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Sorry, Dragon Age Fans, Don’t Expect Another One Anytime Soon
Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah has cast doubt on the prospect of a new Dragon Age game appearing anytime soon, citing a difficult internal environment at publisher EA for pitching titles based on established franchises. Speaking to FRVR, Darrah said EA holds a large number of dormant IPs, and that anyone attempting to pitch a game based on one is often quickly opposed by rival factions within the company who consider themselves stakeholders in that property. This matters because it suggests Dragon Age could join the ranks of other long-shelved EA franchises with no clear path back to development.
Darrah's comments come after the underwhelming commercial performance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which he suggested has made a follow-up even less likely. He also said he could not identify anyone within BioWare who might currently pitch a new Dragon Age instalment, and predicted that if another part of EA tried to do so, BioWare figures would move to block it in order to protect their control of the series. With BioWare's attention currently focused on Mass Effect, Darrah implied Dragon Age may be left dormant alongside other shelved EA properties such as Need for Speed, Dead Space, Burnout and Mirror's Edge.
In short
- Ex-BioWare producer says new Dragon Age game unlikely soon.
- Veilguard's weak sales and EA's internal politics are blamed.
- BioWare is currently focused on Mass Effect instead.
Explained simply
Dragon Age is a fantasy role-playing video game series developed by BioWare, a company owned by the publisher Electronic Arts. The series has built a devoted following through its detailed fantasy worlds, memorable characters and the ability for players to shape the narrative through their decisions.
BioWare is part of EA, one of the world's largest video game publishers that controls hundreds of game franchises and intellectual properties. Many of these properties lie dormant without new releases for extended periods. When teams within EA want to develop games based on established franchises, they must navigate approval processes where different departments and studios may compete for control of those properties.
The prospects for a new Dragon Age game depend on whether anyone at EA can successfully advocate for and develop one. Understanding how large publishers manage their franchise portfolios helps explain why beloved game series can experience long gaps between releases.
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