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'
After significant layoffs at BioWare, which affected many key developers of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a former writer from the series has reassured fans, stating, “DA isn’t gone—it’s yours now.”
This restructuring comes as EA shifts BioWare’s primary focus to Mass Effect 5. Some Veilguard developers have been reassigned to other EA projects—such as John Epler, the game's creative director, who is now working on Skate at Full Circle (Game Developer reports). However, others have been laid off entirely and are seeking new opportunities.
EA cited Veilguard's performance as a factor in these decisions, revealing that only 1.5 million players engaged with the game during its first financial quarter—falling nearly 50% short of expectations.
However, EA did not confirm whether this figure represented unit sales. Given that Veilguard was available via EA Play Pro, and potentially through free trials on EA Play, the true sales numbers remain unclear.
With no DLC planned and BioWare’s work on the game seemingly concluding with its latest update, many in the community fear that the Dragon Age series is effectively dormant.
Still, senior writer Sheryl Chee, now working on the upcoming Iron Man game at Motive, took to social media to encourage fans:
"I’ve joined Motive now," she shared. "It’s been a tough two years, watching my team slowly disappear while still pushing forward. But I’m grateful to still have a job."
Responding to a fan mourning the apparent end of Dragon Age, Chee emphasized that the series now belongs to the community:
“A French friend shared a quote from Camus with me: ‘In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.’ (And really, who understands resistance better than the French?)
“Dragon Age isn’t dead. There are fanfics, artwork, and the bonds created through these stories. EA and BioWare may own the IP, but they don’t own the ideas. You can’t copyright inspiration.
“DA is alive because it’s yours now.”
She later added: "Someone just told me they’re writing a huge alternate universe story inspired by DA. That’s exactly the point. If these games sparked something creative in you—if they lit that ‘invincible summer’ inside you—then they’ve done their job. And I’m honored to have played a role in that.”
Originally debuting with 2010’s Dragon Age: Origins, the franchise quickly followed up with Dragon Age 2 in 2011, then Inquisition in 2014. However, it took an entire decade for The Veilguard to arrive.
Back in September, former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah, who departed the studio in 2020, revealed that Dragon Age: Inquisition exceeded expectations, selling over 12 million copies and far surpassing EA’s projections.
EA has yet to officially declare Dragon Age over, but considering BioWare’s refocus on Mass Effect 5, the franchise’s future remains uncertain. EA has stated that a “core team” is actively working on the next Mass Effect entry, led by veterans of the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley. "While we're not sharing numbers, the studio has the right people in the right roles for this stage of development," EA told IGN.
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