Following layoffs at BioWare impacting key Dragon Age: Dreadwolf developers, a former writer offered reassurance to fans, stating, "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."
EA's recent restructuring of BioWare prioritized Mass Effect 5, resulting in some Dragon Age: Dreadwolf team members transferring to other EA studios (Game Developer reported John Epler, Dreadwolf's creative director, joined Full Circle's Skate project). Others, however, faced layoffs.
This followed EA's announcement of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf's underperformance, reporting only 1.5 million engaged players during the recent financial quarter—significantly below projections (a nearly 50% shortfall). Importantly, EA didn't specify if this figure represented unit sales or included EA Play Pro subscribers and free trial participants.
Regardless, the announcement, BioWare's restructure, and confirmed layoffs fueled fan concerns about the Dragon Age franchise's future. Dreadwolf lacks planned DLC, and BioWare's work concluded last week with what appeared to be a final major update.
However, Sheryl Chee, a senior writer on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf who transitioned to Motive Studio's Iron Man project, shared a message of hope on social media. She acknowledged the challenging past two years but emphasized her continued employment. Responding to a fan expressing grief over Dragon Age's perceived demise, Chee highlighted the franchise's enduring legacy within the fan community:
"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."
She further explained that fan-created content, such as AU stories, embodies the spirit of Dragon Age and fulfills the franchise's purpose.
The Dragon Age series began with 2010's Dragon Age: Origins, followed by Dragon Age 2 (2011) and Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014). The latest installment, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, arrived a decade later. In September, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed Dragon Age: Inquisition's sales exceeded EA's internal projections by a significant margin (over 12 million copies sold).
While EA hasn't explicitly declared Dragon Age defunct, the future of the series remains uncertain given BioWare's current focus on Mass Effect 5 and the events surrounding Dreadwolf's release. EA confirmed a dedicated team at BioWare is developing Mass Effect 5, led by veterans of the original trilogy. They declined to share specific numbers but assured sufficient personnel are in place.
