diminish while still pushing forward. In response to a fan expressing concern over the series' future, Chee highlighted the enduring spirit of the Dragon Age community. She emphasized that while EA and BioWare may own the intellectual property, the true essence of Dragon Age lives on through the creativity and passion of its fans—manifested in fan fiction, art, and the connections formed through the games.
Chee's words were further validated when a fan announced plans to create a giant alternate universe story inspired by Dragon Age. Chee celebrated this, noting that the series' ability to inspire such creativity is a testament to its lasting impact and her honor in being part of it.
The Dragon Age series, which began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2010, followed by Dragon Age 2 in 2011, and Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014, saw a significant gap before the release of The Veilguard in 2024. Notably, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed that Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, far exceeding EA's projections.
Despite EA's lack of explicit statements about the franchise's death, the future of Dragon Age appears uncertain, particularly with BioWare's full focus now on Mass Effect 5. EA has confirmed that a dedicated team, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy, is actively developing the next installment, with the company expressing confidence in the team's composition for the project's current stage.
