Following layoffs at BioWare impacting key Dragon Age: The Veilguard developers, a former writer offered reassurance to fans, stating, "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."
EA's restructuring of BioWare to prioritize Mass Effect 5 resulted in some Veilguard team members transferring to other EA studios, while others faced layoffs. This followed EA's announcement of Veilguard's underperformance, reporting only 1.5 million engaged players—significantly below projections. It remains unclear if this figure represents unit sales, incorporates EA Play Pro subscribers, or includes free trial participants.
The combination of EA's announcement, BioWare's restructure, and confirmed layoffs fueled concerns within the Dragon Age community about the franchise's future. The Veilguard's development concluded with its final major update, and no DLC is planned.
However, former senior writer Sheryl Chee, now working on Motive's Iron Man project, shared a message of hope on social media. She acknowledged the challenges faced by her team but emphasized her continued employment. Responding to a fan expressing concern over Dragon Age's demise, Chee highlighted the power of fan contributions:
"But DA isn't dead. There's fic. There's art. There's the connections we made through the games and because of the games. Technically EA/BioWare owns the IP but you can't own an idea, no matter how much they want to. DA isn't dead because it's yours now."
Chee further explained that fan-created content, such as fan fiction and art, keeps the spirit of Dragon Age alive, fulfilling the game's purpose and honoring her involvement.
The Dragon Age series, launched with 2010's Dragon Age: Origins, followed by Dragon Age 2 (2011) and Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014), experienced a significant gap before The Veilguard's release. In contrast to The Veilguard's performance, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed that Dragon Age: Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, exceeding EA's internal projections.
While EA hasn't officially declared Dragon Age dead, the future of the franchise seems uncertain given BioWare's current focus on Mass Effect 5. EA assures that Mass Effect 5 development is progressing with a dedicated team of experienced developers.
