As Dragon Age Fans Fear the Death of the Series, One Former BioWare Developer Offers Words of Reassurance: 'Dragon Age Isn't Dead Because It's Yours Now'

Following recent layoffs at BioWare, which saw the departure of many key developers behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard, former series writer Sheryl Chee has reached out to fans with a message of reassurance: "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."

This week, EA announced a restructuring of BioWare to focus exclusively on Mass Effect 5. As a result, some developers from Dragon Age: The Veilguard were reassigned to other EA projects, such as John Epler, the game's creative director, who moved to Full Circle to work on the upcoming skateboarding game Skate. However, others were laid off and are now seeking new opportunities.

The decision came after EA revealed 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% below projections. It's important to note that EA did not specify whether this number represented unit sales, as the game was also available through the EA Play Pro subscription service. Additionally, it remains unclear if the 1.5 million figure includes players who tried the game via a free trial offered through the more affordable EA Play subscription.

The combination of EA's announcement, the restructuring of BioWare, and the layoffs has led to widespread concern among Dragon Age fans that the series may be nearing its end. There are no plans for DLC for The Veilguard, and BioWare's work on the game concluded last week with what appears to be its final major update.

Despite these developments, Sheryl Chee, a senior writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard who has transitioned to work on Iron Man at Motive, took to social media to offer words of encouragement. Reflecting on the challenges of the past two years and the impact on her team, Chee shared a message of resilience inspired by a quote from Camus: "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer."

Addressing a fan's concern about the future of Dragon Age, Chee emphasized the enduring legacy of the series: "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 elaborated on the power of fan creativity, noting that if Dragon Age has inspired individuals to create their own stories and art, then the series has fulfilled its purpose. She expressed her honor in being part of that inspiration.

The Dragon Age series began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2010, followed by Dragon Age 2 in 2011, and Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014. The latest installment, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, took a decade to release. In September, former executive producer Mark Darrah disclosed that Dragon Age: Inquisition had sold over 12 million copies, significantly exceeding EA's internal projections.

While EA has not officially declared the end of Dragon Age, the current focus on Mass Effect 5 and the restructuring of BioWare make the prospect of a new Dragon Age game in the near future seem unlikely. Meanwhile, EA confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy, is working on the next Mass Effect game. EA assured IGN that the studio has the appropriate number of staff in the right roles for this stage of Mass Effect's development, though specific numbers were not disclosed.