Former BioWare Dev Reassures Fans: 'Dragon Age Isn't Dead, It's Yours Now'

Following the recent layoffs at BioWare, which led to the departure of many key developers behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard, former series writer Sheryl Chee has reached out to fans to offer reassurance. Amidst the restructuring at BioWare to focus solely on Mass Effect 5, and the reassignment of some Veilguard team members to other EA projects, Chee emphasized the enduring legacy of Dragon Age.

EA's announcement highlighted that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had not met the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter—a figure well below the projected numbers. It's unclear whether this number represents unit sales, as the game was also available through EA's Play Pro subscription service and included a free trial via the cheaper EA Play subscription.

The layoffs and the lack of planned DLC for The Veilguard have fueled concerns among fans that the Dragon Age series might be nearing its end. However, Chee, who has transitioned to work on Iron Man at Motive, used social media to convey a message of hope and resilience.

Reflecting on her challenging experience at BioWare, Chee shared a poignant quote from Camus: "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." She emphasized that while EA and BioWare hold the IP, the true essence of Dragon Age now resides with the fans. "DA isn't dead because it's yours now," she declared, encouraging fans to keep the spirit of the series alive through fan fiction, art, and the connections formed through the games.

Chee's words were further reinforced when a fan announced plans to create a giant alternate universe (AU) story inspired by Dragon Age, to which Chee responded with enthusiasm, underscoring the series' role in inspiring creativity and community.

The Dragon Age franchise, which began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2010, followed by Dragon Age 2 in 2011 and Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014, took a decade to release its latest installment, Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Despite the success of Dragon Age: Inquisition, which sold over 12 million copies and exceeded EA's internal projections, the future of the series remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, EA has shifted its focus entirely to Mass Effect 5, with a dedicated "core team" at BioWare led by veterans from the original trilogy working on the project. EA has confirmed that the studio is adequately staffed for this stage of Mass Effect's development, but has not disclosed specific numbers.

As the gaming community processes these developments, Chee's message serves as a reminder of the power of fan engagement and creativity in keeping beloved franchises alive, even in the face of corporate decisions that might suggest otherwise.