Mass Effect fans, rejoice - more big news dropped on N7 Day. At long last, it seems that Mass Effect's TV adaptation is coming from Amazon.

Rumors have circulated as far back as 2021 that a Mass Effect TV series was in the works, and sever?al attempt??s at a movie adaptation never quite came to fruition over the years. Now, Amazon MGM Studios finally has the project off the ground.

A Mass Effect TV series is on the way

Variety has reported that Amazon is now in the development of the Mass Effect TV series, with several individuals attached to the project. As of right now, "Exact plot details are being kept under wraps," so it remains unclear whether this will be a direct adaptation of BioWare's sci-fi RPG games. It's a?? franchise ripe for original storytelling, b?ut seeing Shepard on the small screen would be undeniably awesome.

Screenwriter Daniel Casey, the wordsmith behind Fast & Furious 9, is currently set to pen the script. Meanwhile, Avi Arad is set to executive produce the project, after being part of the disastrous Borderlands movie adaptation earlier this year. Other producers attached? include BioWare's Michael Gamble and ??Karim Zreik under Cedar Tree Productions.

Amazon produced the Fallout TV adaptation earlier this year, which earned rave reviews from gamers and non-gamers?? alike. There's ho?pe yet, even if some of the attached names don't exactly inspire a tremendous amount of ?confidence.

As far as N7 Day goes, it was a pretty quiet one this year. We got a cool No Man's Sky and Mass Effect collaboration, but the recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has made BioWare hesitant to draw too much attention with a huge reveal. The wait goes on for more news on the next Mass Effect game, which was first confirmed back in 2020.

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No Man's Sky developer Hello Games is celebrating N7 Day by adding Mass Effect's Normandy SR-1 back into the game for a limited time. Each year, N7 Day celebrates the legendary BioWare franchise, a??nd 2024 is no dif??ferent.

This isn't the first time we've seen the Normandy in No Man's Sky. It was first released back in 2021, marking the launch of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. This crossover makes tons of sense, so it's great to see it ret??urn.

Mass Effect's Normandy is Returning to No Man's Sky

With a trailer and a set of release notes, Hello Games confirmed that Mass Effect's Normandy SR-1 is finally back in the game to mark N7 Day. The Normandy will only be available in No Man's Sky for the next two weeks, making it yet another limited-time event for Mass Effect's iconic frigate.

Described as "a love-letter from one science fiction game to another," this No Man's Sky update comes with a revamped versio??n of the mission released back in 2021. When completed, you'll add the Normandy to your fleet, which you can then send out on expeditions to complete. You still can't pilot it, though. Disappointing, I know.

For the rest of N7 Day, players shouldn't expect anything too exciting from BioWare. The recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has already seen the studio confirm it doesn't have any huge plans for a Mass Effect announcement, so as?? not to distract from its most recent release.

The wait goes on for any news about the upcoming Mass Effect title. In years gone by, N7 Day has seen multiple teasers for the next game in the series, yet it still feels as though we know very little about the game at the momen??t.

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N7 Day, the day BioWare celebrates all things Mass Effect is coming this week. But don't hold your breath if you're raring to hear about some big Mass Effect 5 news. ??The developer warns it'll be a "quieter" event th??is year, but there will be "a little fun."

Sadly, even if BioWare had something worth sharing, the timing isn't ideal. All eyes are on Mass Effect's older sibling this week with the freshly released Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The company suggested as much with its N7 Day ann??ouncement.

"We hope everyone is enjoying their time in [Dragon Age]: The Veilguard, BioWare wrote on X. "?It's only a few ?days until [N7 Day] and this year will be quieter because of the launch. Be sure to check back then for a little fun, though!"

BioWare moves fully into Mass Effect 5 development

It makes sense that BioWare is prepping for an easier, breezier N7 Day since it just launched a new iteration in its storied Dragon Age franchise. The Veilguard is still a dear, squishy baby not even a week old at this point. N7 Day will mark its one-week anniversary, and BioWare would likely not want to pull too much attention away this early with a disruptive Mass Effect bomb.

But that doesn't mean it's not preparing for something. Even the most timid of N7 Days offered a tease or hint that the developer was, yes, still working on the next Mass Effect. We got a slick Mass Effect poster in 2022, and last year the studio delivered a short teaser trailer showcasing the kind of gear we should be a??ble to strap onto our c??haracters. It's definitely possible that BioWare will continue the trend with a third teaser.

The company is fully shifting into Mass Effect 5 production now that The Veilguard is launched. In an interview with RollingStone, creative director John Epler confirmed that BioWare is forgoing DLC for The Veilguard to focus on the next Mass Effect. We may end up with another teaser this year??, but N7 Day 2025 should really pop off.

Until then, we'll have to wait and see what the studio has up its sl??e??eve when N7 Day arrives on Thursday.

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With Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a fresh wave of new players ia headed to the?? Dragon Age universe. There are hundreds of hours of lore to explore and quite a few previous games that you can play through, ??but figuring out the order can be troublesome. 

There are a total of nine games, including spin-offs, set in the world of Dragon Age. While it’s n??ot strictly ??necessary to play all of them, it can be useful if you want to immerse yourself in the lore. 

Before getting into the games that you can actually still play, here are a few honorable mentions for Dragon Age games that have been lost to the aether:

• Dragon Age Journeys (2009)

  • A Flash-based web browser game that was sadly canceled after the release of the first chapter.

• Dragon Age Legends (2011)

  • A Facebook game that remained playable for roughly a year before being taken offline. For a time, an offline version was available to download, but this no longer seems to be the case.

• Heroes of Dragon Age (2013)

  • A free-to-play mobile game that remained online for a decade before servers were disconnected on January 23, 2024.

• Dragon Age: The Last Court (2014)

  • A free-to-play browser game set between the events of Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition. It remained online until November 17, 2020. 

All Dragon Age games in order

Dragon Age: Origins (2009)

Dragon Age: Origins was first released on Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with the release for Mac OS X coming roughly a month afterward. This was the first dive into Ferelden and gave players the choice between ??not only classes (Warrior, Mage?, or Rogue) but also their genetic background (Elven, Human, or Dwarven). The adventure revolved around being recruited into the Grey Wardens to take down the threat that is the Darkspawn. 

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening (2010)

Technically, Awakening was the expansion for Dragon Age: Origins, which added a whole new campaign that took place after the event of the original game and was available on all of the same platforms. If you want to purchase Dragon Age: Origins now, you'll likely only find the Ultimate Edition, which includes all of Awakening's content as part of your pur??chase.

Dragon Age II (2011)

The first proper sequel to the original, Dragon Age II came two years later i??n 2011. This time, players were thrust into the role of Hawke, who was always a human but had the choice of being a Warrior, Mage, or Rogue once more. Hawke, accompanied by various companions who felt diff??erently about them depending on their choices, strove to become Champion of Kirkwall amid the chaos of conflict. 

Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014)

In Dragon Age: Inquisition, players were thrust into the role of the Inquisitor, and they had all of the previous choices, along with a chance to play as the newly added “Qunari�race. After surviving a de??vastating event that left a Breach in the sky, releasing a whole bunch of demons into the world, the Inquisitor is deemed by some to be the “chosen one�thanks to a m?ark on his hand and must battle to stop Corypheus and close the Breach.  

Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024)

The latest in the line of Dragon Age games comes a whole decade after Inquisition. Although I haven’t quite gotten around to playing through the story in the hours since I woke up this morning, I do know that The Veilguard takes place approximately 10 years after the events of the previous games and center??s around a character known as Rook, who must take down Solas before he can complete his ritual to te??ar down the Veil.

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The nearly decade-long Dragon Age drought has officially come to an end with the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In the time since Dragon Age: Inquisition's release, developer BioWare has released Mass Effect: Andromeda and most recently, Anthem. Depending on who you ask, both of these titles are typically seen as alright at best, but I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who feels as though either l??ived up to the typical high-quality standards that BioWare had been known for in the past.

For a quick comparison, The Veilguard gives me serious Dragon Age II vibes, mostly in terms of its combat and gameplay. I'm just over 30 hours into The Veilguard and while I feel confident that I've got a firm grasp on what the RPG is all about, we have to keep in mind that like most BioWare games, The Veilguard is very story-driven. As such, I feel it's important to point out that my impression??s in this review in progress are based on having not reached the finale of this story-driven RPG.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PC, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: October 31, 2024
MSRP: $59.99 on PC, $69.99 on Consoles

The Veilguard drops you into the action quickly. The story takes place ten years after the events in Dragon Age: Inquisition. One of the optional companions in Inquisition, the elven mage Solas, has seemingly gone rogue and is carrying out a ritual to tear down The Veil, a barrier that exists between the physical world of Thedas and The Fade, al??so known as the Beyond. After some interference at the behest of the player and his group of companions put together by none other than charismatic series regular Va??rric, the ritual is stopped but at a cost. Two ancient Elven Gods, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain have pierced the The Veil and are now free in the physical world.

Tasked with creating a team to hunt down the Elven Gods and prevent the full destruction of The Veil—hence the name Veilguard—the player is thrust into the role of Rook, the protagonist. Despite being in the final act of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about Rook as a whole. The character has grown on me over the course of the Veilguard's journe??y, especially more recently. But I've had a really tough time feeling Rook a??ctually belongs.

It's a tough task to navigate for BioWare, for sure. Rook is a brand-new character in Dragon Age who is essentially tasked with saving the world. For all intents and purposes, it makes complete sense, this is the best way to in the end create a meaningful connection to the main character for both new and ret??urning players to the series. But it resulted in much of the ??game trying to tell me that Rook is important and the right person for the job, even though it never feels like they really are.

Important characters from the series' entire timeline �all the way from 2009's Dragon Age: Origins through the most recent Dragon Age: Inquisition �make an appearance in Veilguard, including franchise favorites like Morrigan and Varric. Even Inquisition's protagonist that you play as, The Inquisitor, makes an appearance in Veilguard. But the whole time the characters are constantly trying to sell you on the importance of ??Rook. "Oh you're Rook, I've heard of your mighty important deeds, you're perfect? for this!"

By extension, I have found most of the new companions in Veilguard to be very solid additions to the evergrowing list of important characters in Dragon Age lore. I've grown fond of Neve, an early companion who is a part-time private detective, a member of the rebellious Shadow Dragons faction, and a badass ice mage. As you progress through Veilguard you'll learn more about all of the new companions as you continue to gr??ow ??and expand the Veilguard.

In terms of actual combat companions though, I wish there was a little more substance to them. They essentially serve to give you access to additional skills that you can call upon in combat as opposed to opting to use your own character's (Rook's) skills. While you can choose where to put points in their respective skill trees and even equip them with gear, it feels quite meaningless as they don't actually do much in combat outside of you choosing to use their skills. They have no health bars, and t??he damage they do on their own is minuscule. In a single standard attack, you do multitudes more damage to enemies than the basic attacks of your companions that only shave off a sliver from the health bar with each hit.

It's a real shame because the actual core gameplay of Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a rather satisfying feeling. It's reminiscent of Dragon Age II opting for fast-paced Action RPG-style combat as opposed to the more tactical and strategic combat of Dragon Age: Origins and even Inquisition. You choose from three starting classes: warrior, rogue, and mage. Each class eventually branches into one of three specializations, allowing you to further cater the playstyle around exactly what you enjoy. I opted to go Warrior eventually specializing in ??Slayer, which focuses on wielding massive two-handed weapons.

I enjoy the combat of the Slayer, charging directly into combat and dealing insane amounts of damage while dodge-rolling around to avoid attacks. The combat also reminds me of one of my favorite action RPGs, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The fast-paced combat makes boss fights particularly fu??n, although a bit difficult at times. Despite my gripes on how limited the com?panions actually are in combat, the core combat for you as the protagonist feels extremely polished and could very well be the best in the series.

Ultimately, I think the final act of Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be a major factor for me in ranking how Veilguard holds up to the rest of the series. There are constant choices to be made throughout Veilguard, w?ith the game constantly telling me that the choices m??atter. But outside of one major choice in the early game, most of the choices haven't actually changed much. However, it wouldn't be out of character for a BioWare game to be keeping track of all my choices throughout my journey to dictate which ending I receive, or which endings I have access to.

If you're looking for a solid RPG in a beautifully built world, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is certainly that. The combat is fluid and satisfying, and the world of Thedas is well-designed and fun to explore. The story has its drawbacks, but overall it's still better than most. Whether it will live up to the prestigious storytelling of the previous Dragon Age games will very much? depend on the RPG's curtai?n call.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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With Dragon Age: The Veilguard just around the corner, no??w might be the time to revisit the world of Thedas a?nd brush up on the ancient lore of the Chantry and the old gods that preceded it.

If there's one thing BioWare always does in the superlative, it's worldbuilding. The world of Dragon Age, while certainly inspired by many fantasy works that came before it (including Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time—especially the latter) is sprawling with riveting stories??, compelling characters, and a fantastic history going thousands of years back.

Dragon Age has also branched out into other mediums over the y?ears, co?mprising not only three amazing games with dozens of hours of content, but also several books, more than ten comic series, a few tabletop games, and recently, an anime adaptation on Netflix.

But as we know, the beating heart of every great fantasy universe is in its books. Even Dragon Age, originally conceived as a video game series and despite taking full advantage of RPG elements to world-build, can't help but fall under the same enchantment. If you want lore and details, you'll have to inevitably approach the Dragon Age books and comics, and since most of them have been written by BioWare's own writers who also worked on the games, they are must-reads for ardent fans of The??das.

Barring the two-volume World of Thedas, which is little more than a companion encyclopedia with entries detailing different characters, factions, countries, and events, here is every Dragon Age book and comic ranked worst to best.

All Dragon Age Books

There have been seven major books in the Dragon Age series, all of them canon. Some expand on the lore already established in?? the games, and some give fans much-needed context on the inner workings of Thedas and what goes on behind the scenes in this politically-charged high fantasy world. Here we’ve ranked them from ?worst to best based on significance, the quality of the narrative, and the overall community reception.

7. Dragon Age: Hard in Hightown

We all know that Varric is an accomplished and best-selling author renowned across Thedas, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to read a book penned by him? Hard in Hightown expands on the character’s noir detective story found in the Dragon Age: Inquisition codex entries, and BioWare has also marketed the book as being written by Varric himself. The other contributing author is Mary Kirby, who worked in the studio from 2006 to 2023 and is credited for her writing chops in all four Dragon Age games, including the upcoming Veilguard.

6. Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne

The first novel by David Gaider as well as the first Dragon Age book, The Stolen Throne takes place before the events of Origins in the country of Ferelden. We follow the tale of the rebel queen Moira, who has just been assassinated through a plot orchestrated by the nobles in her court. Her son Maric escapes unharmed, and now with Ferelden under occupation by the Orlesian Empire, Maric has to fight for the revival of his nation with the help of Loghain, whom fans will recognize as one of the main characters in Origins. If you always found Loghain intriguing and were desperate to learn more about his past and motives, then The Stolen Throne is a must-read, even if it’s not exactly the best Dragon Age book out there.

5. Dragon Age: The Calling

Taking place eleven years after the events of The Stolen Throne, this is David Gaider’s second literary outing in the Dragon Age universe. The story chiefly revolves around the Grey Wardens, who had been exiled from Ferelden for 200 years, before King Maric revoked that ban and welcomed them back. The Grey Wardens come to the king’s court with dire news, however, of one of their rank escaping into the Deep Roads and aligning himself with the Darkspawn. The Grey Wardens a?sk the king to lead them through the Deep Roads, which he traversed years before, to save the kingdom from peril, little realizing the dangers that lurk in these uncharted dwarven territories.

4. Dragon Age: Asunder

The Mage-Templar War is one of the defining conflicts in the entire Dragon Age chronology, and it is explored in depth in Dragon Age: Asunder by David Gaider. This is arguably the author’s best novel in the series, and his nuanced storytelling, whether it be compelling character arcs or even a deft hand at weaving political intrigue together, shines in Asunder. Other than explaining in detail why the Seekers of Truth and the Circle of Magi broke off from the Chantry, the story also features Wynne, who is one of the fanbase’s favorite companions in Origins.

3. Dragon Age: Last Flight

Last Flight by Liane Merciel is arguably one of the best stories in the multi-media Dragon Age franchise. The narrative once again brings the Grey Wardens to the forefront. After the events of Origins, this ancient group of warriors are once again being hailed as heroes across Thedas. The Darkspawn has been driven underground and the threat of extinction has been snuffed out. Not all is well in the continent, howe??ver. A young elven mage named Valya, who has recently been recruited into the organization, is tasked with studying historical records to gain insight into previous Blights, research that ??leads her to question what she knows about the so-called heroic Grey Wardens and learn the truth about the fate of griffons.

2. Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

Trick Weekes wrote for the three Mass Effect games as well as Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the forthcoming Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The Masked Empire is a tie-in novelization for Dragon Age: Inquisition released in April 2014, and it deals with the Orlesian Civil War. The events of the novel paint a starkly different picture of Orlesian politics for fans, and many of you might end up regretting the decisions you made during Inquisition, or replaying the game so that you can change it. Some of the characters in The Masked Empire include Briala, Celene Empress of Orlais, Felassan, Gaspard de Chalons, and our own bard-turned-s??pymaster Leliana.

1. Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights

Tevinter Nights is an anthology series written by nine different BioWare staff writers, and some fans already consider it to be a tie-in to Dragon Age: The Veilguard. You’ll find many familiar faces in the course of reading this novel, which consists of fifteen short stories mostly set in the Tevinter Imperium, as well as other areas like Nevarra, Rivain, the Anderfels, Orlais, and the Free Marches. The novel also goes into events such as the Qunari invasion and Solas�defection from the Inquisition. If you don’t want to bother with the rest of the Dragon Age books before The Veilguard, Tevinter Nights can thrust you back into the political and historical landscape of Thedas before the fourth main entry comes along.

All Dragon Age Comics

Dragon Age has maintained a steady and prominent line of comic strips since the release of Origins in 2009. Some might even argue that because Dragon Age is a video game, comics are an even more congruent medium for expansion. There are close to a dozen comic book series in Thedas, and we’ve ranked them all in this list. Here are which publications yo??u should prioritize before October 31.

8. Dragon Age: Until We Sleep

This three-issue comic series focuses on Varric and gives fans more insight into his past life. It is written by David Gaider and illustrated by Chad Hardin, featuring amazing artwork and a grim story that chooses BioWare’s own canon, meaning that in Until We Sleep’s timeline, Alistair is the king of Ferelden.

7. Dragon Age

There's something irresistibly charming about the first proper Dragon Age comic strip, which came out monthly in 2010 in six issues. The story expands on the lore already established in Origins, and deals with the inner workings of both the templar and mage orders in Thedas. The art style is very unique, perfectly fitting that dark aesthetic the franchise had going for itself back in the old days, even if there are also lore inconsistencies abound, so?mething that e?agle-eyed fans will no doubt pick up on with ease.

6. Dragon Age: Magekiller

Released in five issues from December 2015 to April 2016, Magekiller tells the story of Marius, the titular mage killer, and his handler Tessa Forsythia. It’s set during the events of Inquisition and centers around the rise of the Venatori cult. The art style is pretty neat, but for pacing issues as well as a shallow storyline, Magekiller often finds itself very low in the list of fan-favorite Dragon Age stories.

5. Dragon Age: Those Who Speak

Following the events of The Silent Grove, King Alistair continues to travel across Thedas to learn what happened to his father. On this journey, he's assiste??d by everyone's favorite ??pirate Isabela, and second-favorite novelist Varric Tethras. The journey is wrought with danger, but nothing that the trio can't handle, especially when you realize that they've been through worse than a band of cultists hindering their way.

4. Dragon Age: Wraiths of Tevinter

This is actually a compilation of three Dragon Age comic series released in a single volume. It includes Deception, Blue Wraith, and Dark Fortress, all involving the Tevinter Imperium to one degree or another. In Deception, we follow a failed actress turned con artist who targets the heir of a wealthy family in Tevinter. The second and third series are more closely linked, with the former dealing with a Qunari plot against Tevinter and featuring Fenris, and the latter starring her as the main character as she's joined by a band of Inquisition agents to assault a seemingly impregnable fortress. All great short stories in the sprawling Dragon Age universe.

3. Dragon Age: The Silent Grove

The first Dragon Age comic series to be published by Dark Horse, and arguably one of the best even now, The Silent Grove depicts the Alistair, Varric, Isabela trio in another era-defining adventure. The party travels to Antiva City, and there they attempt to stage a prison break, getting swept up in a tale that ends up unveiling one of the darkest secrets in the history of Thedas. The Silent Grove was originally published in 2012 in six issues.

2. Dragon Age: Knight Errant

What is a Dragon Age story without the universe's meta storyteller around to shake things up? Knight Errant is the tale of an elven thief named Vaea, who arrives in Kirkwall just in time to witness the appointment of its latest viscount, Varric Tethras. The artwork in Knight Errant is very enthralling, and you'll find yourself drawn to look at the pages even if you're not a fan of the story itself. Still, there have been theories in the community circles about Knight Errant possibly tying into The Veilguard??, so the title is worth picking up for that reason alone.

1. Dragon Age: The Missing

The Missing directly ties into The Veilguard and features Varric Tethras and Lace Harding (who is going to be a companion in the upcoming game) as they descend into the Deep Roads in pursuit of Solas. We already know Solas and his shenanigans are going to play a huge part in The Veilguard, and The Missing not only serves as a story that bridges the gap between this fourth entry and Inquisition, but also a perfect primer to get you into the mood for some Dragon Age in November.

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One refrain has echoed through the internet and inside the minds of BioWare fans for some time. At the preview event I attended for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, it was frequently said: “It’s been almost 10 years since the last Dragon Age.�/p>

It’s what I was thinking as I sat down at the PC to play, too. How could I not? 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition and its 2015 DLC Trespasser was the last we’ve seen of the continent of Thedas in video game form. Truly, after nearly a decade of waiting, I was just eager to know if there was an executable that would launch Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Well, the good news is there’s an executable and much more beyond. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is real, and play??s like a ?BioWare back in form, in a way we haven’t seen in quite some time.

The makings of a hero

My preview session kicked off with the introduction, playing a short talk-over from Varric that sets the stage for the action to follow. Solas, our lovable/loathable elf god pal from Inquisition, has been up to some hijinks since credits rolled on Trespasser. He’s set to conduct a ritual of some kind, altering the Veil, the magical barrier between the real world an??d the Fade. There are demons and other bad things in the Fade, so obviously, Varric and co. want to put a stop to it.

Rather than taking the mantle of the Inquisitor back?? up, the player’s put in the shoes of Rook, an up-and-coming talent Varric has scouted for his private group of Solas-stoppers. I’ll say first off that, while I like the tavern scene as an intro to your character’s look and an establishing moment for ?their approach to problem-solving, Rook does feel like they just sprung from the earth a hero. There’s a little choice-making in the character creator to help set up their backstory, but it felt a little thin to me, compared to other BioWare leads.

Thankfully, the character creator shines. It’s an extremely impressive engine, that I’m sure will keep fans of sliders and value shifting tinkering for hours upon hours. I?? saw a few other press folks get completely lost in the creation tool, and those who finished the preview content early—myself included—went right back in for more.

One of the coolest tools BioWare crafted for the character creator is the triangle slider for faces. Basically, take three preset head shapes and faces, and the c?reator lets you slide around a triangle, opting for more or less of each one’s individual qualities mixed with the group. It’s hard to desc?ribe in text, but seeing it in action is both incredibly intuitive and surprisingly effective.

Qunari characters have been a point of contention leading into Dragon Age: The Veilguard, as the Qunari seen so far have been a bit smoothed-out and human compared to the unique looks of past characters like the Arishok and the Iron Bull. While I did make one I was ultimately happy with, it did take some ti?nkeri??ng, and still had a bit of that smooth look. I think letting the horns extend a bit further down the forehead and temples would help, but otherwise, I mostly liked the Qunari Rook I arrived at, after about 10 to 15 minutes of playing with sliders.

The introduction plays out ?as we’ve seen it before: Rook and Varric meet up with scout Lace Harding and Neve Gallus, an investigator and mage of Minrathous, and rush to stop Solas from tearing open the Veil with his ritual. Things go wrong, Solas winds up trapped in the Veil, and two ancient elven gods he had imprisoned are let loose on Thedas.

Shifting the title from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard makes a bit more sense now, seeing it all play out. Solas certainly isn’t out of the picture; both his history and present predicament play into the action at hand. But dealing with Ghilan’nain and Elgar’nan, the elven gods that got let out, is a more pressing and immediate issue. The former in particular is visually striking, adding some unsettling body horror to this world. In fact, just be ready for a lot of creepy blight-related horror in The Veilguard, especially whenever Ghilan’nain is around.

There are plenty of minor antagonist factions too, from the Venatori to the ever-p?resent Darkspawn, to fill the combat arena. The latter, Thedas�long-time scourge, looks a bit different this time around, thanks to some Plot Reasons I won’t get too deep into. Suffice to say, I wondered why they looked different, and received an answer.

Rallying the guard

To fight the gods, you’ll need a good squad. And quickly, Dragon Age: The Veilguard gets you into the rhythm o??f building your party. We played two different missions, one recruiting the Veil Jumper Bellara Lutare, and another rescuing assassin and soon-to-be fan-favorite Lucanis Dellamorte from a magical underwater prison.

Immediately, this felt so familiar. That steady cadence of venturing out on missions to get new companions, talking to them back at base, and eventually unlocking new bits of their story or character-specific quests to encounter is one of the main appeals of BioWare for me. Thankfully, Veilguard has it locked down.

Like I said, Lucanis is charismatic from the jump. A suave assassin with a hint of magic and a darkness stirring within him? Sign me up. Harding’s own entanglements with magic seems to be leading her into investigations of dwarven culture, so that’s a huge bonus for anyone who loved the Orzammar sections of Dragon Age: Origins. Neve, Davrin, and Taash are all standouts I’d love to spend more time with, too. It’s a nice feeling, to have a group of likable, interesting companions that you just want to spend more time arou??nd. Chatting, laughing, maybe even smooching? Yes, there is romance.

Romance is obvious, because Dragon Age: The Veilguard adopts a similar chat wheel to its predeces?sors. Options will appear on the wheel, and they’ll usually have their tone communicated with a little art in the center; a stalwart knight might indicate a stoic response, for example, while the heart is an obvious green-light for flirting.

Everyone gathers and hangs out ??at the Lighthouse, a former base of operations for Solas inside the Fade, now home to the Veilguard. It has plenty of its own secrets to uncover, including some neat lore about Solas�rebellion and the lore at large. There’s a workshop for upgrading equipment too, and this place also links into the Crossroads, an evolving zone with combat challenges and links to new areas that open up over the course of the game.

The world outside

With Dragon Age: The Veilguard taking place in the northern portion of the map, it seems like the focus is very much on new sights and sounds rather than old ones. While Orlais and?? Ferelden were mentioned, the adventures we saw focused on new regions we’ve really only heard about, like Minrathous and Treviso??.

These areas are gorgeously realized and brought to life. I legitimately found myself stopping to take in the sights, whether it was the imposing panopticon-esque Templar wa?tchtower in Minrathous or the alleyways of Treviso. It’s not all city streets, though; the Arlathan forest was filled with nature, contrasted with ancient ruin??s and technology.

It’s a bit hard to peg down a single “look�for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. It can be extremely colorful and bright in battle, or shift to staunch black-and-white for important moments. Magic ripples and crackles in the air, the blight oozes, and the grim fantasy of all it can feel foreboding in the right moments. More than a few moments were take??n to show off just what BioWare can do with some modern technology, and they really worked.

All of this operates around a hub-and-spoke world design that truly works. Rather than another open-world entry, BioWare is opting for several zones that can link up to each other, while also spinning off into their own mission areas. Mass Effect 2’s Omega is an?? easy and familiar comparison point. These are worlds that can be explored, with stories and quests to find, but also then lead you off ?to special areas for the big quests.

These regions change, too, sometimes due to your own actions. I can’t really dive into details, but there are decisions you make that won’t just change whether someone likes you or not, but can leave permanent marks on the world. What I will say is that these cha??nges are tangible ones you’ll contend with, rather than just a background alteration, and I loved how these changes were shown in-game.

Draw swords

Of course, aside from adventuring and chatting up companions, there’s also the combat. Many pillars of Dragon Age are still alive in The Veilguard: the Warrior/Rogue/Mage class split, using abilities to set up ??combos and detonation?? effects, and there are many returning spells and magical abilities.

Everyone gets a little extra oomph of power in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, though. Warriors can throw their shield like Captain America in their sword-and-shield stance, or hit a button to swap to their two-hander and start swinging. Rogues still feel combo-heavy, able to output huge amounts of damage and lock down single targets, though?? using gadgets and a bow felt fairly viable too. I didn’t spend too much time with Mage; it felt a bit slower to me, and besides, I’m pretty certain a lot of writers were spending their time flinging spells.

I personally loved playing the Rogue. Leaping into combat, dodging around giant axe swings and spells, and then t??hrowing down a Lightning Flask to stagger my enemies into a brutal finisher felt great. The Ultimate skills take things a step further; mine threw out a bevy of explosives in an area in front of me, which was incredibly useful in boss�add phases.

Combat in The Veilguard did have some noticeable shifts, though. I didn’t see health bars on my companions, which felt like it indicated they may not have them. Also, control was strictly limited to my character, with the occasional tactical menu pulled up to order an ally to fire ??off a spell at a certain target.

In practice, this felt a little less like Origins�planning and tactics, and more like Mass Effect 2, a game I found mirrored quite often in The Veilguard. It means the action moves fast, battles are exciting, and everyth??ing narrows in on finding opportunities to do damage and stay alive. But I did feel some of that tactical layer peeled away in the process, at least for what I played.

I’m also curious to see how upgrades pan out, as the ones we picked up seemed to run the gamut from interesting additions (chance to proc Bleed on the final hit of a combo) to fairly mundane ones (a straightforward numbers boost). It can be hard to get a gauge on the power scale of an RPG in just one slice, but given the leng?thy amount of time we had—over six hours, by my estimate—it did make me wonder.

A world in need of saving

Dragon Age: The Veilguard arrives at a juncture for BioWare. It’s not just the first Dragon Age game in almost a decade, but it’s also the newest RPG from a studio that’s been on rough waters. Mass Effect: Andromeda was, to use a tired phrase, a bit of a mixed bag, and Anthem was a noteworthy stumble.

The Veilguard itself went through its own iterations, and now has studio hopes hanging on it. Sure, there’s a new Mass Effect in the oven too, but eyes are on BioWare now to see if it can still do what BioWare has been notoriously known for: beefy RPGs with compelling characters and enthra??lling worlds.

After hours spent with Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I’m feeling much more positive than I was going in. Many of my concerns about what a BioWare game looks like, in 2024, were quickly washed away. The Veilguard is BioWare as hell: it’s got compelling characters, enthralling worlds, and plen?ty of beef.

Yet this crew, formed of some familiar faces and some new ones, seems to be making their own mark on it too. I can sift out the pieces that feel like older BioWare, sure; the ones that spark familiar tones of past games. But there’s some new ideas too. I love the world state changes, the quest-specific zones and areas, and the recontextualization of so many Dragon Age norms thanks to our new, northern locales.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard seems like it co??uld see BioWare reclaiming its spot as a maker of big, exciting RPGs, and that’s encouraging. Walking in, I was just looking to see if the game was real. Now, I really can’t wait to get back to it.

_{[Travel and lodging for this preview was provided by the publisher.]}

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Developer BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts released an all-new trailer for the upcoming RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard today that showed glimpses of what to expect from the first title in the series in almost a decade. The focus of the trailer, however, was to indicate when we can expect to get our hands on The Veilguard: October 31, 2024.

Even though we've had to wait almost 10 years to get back to Dragon Age, the wait is almost over. With a Halloween 2024 release date that means we're just 2.5 months away from getting our hands on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Surely not coincidentally, the story in The Veilguard takes place a decade after the events of its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition. Players will take on the role of Rook and his companions as they put an end to a ritual in progress by Solas, one of your allies and party members from Inquisition who has become a villain. However, doing so breaks free the corrupt Elven gods who are hellbent on blighting the world, and it's now up to you and you??r party to fight back against the ancient rulers.

For those interested in freshening up on their Dragon Age lore and knowledge, all of the Dragon Age games are currently on sale for 90% off on all platforms through August 19 as part of the ongoing Electronic Arts August sale.

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After that less than popular reveal trailer for Dragon Age: The Veilguard at the Xbox Games Showcase, the subsequent gameplay demonstration on June 11 was BioWare's chance to win favour back with displeased fans. At the very least, Dragon Age series creator David Gaider likes what?? h?e saw, saying the development team have done a "great job."

Gaider, who served as lead writer on the Dragon Age games until he left BioWare in 2016 (making The Veilguard the first entry without his involvement), recently got round to watching the gameplay trailer for himself and shared his thoughts on Twitter. Said trailer covers a curated segment of an early mission, with new player character Rook and their party doing some exploring and combat before confronting antagonist Solas. It honestly does a better job of demonstrating what The Veilguard is like than its weirdly Borderlands-esque reveal trailer; something Gaider als?o feels is the ??case.

"I'd say this made for a better introduction than the reveal trailer," says Gaider. "We see some story, and tone-wise it feels a lot darker and more Dragon Age. Like I said, trailers often need to be taken with a grain of salt, and my impression is that many fans are relieved. Which is great." He does admit the new art style will take some getting used to, but acknowledges this is an aspect th?at has "changed every game so that's nothing ne??w."

However, Gaider has nothing but praise for the environments, calling them "utterly gorgeous," adding, "To see the sprawl of Minrathous—wow. I wish we could have done this for Kirkwall or even Val Royeaux." He wraps his thoughts up by saying it was lovely to see Solas again and the teases for The Veilguard's story have left him eager to see how things will play out: "Could probably ch?atter about the implications for days, and how this aligns (or doesn't) with where I thought the story would go�but I won't."

While Gaider has plenty of nice things to say about The Veilguard, it does seem like the gameplay has done little to appease a significant number of fans. At the time of writing, the gameplay trailer on YouTube has approxi?mately 199,000 dislikes compared to 72,000 likes. Although that's still a better split compared to the reveal trailer, which now sits at 234,000 dislikes and 41,000 likes.

The fact that the gameplay trailer has scored more likes than the reveal trailer does suggest it's won over some people, and a quick glance at Twitter shows, amid the harsher criticisms, there are plenty of fans still excited for The Veilguard's launch later this year. Early previews of another demo shown to press at Summer Game Fest have been mostly positive too. VGC called it "exciting, and engaging and made us desperate to see the next 50 to 100 hours of game," while Inverse said it's "hopeful the secret sauce of Dragon Age is still there."

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After a less than well received reveal trailer, Dragon Age: The Veilguard appears to have curried some favour back thanks to its gameplay trailer, which confirmed a number of key details about the game. BioWare has since shared more information, including how this Dragon Age? will be noticeably more linear than its predecessor?.

Speaking with IGN during an extended preview of the game, director Corinne Busche explained how, for The Veilguard, the development team opted for a "mission-based structure." By comparison, Dragon Age: Inquisition had a semi-open world structure, consisting of multiple areas players could freely explore. Given the industry's slight obsession with crafting large open worlds for people to run around in, I'm surprised BioWare has decided to go in the opposite direction for the new Dragon Age, but Busche said this will be to the game's benefi??t: "We believe that's how we get the best narrative experience, the best moment-to-moment experience."

That's also not to say players will be railroaded from one objective to the next. Some missions will offer more opportunities for exploration than others, with optional content, hidden secrets, and branching paths to discover. As Busche said, "It does open up, but it is a mission-based, highly curated game." In addition, she provided light details on The Veilguard's side-quests, sharing one example about investigating a ??missing family which lets you search for clu?es in a bog area.

I'm sure some will be disappointed to not get the opportunity to freely roam The Veilguard's setting of the Tevinter Imperium region. But this mission-based structure is not too dissimilar to what BioWare did with the much lauded Mass Effect 2. I? reckon most players will be fine with it as long as the story and character writing are on par with the previous games. Plus, it means BioWare can avoid the issues some games with open worlds suffer from. For example, plenty of Ubisoft's open world settings have been criticised for being littered with so many objectives that they feel like they're only there to pad the world out and stop it from feeling empty.

We won't have to wait much longer to see how well fans take to Dragon Age: The Veilguard as the game is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC this fall. Given it's been almost a decade since Dragon Age: Inquisition came out, the wait will hopefully have been ?worth it.

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There were plenty of hype-worthy trailers to come out of the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9, such as the reveals for Doom: The Dark Ages and Gears of War: E-Day. One trailer that seems to have elicited almost nothing but complaints, however, was the reveal for BioWare's next Dragon Age game, now titled Dragon Age: The Veilguard??, whic?h has accrued approximately 198,000 dislikes on YouTube compared to 35,000 likes.

As for why fans have reacted so negatively to the reveal, it appears to stem from the trailer's tone. Despite Dragon Age being a dark fantasy series, this cinematic trailer is anything but dark, going for a more comical and humourous take on its rundown of Veilguard's cast of characters. It feels more like something you'd see in a Borderlands game or an announcement for a new hero shooter. I've personally not played any of the previous Dragon Age games, but even I ca?n tell this tone is jarringly different to the rest of the series.

Some of the YouTube comments have also made unfavourable comparisons to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the 2016 Suicide Squad movie, and mobile title Raid: Shadow Legends. Plus, the overall artstyle is slightly cartoonier when compared to other Dragon Age games. You honestly could be forgiven this is not the same game BioWare's been teasing for the last six years. Previous teaser trailers had a far more serious tone that hin?t at a dark and dangerous? journey, and not a fun, lighthearted romp like the newest one does.

The good news is BioWare has a chance to turn things around with the gameplay reveal taking place later today at 8am PT / 11am EDT / 4pm BST. It's entirely possible the new trailer isn't indicative of what The Veilguard is actually like. In fact, those who've already got to sample The Veilguard for themselves have suggested this is the case. One Bria LaVorgna, a member of the game's Community Council, said on Twitter, "As someone who's played some of Veilguard, if you want [Dragon Age: Origins]-like horror... it's there. Trust me. All of the environments I got to experience were varied and very much felt like Dragon Age, including the new places. I think Tuesday's gameplay reveal will tone set ??for the game well."

Another council member, Twitter user sairaspooks, concurred, adding, "The gameplay reveal captures Dragon Age’s classic dark elements! The horror & gore is back, you won’t be disappointed." Dragon Age creator David Gaider, who left BioWare in 2016, also shared his two cents on the trailer: "Interesting tone choice... though the art style of DA trailers ?has never really matched the games, so that doesn't mean much."

With any luck, it will turn out the reveal just made a bad first impression, and BioWare's gameplay demonstration will show off the Dragon Age game fans have been waiting for. Expectations were already high for this considering it's been almost a decade since the last entry, Dragon Age: Inquisition. Development, however, seems to have been tumultuous, what with the sudden departures of key staff members like Casey Hudson, BioWare's general manager, and Mark Darrah, Dragon Age's executive producer. BioWare was also one of the many studios to be hit with layoffs in 2023, eliminating approximately 50 roles.

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After revealing the official name as Dragon Age: The Veilguard just a few days ago, not the in-development name of Dreadwolf, BioWare officially revealed the next chapter in the Dragon Age franchise.

Almost a decade after its last entry, Dragon Age: Inquisition, the upcoming Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be released this Fall 2024. While the first gameplay reveal is coming June 11, the Xbox Showcase revealed the first trailer for the game.

We already knew that The Veilguard would be taking place roughly a decade after Inquisition, but the trailer shows the current state of Thedas and it looks quite exciting. It also features several returning Dragon Age characters, including fan-favor??ites Varric and Scout Harding.

The official gameplay reveal for Dragon Age: The Veilguard is right around the corner on Tues??day, ?June 11. It'll be exciting to see what direction the popular RPG will be taking after a nearly decade-long hiatus.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is set to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox ??Series X|S, and PC this Fall 2024.

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When your trailer opens with "from the creators of Dark Age of Camelot, Warhammer Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Fallout 4," you know you've got a team with some real pedigree behind it. That's how we've been introduced to Echoes of Elysium, ??an airship survival RPG that serves as the first effort from Loric Games. 

Echoes of Elysium is an open-world game that invites both solo and cooperative explorat?ion. Players will be tasked with building a fleet of airships, taking on enemies in the sky, and essentially just trying their best to survive with an airship as the main base of operations. Those survival efforts extend beyond the deck of the ship. There are regions to visit throughout the procedurally-generated world, resources to gather and craft, and enemies along the way that have the souls of lost Elysians as their po?wer source.

The teaser below is just th??at, delivering a very brief taste of the adventurous vibe behind it. 

After acquiring BioWare in 2007, EA merged the studio with Mythic in 2009 and promoted BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka to Senior Vice President/Group General Manager. Flash forward throu??gh a few typically tumultuous video game industry cycles to the formation of a newly independent group of devs who, having since splintered off in various directions, are coming together to "bring rich storytelling to online survival RPGs."

The Arlington, Virginia-based Loric Games was established in 2022, with Mythic Entertainment veterans Brian Johnson, Ray Soto, and Rob Denton—who was also Mythic's co-founder—as its founding members. In January 2024, Loric managed to raise an additional $4 million in its latest funding round thanks to support from Hiro Capital. At the same time, the studio also announced the addition of Jeff Hickman, another industry veter?an and former Mythic employee, as Chief Production? Officer.

There are still a lot of questions in the air about Echoes of Elysium. It's just listed for PC at the moment �a Steam page is live �and there's no date in place. We also ??haven't seen much beyond screenshots and that short teaser. Hopefully, we'll see more soon for a better idea of what Loric Games is putting forth as its inaugural calling card. 

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Bungie briefly teased some upcoming Destiny 2 armor inspired by the legendary sci-fi RPG Mass Effect. According to the tweet, players can join the Normandy Crew with armor inspired by Commander Shepard, Garrus Vakarian, Liara T'Soni, and others from the Systems Alliance. The armor is set to drop in Destiny 2 on February 13.

Definitely a Win

Let's be honest, Destiny 2 fans haven't had much to be happy about lately. Not that an armor cosmetic alone is suddenly going to flip the frustrations the dedicated fanbase currently has with the game. But regardless of the impact, a Mass Effect crossover is a win in my book. I haven't played Destiny 2 in years but you bet I wanna grab that sweet Garrus armor in preparation for my return in Destiny 2: The Final Shape.

Bungie also revealed that in celebration of the collaboration with Bioware, an Enhanced Defense Ghost Shell, Alliance Scout Frigate Ship, and Alliance Drop Ship Sparrow will all be available for free as well. It seems like these are all just cosmetic skins for the various items in Destiny 2. I hope the ship and sparrow are cool.

The Mass Effect-inspired armor pack, called the Alliance Requi??sition Bundle, is se??t to arrivate on all platforms on February 13.

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BioWare is a large studio known for titles such as Mass Effect: Andromeda and Dragon Age: Inquisition. It ap?pears that all is not well at t??he studio, as on August 23, it announced that it is "eliminating approximately 50 roles."

According to a statement r??eleased by general manager?? Gary McKay, the move was made to help BioWare become a "more agile and more focused studio." McKay states that this is an unavoidable outcome, and steps will be taken to "ensure the process is handled with empathy, respect, and clear ??communication."

[caption id="attachment_398647" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bioware.[/caption]

What's going on at BioWare?

According to McKay, BioWare's long-term vision is to deliver "exceptional story-driven single-player experiences filled with vast worlds and rich characters." This involves ensuring that the upcoming Dragon Age and Mass Effect games are a success. The announcement reveals that the studio's dedication to Dragon Age: Dreadwolf hasn't wavered, and that a team led by Mike Gamble is still working on the next Mass Effect game.

Employees affected by the ?layoffs won't be left stranded, according to McKay who promises to provide "impacted colleagues with as many internal opportunities as possible," though he does state that it? is unlikely that everyone will find new internal roles. With several roles opening up in Electronic Arts' other studios, affected workers will also be assisted with their applications for these positions.

This is unfortunate news, though BioWare isn't the only studio that has suffered layoffs this year. The AR gaming studio Niantic has also met the same fate, as well as CD Projekt Red and  The Callisto Protocol's Striking Distance, to name a few.

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Fans unimpressed with Mass Effect death statue

Yesterday, BioWare announced it was opening pre-orders on a limited edition sculpture of Captain Shepard in commemoration of the Mass Effect series. Fans, however, were not impressed with the sculpture in question, which depicts the corpse of the female variant of Captain Shepard (known to the fanbase as "FemShep") adrift in space as we find her during the prologue of Mass Effect 2.

[caption id="attachment_386516" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via BioWare[/caption]

Fans raised many questions, such as the choice to idolize such a tragic moment. "Celebrate life, not death", as they say. Fans appreciate that the death of Shepard is an important moment, though some would argue that it is perhaps not one that we should celebrate �especially in a way that is simultaneously expensive and cheapening.

Another point fans raised was the potential misogynistic iconography of the piece The only corpse of Shepard up for preorder was that of the captain's female version �and in a striking pose that some opined sexually objectifies the character. Very few official FemShep statues actually exist, and for one of the few to be of her floating c??orpse seemed a little grim to some in the fan community.

//twitter.com/BioWareGear/status/1??66840167002237?7473?s=20

BioWare was quick to address the issue

A little after revealing the statue, BioWare tweeted a statement. It says that the statue is intended as part of a series that will celebrate the key moments of the Mass Effect franchise and that the studio perhaps did not convey this properly. Though it admits to perhaps not offering the best context, the statement claims that the mistake was the way in which BioWare presented the statue, rather tha?n the choice of statue ??itself.

BioWare has placed the sale of the statues on indefinite hold and has immediately refunded all of the initial preorders. The company states that it is rethinking its strategy regarding the marketing of the celebratory series of Mass Effect statues going forward.

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The Old Republic could be under new management as BioWare shifts focus

It sounds like things are shifting at Electronic Arts and BioWare. A new report from IGN says EA is nearing an agreement to hand development and operation of Star Wars: The Old Republic to a third-party studio.

According to IGN's report, Broadsword Online Games—developer of Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot—would take the reins?. The deal is ex?pected to be final as soon as this month.

Over half of the 70 to 80 people on the core Old Republic team are expected to move to Broadsword. Those remaining with EA will reportedly have an opportunity to loo?k for other roles in the company, but could otherwise see layoffs?.

Star Wars: The Old Republic will keep getting updates, including the upcoming 7.3 patch, and EA would remai?n publisher.

On the BioWare side, the team will focus its resources on current single-player efforts. This includes both Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and the next entry in the Mass Effect series.

We reached out to Electronic Arts for comment, and a spokesperson pr?ovided the following response:

“Almost 12 years after launch, Star Wars� The Old Republic remains a success and continues to grow its dedicated and passionate community. We’re so proud of the work the team has done, and the future of the game and the community continues to be very bright. We’re evaluating how we give the game and the team the best opportunity to grow and evolve, which includes conversations with Broadsword, a boutique studio that specializes in delivering online, community-driven experiences. Our goal is to do what is best for the game and its players.�/p>

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb8M5P1QKX8

A new era for the republic

Star Wars: The Old Republic has been running for quite a while, having launched back in 2011. It added free-to-play options a year later, and has since rolled o??n with expansions and content ??updates.

It's not surprising that EA wants to keep its Star Wars MMO running. But mo??ving it from BioWare does draw so?me attention back to the developer.

Both Dreadwolf and Mass Effect are in development, though we haven't heard much recently from either project. The new Dragon Age has passed an alpha milestone and received a subtitle, while we haven't heard much about the new Mass Effect since its reveal.

Some senior talent has also left the company, though former executive producer Mark Darrah has returned as a consultant to work on Dreadwolf. Additionally, EA reportedly told VentureBeat that the Mass Effect team is helping with production of the new Dragon Age.

All this seems to point towards a push to get something out the door for BioWare. Hopefully The Old Republic can at least ??find a good hom??e for the players still adventuring in it.

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The writer is heading for new ventures after almost two decades at BioWare

Mac Walter, a veteran of the Mass Effect serie?s, is leaving BioWare. The longtime? writer and lead on several major projects at BioWare is moving on after nearly two decades at the company.

As Walters announced on his LinkedIn page, Walters decid??ed at the ??end of last year to leave BioWare. In his post, he wishes everyone at the studio well.

"These past 19 years have been a life-changing experience ??to say the least, and it made the choice to go very difficult," wrote Walters. "I’ve worked with so many w??onderful people and had the privilege to be a part of the most amazing teams and projects. It’s hard to fathom it all, and I know I’ll be reflecting on it for years to come."

Walters doesn't con??firm what his next step is just yet, but did writ??e that "with a new year comes new adventures."

The massive effect

Walters joined BioWare in 2003, as a writer for the martial arts RPG Jade Empire. He'd then serve as a writer on Mass Effect before moving up to lead writer for Mass Effect 2 and 3, and then head to Anthem to be its narrative director.

He'd return to Mass Effect with Andromeda as its creative director, was project director of the Legendary Edition. His last role at BioWare was as Production Director for the upcoming Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

The Dreadwolf has been fairly quiet since we got a subtitle reveal last year, with just a few teases to go on. And the next Mass Effect has had even less to go ??on. No release window has been set yet for either.

Meanwhile, this marks another departure for a longtime BioWare veteran, alongside others that have left over the last few years like Casey Hudson, Mark Darrah, and Matt Goldman.

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(Well, a little belatedly, at least)

Yesterday, December 4 might have seemed like any other day, but lo, it was, in fact, Dragon Age Day, and to celebrate the beloved fantasy RPG franchise, Electronic Arts released a new teaser trailer for its long-in-development, long-time-coming sequel Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

The cinematic preview, unfortunately, offers not a dot of gameplay footage, and in fact only runs a scant 60 seconds in l??ength, (truly you are spoiling u?s). Still, it does give fans something of a re-introduction to the mysterious and wise mage, Solas, also known by his pseudonym of Fen'Harel �The Dreadwolf. Legend tells of a cataclysmic battle that saw Solas seal away both the Creators and The Forgotten Ones, preventing both all-powerful beings from ever again becoming involved in mortal events.

This event was known as The Great Betrayal.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=z06j2aQSCLM&t

Having all but vanished from existence since performing this almighty deed, it seems that Solas has returned, with a plan to b?reak the seals and wreak chaos and destruction among the worlds. According to the dwarf warrior Varric Tethras, who narrates this preview, it will be up to the player's party to stop The Dreadwolf and prevent this frightening act of annihilation from ever coming to pass.

The new trailer is probably a little underwhelming to those fans who might have been expecting a little more for this year's DA Day, but it looks like the waiting with have to continue a little longer as developer BioWare continues its work on the epic sequel. Additionally, it is worth remembering that this week sees the arrival of the new animated series Dragon Age: Absolution, which will premiere on Netflix from December 9.

Dragon Age Dreadwolf is currently in development at BioWare.

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BioWare's next big RPG is playable start-to-finish now

The next Dragon Age game has passed a big internal milestone. In a new blog, BioWare confirms Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has completed the Alpha milestone.

What this means, effectively, is that Dreadwolf is currently pl??ayable from start to finish. This doesn't?? mean the work's done quite yet, though.

In a new blog, BioWare general manager Gary McKay says the team? is now looking at the narrative ??cohesion.

"We can take the story we’ve written and see if we’re?? expressing it well through the characters, dialogue, cinematics, and ultimately, the player’s journey," said McKay. "Now that we have the ability to do a complete playthrough, we can iterate and polish on the things that ?matter most to our fans."

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is heading to a few new locales??. Notably, this includes one fans have heard about more than a few times: the Tevinter Imperium. Today's blog confirms players will visit Minrathous, the heart of the Tevinte?r empire.

McKay continues on to say that the Dreadwolf team wants to "continue being transparent" with fans about development, and keep people up-to-date. So far, the studio has released a few development updates this year. One slapped the official subtitle on Dreadwolf. And another teased some codex entries that are in store.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw3lrXlti-8

The Dreadwolf rises

The next installment of Dragon Age was first teased at The Game Awards in 2018. Since then, BioWare's been working on it, going through some big shifts in the process.

While we've seen some teases, we've still had yet to see a full look at what's in store for the Dragon Age universe. Hopefully, with such a big milestone passed, BioWare will cast more light on the Dread Wolf's plan?s soon.

The post Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has ??passed its alpha milestone appeared first on Destructoid.

Get a taste of the lore in store for Dragon Age 4

The team behind Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is giving fans a taste of the lore awaiting them in the new RPG. The writing team has shared a handful of codex entries from Dreadwolf, as part of a community update on the next Dragon Age.

In a BioWare blog post, the team behind Dreadwolf ru??ns down the basics. As it says, stories and characters are at the cor??e of BioWare games. Each person has their own motivations, and each entry has its own hero, molded by player decisions.

Creating a world that's interesting to role-play in, then, is pretty important. And that's what today's codex entries tease out. Dreadwolf will set out for the Tevinter Imperium, an old and powerful region r?uled by a? host of mages.

This codex entry discusses the Grand Necropolis, a massive mausoleum in Nevarra City that is mentioned in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Citing Brother Genitivi, a scholar you can meet in Origins, it talks about the differences in handling the dead and "misconceptions" from others. Other entries shown in the new blog discuss dragons and even has a quarterly?? issue to review.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7x685DxMcw

Forging the codex

It's a really interesting blog that goes on to chat with two members of the writing staff, discussing their work on Dreadwolf. For anyone who's wondered what writing work on a massive RPG like this looks like, it's some fascinating insight. In one section I really dug, narrative editor Ryan Cormier discusses how the team goes about deciding what should, and shouldn't, be a codex entry in Dreadwolf.

"Before any writing, the narrative team discusses which entries are required and which aren’t. It’s crucial to properly time codex unlocks with player progression. No one wants a dozen entries only ten minutes into the game, but interested players shouldn’t have to wait long to learn more abou??t the people, places, and concepts introduced. Does a codex unlock when something’s first mentioned? When a related character appears? Is the entry only required if they actually interact with said thing?"

Senior writier Sylv??ia Feketekuty elaborates on this. The team c?hose to highlight the Necropolis entry because it was fun to write.

"I wanted the in-game author to be frustrated with Brother Genitivi’s portrayal of the Necropolis while also trying to deny the depth of his irritation with said world-famous scholar," said Feketekuty. "It’s a diary, yet we see the author still feels obligated to exercise a measure of decorum in his private writing. And the micro-revelation at the end is that it’s someone he ?knows in real life, not far-off Genitivi, who is needling the poor guy about Nevarra’s death rituals."

A new role to play

It's a nice bit of insight to see from developers. Many devs recently took to Twitter to share behind-the-scenes look at their work following the massive GTA leak. And the Dead Space and Skate teams, also under the EA banner, have been sharing early looks throughout thei??r process.

Hopefully this is a slow-but-steady sea change in how we look at games. Seeing the gaming sausage be made can be eye-opening, and in cases like this Dreadwolf codex blog, give some really cool insight into how big worlds and games are built. I'd like to think it encourages someone out there right now, who wants to get into? writing themselves.

The post Dragon Age: Dreadwolf d??evs share some codex entries from the upc??oming RPG appeared first on Destructoid.

A space adventure for day traders

Mass Effect is one of those series that we've played so many times, sometimes it can be fun to load up a mod for the sake of switching things up a bit. You could always go for the expanded armory or expanded galaxy, or even try the Take Back Earth mod if you really want to make it interesting. Of course, I'm sure there are some crypto bros out there who are also Mass Effect fans, or at the very least, some people who want to try to game a ??stock market in a low-stakes environment. Or maybe th?ey just hate the probing mini-game. Who's to say?

Either way, this Mass Effect Legendary Edition mod might be for you. It's called Nos Astra Mineral Exchange (created by beccatoria and Team Pyjak), and adds a whole galactic stock market to Mass Effect 2, which allows players to trade money and resources. (Thanks, PC Gamer.) Basically, you can either trade minerals and mine them, or just forgo the probing altogether.

There are also new missions attached to the mod as well, which include new voice ??lines for existing characters with AI dialogue tool xVASynth thanks to the work of modder Gaige Barker??.

To gain access to the newly available stock market, players will first need to head to the Crescent Nebula, then to the Asari world of Ill??ium, then to? the capital city of Nos Astra, and then finally to the docks entrance where public trading terminals can be found. There's also a terminal on the Shadow Broker's ship, if that's more convenient.

The mod's site even details the Mass Effect 2 stock market's exchange rate, which is the kind of thing I don't really get, but go nuts if you're into that sort of thing. Nos Astra Mineral Exchange is available to download on NexusMods or Mod DB �just make sure you have the ME3 Tweaks Mod Manager ready to go first.

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Space Odyssey

Veteran video game writer Mary DeMarle has confirmed that they will be joining BioWare in order to pen the narrative for the next entry in the epic and much-beloved sci-fi franchise, Mass Effect. Game Director Michael Gamble confirmed the signing on soc?ial media yesterda?y.

"Oh, hey! I’m really excited to let you know that Mary DeMarle will be joining the Mass Effect team as Senior Narrative Director," wrote Gamble on Twitter. "You’ve seen her work in Guardians of the Galaxy & Deus Ex (to name a few!). She’s amazing."

//twitter.com/GambleMike/statu??s/1544057781619044353???s=20&t=XtimLuMwQbWu1roJUmzFyQ

As noted by Gamble, DeMarle is no stranger to epic, dramatic, and operatic storytelling, having penned the excellent Deus Ex games for Crystal Dynamics, and the recent comic-book adventure Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. These are both titles that deal with group dynamics, friendship, politics, technology, moral turbulence, and character-based comedy �all traits that make up the emotive space opera universe of Mass Effect.

DeMarle's new role at BioWare follows their leaving Eidos Montreal in the wake of the Embracer Group purchase. With a resume of stone-cold narrative classics, and multiple awards to their name, DeMarle is a valuable, prestigious, and highly sought-after writer. No doubt their talent for engrossing, compelling, and, most importantly, immersive storytelling will be a major ace in "Mass Effect 4's" sleeve. Mass Effect is its story �it always has been �and it's comforting to know that the next chapter is in s??afe hands.

The next chapter of Mass Effect is currently in development at BioWare.

The post Deus Ex writer Mary DeMarle on board for new Mass Eff??ect appeared first on Destructoid.

The Dragon Age is coming to Netflix

Today, Netflix and BioWare announced a new collaboration to bring Dragon Age to the streaming platform. Dragon Age: Absolution is a new series set in the world of Thedas, arriving this D??ecember on Netflix.

Shown off during today's Netflix Geeked stream, Dragon Age: Absolution is a six-episode series. It'll follow a set of new characters from the world of Dragon Age. Th?at includes elves, Qunari, mages, knights, and some other surpris?es.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A1PSiPSs_k

Dragon Age: Absolution is set in Tevinter, which has some interesting implications. Plus, with the next Dragon Age game also heading Tevinter, the Netflix series could potentially set up storylines. Or it?? might just be a good ?entry point for newcomers. Either way, Tevinter is definitely an interesting place to go; it's a region full of magic, mystery, and intrigue.

The Dread Wolf nears

As for the Dragon Age series in the gaming realm, BioWare recently announced the title for its next entry. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will be the next mainline game, with the player heading to Tevinter and dealing with a lingering threat in So?las.

The latest Dragon Age has been in development for a while, and BioWare has confirmed it won't launch in 2022. Basically, it's going to b??e a while before we get a new virtual adventure in Thedas. In the meantime, this streaming series? will be something for fans to dig into and pick apart, at the least.

Dragon Age: Absolution is another step of Netflix diving deeper into the world of video game adaptations, too. A new Cyberpunk anime was already announced, and its live-action Resident Evil adaptation arrives soon. Today's stream also had news about Netflix's Tekken series, The Cuphead Show, and the next book of Dota: Dragon's Blood. And now, the streaming service will break into?? the fantasy world of Thedas.

The post Netflix reveals Dragon Age: Absolution, arriving thi?s December appeared first on Destructoid.

Time to break some eggs

The next Dragon Age game officially has a subtitle. BioWare confirms today that the next game in the series will be officially titled Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

As the title and previous teasers have heavily implied, former party member Solas will be playing a big role in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. He is?, himself,?? the Dread Wolf who can be seen as a betrayer or savior, depending on your world view.

Either way, the story of Dragon Age: Inquisition's Trespasser DLC firmly set him ??up as the next big bad in Thedas. Whatever's next for the realm, it's sure to involve?? the trickster god in some way.

Interestingly enough, BioWare indicates that newcomers will be able to jump right in with Dreadwolf. "If you're new to Dragon Age, you have no need to worry abo?ut not having met our antagonist just yet," today's announcement reads. He will introduce himself to the player when the "time is right."

//twitter.com/dragonage/statu?s/1532406453071319045

The Dreadwolf rises

That's all the information we received today on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. BioWare confirms the next Dragon Age is not coming this year, though we are "growing closer" to the next a?dventure. The studio says it will be talking more about the g?ame later this year.

BioWare has previously said it's still in production on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, so it's little surprise that its next big RPG isn't arriving this year. It's nice to have a subtitle too, so I can stop referring to it solely as "the next Dragon Age."

Still, I'm curious to see what the crew is up to, especially following the comment about newcomers. The Dragon Age games have historically carried save data and decisions across games. BioWare even developed an online tool for pr???evious games to craft world states for players.

I'm interested to see if, and how, that carryover will be handled with Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. We'l??l see what Solas has ?in store later this year.

The post The next Dragon Age is t?itled Dragon Age: Dreadwo??lf appeared first on Destructoid.

This article contains spoilers for the Mass Effect series. Read at your own risk, or just take your chances, whatever. I'm not your mom.

The future of the series remains a mystery for now

The Mass Effect series may have continued on after the main trilogy ended, but it was hard to recapture that magic after Shepard left the picture. It looks like others might agree with that statement, because some promotional material recently hinted that Shepard may be making a triumphant return in the next title in the series, so far only known as another Mass Effect.

Originally reported by Video Games Chronicle, BioWare released a poster to tease the upcoming Mass Effect game. A YouTuber named MrHulthen noticed that the poster came with an accompanying synopsis that revealed maybe a little more information than BioWare may have wanted to let on about the new Mass Effect.

The promotional material originally read, "The show goes on. Shepard's final quest may have ended the threat of the Reapers but at great cost including Earth itself. While Shepard and the survivors are left to pick up the pieces, f?ans are left wondering what's next."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5QrxHeDAFk&t=57s

Soon after, BioWare went back and changed the synopsis to something a bit more generic: "The threat of the Reapers might have been ended, but at great cost including Earth itself. While the survivors are left to pick up the pieces, fans are lef??t wondering what's next."

While the initial summary on the website for the poster understandably sparked a great deal of interest among Mass Effect fans, BioWare's own Project Director Michael Gamble took to Twitter to set the story straight. "The original thing was ??written by the people who run the store and are?n't familiar with the game :)," he wrote in a tweet this afternoon.

??So, it turns out that it was just a mistake on the website's part in the search for some en?thralling flavor text.

After the disaster that was Mass Effect: Andromeda, it makes sense that fans would be excited to see a return to the game's roots. Bringing fan-favorite Shepard back from the dead in the next Mass Effect wouldn't wipe the slate clean, though �it would definitely generate hype but it would also come with a whole host of new problems. So?metimes it's just best to let sleeping dogs lie.

//www.tiktok.com/@destructoid/video/7098818384736914694?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=705278??8164067706373

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Employees of Keywords Studios are the latest group to push for unionization

Quality assurance testers working for BioWare under support company Keywords Studios are attempting to unionize. A notice, filed April 20, states that employees in development support at the BioWare Edmonton office have submitted a union application.

Under the application filed with the Alberta Labor Relations Board (confirmed by Kotaku), employees supporting the Edmonton BioWare office have applied under the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union. The application is un??der review and open to objections until May 3.

Keywords Studios is a contracting services company. The employees moving for unionization work directly with the production team at BioWare Edmonton, previously on Mass Effect: Legendary Edition and Star Wars: The Old Republic, and now on the next Dragon Age.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7x685DxMcw

An industry-wide ripple

Speaking with Kotaku, a representative for the group says the catalyst for unionization was returning to the office. Keywords informed employees they would have to return to BioWare offices in-person, five days a week starting on May 9. The rep says Keywords staff don't receive paid time off, while full-time BioWare staff still have work-from-home options available. In 2020, Keywords also faced criticism from staff over its response to the pandemic.

The group representative also says that a big issue is pay. Keywords QA workers are allegedly being paid less than BioWare staff, and the rep voiced concerns abo??ut gender-based pay ?discrimination, lack of consistent metrics in employee evaluation, and overall transparency issues regarding compensation.

This is one of several unionization efforts that has sprung up over the last year or so. Employees at Raven Software are working to unionize, and last December, Vodeo Games staff unionized.

As labor issues have become more widely publicized and discussed, efforts like these—especiall?y among quality assurance workers—seem determined to propagate throughout the industry.

The post Dragon Age QA workers are applying to unionize appeared first on Destructoid.

There is another top-level departure at the developer, though

BioWare has another update on the current status of both Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Both are pro??gressing, but alongside their updates, there's also an?other high-level departure at BioWare.

Today's blog confirms that Dragon Age executive producer Christian Dailey is leaving the studio. Dailey joined the team in 2018 and worked on the Anthem overhaul project. When Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah retired from the company, Dailey took lead on the upcoming Dragon Age game.

"The games industry is ever-changing though and sometimes folks want to go and try new things–we understand, but we wil??l miss him as a friend and as a colleague," wrote BioWare GM Gary McKay.

The update reaffirms the team that's still in place for the next Dragon Age as well. Mac Walters, who led development on the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, is production director. Corrine Busche is game director, and Benoit Houle is director of product development. McKay says he will also be "working more closely" with the Dragon Age team.

//twitter.com/Christ?ianDailey/status/1496554266315665408

As for the project itself, the update reaffirms that Dragon Age is "right in the m?iddle of Production." The blueprint was completed last year, according t??o McKay.

He also notes the ongoing word on Star Wars: The Old Republic, which just launched an expansion, and the next Mass Effect. Announced at The Game Awards, the new Mass Effect is being led by Mike Gamble, and the team is curr??ently prototyping new ideas and experiences.

It sounds like these projects are still a ways off. A recent report from Jeff Grubb on his show GrubbSnax indicates it's still about 18 months a??way, though it's in good shape.

The post BioWare confirms next Dragon Age is ‘right in the middle’ of production appeared first on Destructoid.

I'll take it over a few of the 3D mainline games

Sega has done its best to bury some of Sonic's history; notably when they took down a handful of 3D entries that got lower-than-average Metacritic scores many years ago. But it's also easy to forget about all of the Sonic side projects. Like Mega Man before it, Sega was keen on bringing Sonic into the RPG realm, but with BioWare of all studios. Video game animator Jonathan Cooper (formerly at BioWare) is here to give us the full Sonic Chronicles intro to remind us that yes, this game did come out in 2008, you weren't d??reaming it.

According to Cooper, "this fantastic 2D work was inexplicably cut by Sega so the game shipped with the same song backing gameplay footage." Indeed! You can watch the original intro here, whic?h isn't really an intro so much as an "arcade demo mode."

Joel MacMillan (lead artist) and Nick DiLiberto (animator) worked on it, and Cooper notes that Nick in particular draws a lot of their style from the influential 1981 animated epic Heavy Metal, which you can really see in the Sonic Chronicles intro, emb??edded below. I love how haggard t??his Eggman is!

While I'm fine with more attempts to capture the magic of old 3D Sonic games, I wouldn't mind seeing a wild swing like Chronicles every now and then; for better or worse. Sega has been very safe wi??th the IP in recent years, but that statement could apply ?to ??the industry as a whole.

//twitter.com/GameAnim/status/1473329631189078016

The post The full intro for the forgotten Sonic ?Chronicles slaps appeared first on Destructoid.

Sounds like we won't get more news until the new year, though

BioWare celebrated the unofficial-official Dragon Age Day over the weekend, on Dec. 4. And while we got two new short stories set in the world of Thedas, it still seems like new Dragon Age news is a ways off.

As part of the festivities, BioWare dropped new merch, hosted events with charity rewards, and held writing challenges. They also released two new short stories set in the world Dragon Age: one about two Grey Wardens, and another about a pair of necromancers investigating a disturbance a?t the Grand Necropolis.

As for news about the next game in the series? Well, the team is still hard at work on the game. BioWare reaffirmed that this next Dragon Age is a single-player-focused experience. And it says t?hey're excited for "next year," when they can talk more about what t?hey're working on.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7x685DxMcw

So it seems like a big Game Awards trailer similar to last year's might not be in the cards. That's fine, as BioWare seems to be juggling a few big projects at the moment. But I do hope there's something a bit more concrete in the works, whe?ther that's a date or gameplay or anything?.

Considering the project has had to reportedly change course in the past, hopefully a larger reveal is somewhere out there in 2022. Until then, we'll have some more lore from Dragon Age Day to tide us over.

The post BioWare mark?s Dragon Age Day with two new short stories appeared first on Destructoid.