Dragon Age Star 'Devastated' by Backlash, Claims Fans Wanted BioWare to Fail

Alix Wilton Regan, the voice behind the Female Inquisitor in both Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, has shared her heartfelt reaction to the backlash faced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In a recent interview with IGN, she attributed the "mixed reactions" to individuals who were hoping for the game or BioWare to fail. Despite the game receiving mostly positive reviews from critics, Wilton Regan expressed being "absolutely devastated" by its failure to attract a broader audience.

During the interview, which also covered her roles in other iconic video games and her part in Microsoft's upcoming Perfect Dark reboot, Wilton Regan fondly recalled her time working on the Inquisitor character but expressed doubt about the character's return. She praised The Veilguard as a strong game that showcased BioWare at its best, lamenting the negative sentiment it received.

Wilton Regan pointed out the unfair criticism and review bombing the game experienced upon release, particularly around the inclusion of a non-binary companion and the option for players to choose a transgender character. These aspects led to the game being labeled as "woke" and tagged with "LGBTQ+" and "politics" on platforms like Steam, where it currently holds a 'Mixed' user response.

She criticized the premature judgment of the game, stating, "People were attacking the game before it was released. It's ridiculous. How can you judge a game, a book, a film, a TV show before it's actually released? You can't. It's an idiotic stance to take."

Following the launch, Electronic Arts (EA) reported that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had underperformed by about 50% compared to their expectations. This announcement came shortly after the game's director, Corrine Busche, confirmed her departure from the company, and amidst layoffs of other BioWare staff who had worked on the game. In January, BioWare announced that The Veilguard would receive no further updates or content.

Despite these challenges, Wilton Regan remains supportive of BioWare, expressing hope for their future success. She concluded, "I only ever want to see the folks from BioWare thrive, because I adore them. And whatever they go on to do next I have no doubt their talents will be richly rewarded. We're really lucky we'll get more gold from them in the future."

Currently, a smaller BioWare team is focusing on Mass Effect 5, though no release date has been set for this anticipated title.