After ages of Bioware RPGs requiring the official EA App in some capacity, the studio has revealed the upcoming Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be a Steam game first and foremost.

On Twitter, the announcement explains that Veilguard will be Steam native, meaning it won't require EA's launcher at all. The game will also be Steam Deck verified right out of t?he gate.

Regardless of your thoughts on either launcher, EA's simply isn't Steam �the storefront most people use for games �and thus just isn't as practical to use. Perhaps just as important as getting to play the next big Bioware game without touching EA's meddling middleware is how this move signals EA's possible willingness to make things easier going forward. Perhaps it was a tough decision for EA to make, but it??'s one that the gaming community at large is already celebrating.

The past few years have been immensely tough for the series and BioWare. The troubled development of Dragon Age's tentative fourth installment survived the departure of various developers, and we don't know how much of the Veilguard we're getting was part of the plan when the game was still called Dreadwolf. Luckily, this news, along with the recent unveiling of the game's stellar voice cast, seems to show Bioware ??and EA's determination to bring the franchise bac??k to its glory days.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard still has no release date, but Bioware is aiming for a launch ??in Fall 2024.

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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, which has accrued approximatel??y 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 can 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 ha?d a far more serious tone that hint 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 doe??sn'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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Fantasy series debuts December 9

Netflix has announced that its upcoming animated series based on the sword 'n' sorcery of Dragon Age will finally make its debut next month �Dragon Age: Absolution will prem??iere on the str??eaming service from December 9. The studio also released a brand new trailer to get fans' hype engines in gear.

Set in the lands of Tevinter, Absolution will follow the fable of Miriam, a former elven slave who is forced to throw off her shackles and rise to become the fearsome warrior that she was always destined to be. Across each of the show's six episodes, we will journey with Miriam as she meets a party of noble and ignoble allies, confronting the tragedy of her past and forging ??a better future for herself, her people, and Tevinter itself. The show will feature the political drama, interpersonal relation??ships, and epic interspecies warfare that have made BioWare's gaming franchise such an enduring hit with RPG fans.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7MZuR8RM48

The six-episode series has been written and produced by showrunner Mairghread Scott, previously responsible for the writing of several animated series within the Marvel Comics, Transformers, and Star Wars universes. Dragon Age: Absolution stars a cast of talented voice actors including Kimberley Brooks Ashley Burch, Phil LaMarr, Matt Mercer, and Sumalee Montano. Hopefully, this fresh dose of olde wurlde action will satiate the fanbase as they wait eagerly for BioWare's to wind up work on the highly anticipated Dragon Age: Dreadwolf,?? which is currently in development for PS5, PC, ?and Xbox Series X.

Dragon Age: Absolution premieres exclusively on Netflix December 9.

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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?? playable from start? to finish. This doesn't mean the work's done quite yet, though.

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

"We can take the story we’ve written and see if we’re expre??ssing it well through the characters, dialogue, cinematics, and ultimately, the player’s journey," said McKay. "Now th??at 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 h??eard about more than a few times: the Tevinter Imperium. Today's blog confirms players will visit Minrathous, the heart of the Tevinter 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 milest?one passed, BioWare will cast more light on the Dread Wolf's plans so??on.

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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 runs down the basics. As it says, stories and characters are at the core of BioWare games. Each person has their ?own motivations, and each en??try 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 ruled 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 quarte??rly issue to revi??ew.

//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 about 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 Sylvia Feketekuty elaborates on this. The team chose to highlight the Necropolis entry becau??se 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 th??roughout their 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.

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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 ?December 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. That includes elves, Qunari, mages, knights, and s???ome other surprises.

//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 inte??resting 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 T?evinter and dealing with a lingering threat in Solas.

The latest Dragon Age has been in development for a while, and Bio??Ware has confirmed it won't launc??h in 2022. Basically, it's going to be 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 o??f Thedas.

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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 s??avior, 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. Wh??atever'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 w?orry about 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/status/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 adventure. The studio says it will b?e talking more about the game 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'll see what So?las has i??n store later this year.

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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 Un??ion. The application is under review and open to objections until Ma?y 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 about gender-based pay discrimination, lack of consistent metrics in employee evaluation, and over??all 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, ef??forts like these—especially among quality assurance workers—seem determined to propagate throughout the industry.

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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 another high-level departure at Bi??oWare.

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 will 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/ChristianDailey/status/149??6554266315665408

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?? to 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 M??ike Gamble, and the team is currently 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 away, th?ough it's in ??good shape.

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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 investi??gating a disturbance at ??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 they're ex??cited for "next year," when they can talk more about what they'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 some??thing a bit more concrete in the works, whether 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.

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No last-gen editions for fantasy sequel

Various sources are pointing to the possibility that Electronic Arts' anticipated sequel Dragon Age 4 is only in development for PC and ninth-generation conso??le platforms, and will not b?e seeing a release on PS4 or Xbox One.

The whispers began after one of Dragon Age's lead designers failed to reference the last-gen platforms on a listing on networking website LinkedIn, which proclaims that Dragon Age 4 is currently in development for "PS5/Xbox Series X+S/PC". Gamesbeat's industry insider Jeff Grub, more often than not a very ??reliable source on these matters, further clarified that this aligns with word from their own sources.

Given the scope and ambition of the fantasy sequel, as well as its tentative 2023 release date, it's understandable that developer BioWare would be "planning for the future," so to speak. One will recall that the lengthy cycle that preceded the launch of CDPR's Cyberpunk 2077 originally saw the title in development for "next-gen platforms." The team then pivoted to including PS4 and Xbox One, leading to one of the most notoriously abysmal launches in gaming history.

Dragon Age 4 looks set to be an epic, perhaps the biggest magnum opus for the studio since Mass Effect 2. As such, it makes perfect sense for the publisher to put ??all of its eggs into the "next-gen" basket, so to speak, delivering an experience worthy of the franchise's grand return.

Dragon Age 4 is currentl??y in development at BioWare. It ??is expected to launch in 2023.

Dragon Age 4 is heading to PS5, Xbox Series X/S without cross??-gen releases [GamesBeat]

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Work continues on BioWare's epic sequels

This month will see Electronic Arts deliver its vaunted EA Play Live presentation, offering news, updates, and reveals on some of the biggest and most ambitious titles the publisher has queued up for gaming's newest generation. Not putting in an appearance during any of July's streams, however, will be the incoming Mass Effect and Dragon Age sequels.

Perhaps fearing severe backlash from disappointed pundits, (in gaming? Hardly), Canadian developer BioWare took to Twitter to confirm that the two epic titles will not feature in EA Play Live, though development continues. BioWare is really under the hammer at the moment. Not only is the studio beavering away at sequels for Mass Effect and Dragon Age �hugely intense projects in and of themselves �it is also hard at work on updates for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

I don't think anyone can blame the studio for its "yeah, don't bother us" approach to having gameplay, trailers, or anything to spotlight at EA Play Live. Hopefully, BioWare and its employees are not burning the midnight oil in order to get its list of AAA projects completed, but it's difficult to imagine that it isn't. While it has been some time since Mass Effect and Dragon Age fans set foot in a brand new adventure, there's little wr??ong with waiting longer. Hopefully, Electronic Arts and its shareholders feel the same way... They will, right?

Regardless, EA Play Live promises plenty of footage from Battlefield 2042, a selection of indie releases, and EA's typical sporting wares. For many, the big draw lies in the ever-increasing rumors that sci-fi horror franchise Dead Space is set to make a comeback, with either a remake or a "reimagining" allegedly in the works ?at EA's Motive Studios. We'll find out the truth come July 22, when EA Play Live reaches its exciting crescendo.

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Make (dead) space in your calendar for EA Play Live

Electronic Arts has announced that it will be holding its next major streaming presentation, EA Play Live, on July 22, hosted by none other than WWE wrestler and resident video game fan Xavier Woods �taking time out from h??is own gaming show, UpUpDownDown.

While the publisher is currently remaining tight-lipped about the live stream's contents, viewers can likely expect updates on DICE's Battlefield 2042, BioWare's Dragon Age 4, and a selection of EA's trademark sports & racing titles, especially given the studio's recent purchase of rubber-burnin' UK developer Codemasters �responsible for the development of road-rippers such as Dirt, F1, World Rally Championship, and Project CARS.

For many, however, the true draw lies in the recent rumors that Electronic Arts plans to resurrect a much-beloved IP during the EA Play Live presentation, with all of the whispers pointing toward a new entry in the sci-fi horror franchise, Dead Space. EA shut down original series producer Visceral Games in 2017, which will leave the new title in the hands of internal studio EA Motive... If it is Dead Space, of course.

EA Play Live kicks off Thursday, July 22, with a pre-show starting at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST ahead of the main presentation. We will, of course, bring you all of the hot scoops right here on Destructoid. Personally, I'd like to see a brand new Mirror's Edge sequel revealed, because my hopes are bitterly unrealistic?.

//twitter.com/EA/status/1407382881538818050?s=20

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A different vision for Kirkwall

Dragon Age 2 has had a swerving legacy. It launched to poor critical reception, yet its stories and characters endured in the fandom, and the sequel garnered its own followi?ng.

It was also a famously troubled project, with the team having an extremely small development window to work in and an expansion leading into Dragon Age: Inquisition left on the table. It's hard not to wonder wh??at could have be??en if the studio had been given more time.

Today, just over a decade since Dragon Age 2 launched, several developers who worked on the project are now reminiscing on it and wondering what-if. It largely kicked off with David Gaider, lead writer on Dragon Age 2 and current Creative Director at Summerfall Studios, answering a simple question: "If you could Zack Snyder [Dragon Age 2], what would you change?"

"If yo?u could Zack Snyder DA2, w?hat would you change?"

Wow. I'm willing to bet Mark or Mike (or anyone else on the team) would give very different answers than me, but it's enough to gi?ve a sober man pause, because that was THE Project of Multiple Regrets.

— David Gaider (@davidgaider) April 13, 2021

As Gaider acknowledges, not only is this "the most hypothetical of hypotheticals," it's also an odd case, because in some ways Dragon Age 2 was made the way it was because of the conditions it was created in. He describes his writing team as "firing on all cylinders??," writing like the wind because they had to. But that aside?

Restoring the intended changes to Kirkwall over the years is a big one. He mentions the criticism that's often levied at Dragon Age 2—repetitious environments—but says he wanted Kirkwall?? to feel like a bigger city, more crowded, and more alive.

Several plot lines are referenced, like one where a mage Hawke comes close to becoming an abomination, work done on the final fights with Orsino and Meredith ("full Tetsuo" is how he describes the latter, which is great), a less sudden build-up to the mage vs. Templar conflict, and possibly even an unplanned additional option to side with neither side.

There's a lot in this thread, though my favorites are more time spent with Bethany and Carver before one of them gets annihilated by darkspawn in the intro, and restoring the scenes where "Varric exaggerates the heck out of the story" until Cassandra calls him on it. It happens in a few places in Dragon Age 2, but seems like it was meant to happen much more often; Dragon Age 2 writer Mary Kirby, who's still at BioWare today, describes a sc?ene where Varric narrates his own death ;with Hawke weeping?? over him, cutting to Cassandra glaring at him.

Others reflected on their favorite moments, including the overly dramatic sarcastic Hawke response in the Mark of the Assassin DLC. Lord, Hawke really sells it.

Even if Mass Effect is getting its own touch-up with the upcoming Legendary Edition, any sort of return to Dragon Age past—specifically Dragon Age 2—does seem like a bit of stretch. BioWare seems mostly full steam ahead, with development underway on both the next Dragon Age and, past Legendary Edition, the next Mass Effect.

Still, it's nice to wonder what could have been. I've come around on Dragon Age 2 myself over the years; its companion mechanics, with Friendship and Rivalry, and various story beats are some of my favorite in the series. Characters like Merrill, Fenris, and Varric stick with me, too (not Anders though, you know what you did). Gue?ss I'll just have to settle ??for the Kirkwall that could have been.

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Rational Anthem

Sources inside Electronic Arts are claiming that the publisher has done a severe about-face on the development of its upcoming Dragon Age sequel, pumping the brakes on the new title's multiplayer components in the wake of the recent sunsetting of BioWare's Anthem.

According to a report by Bloomber??g's Jason Schreier, the still-unnamed Dragon Age sequel had its design concepts revised in 2017, with EA envisioning a multiplayer-centric affair, peppered with long-term monetization goals. This new take on the Dragon Age project was allegedly described by some employees as "Anthem with dragons," and is supposedly what led to creative director Mike Laidlaw leaving the project entirely l?ater in 2017.

The report states, however, that EA has been forced to further re-evaluate Dragon Age's design following the devastating failure of Anthem, which itself was designed as a multiplayer-centric, long-term-monetization vehicle. Equally as important to this turn of events is the success of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a single-player title that sold gangbusters despite, God Forbid, being a single-player title developed without a strict games-as-service model in mind. These two aspects, ultimately, may have saved the new Dragon Age from a fate worse than cancellation, as EA has reportedly instructed the development team to go all-in on the fantasy adventu??re's sin??gle-player campaign.

There's still quite a while to go before fans can tread the ruins of Thedas once again, with Dragon Age tentatively schedu??led for release in the spring of 2022. But this news - if proven accurate - at least offers some form of hope to the fanbase that the long-awaited sequel might be back on track to deliver the epic narrative and encompassing adventur??e that made the franchise so enthralling in its heyday.

Electronic Arts pivots on Dragon Age game, ????removes multiplayer [Bloomberg / Eurogamer]

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Technically a teaser

If it feels like we've been waiting for years, well, it's because we have. But finally the veil has been pulled back. We have our first look at BioWare's new Dragon Age game.

Simply called "Dragon Age," this official reveal doesn't divulge a whole lot. There's no actual gameplay or important details. Here's the description from the trailer's YouTube page: "The world of Dragon Age needs a new hero -- someone who can take on the evil forces threatening Thedas. Get a first look at some of the new locations you'll discover and the factions fighting by your side in the next chapter of Dragon Age."

At least it's something. Another Dragon Age&nb??sp?;is confirmed and we're going back to Thedas... sometime.

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Another Game Awards world premiere

A new Dragon Age is something that we've known has been in the works for a long while now. The series has been on pause for six years now, patiently waiting its turn behind the likes of Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem. But it's almost time to go back to Thedas.

Geoff Keighley has confirmed that the next Dragon Age&n?bsp;will make an appearance at The Game Awa?rds, which takes place on December 10:

Don't miss a special look at the next DRAGON AGE from @bioware during #TheGameAwards next Thursday. pic.twitter.com/zPKHWroH7i

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) December 4, 2020

It's about time! Here's where we're at thus far. At The Game Awards 2018, BioWare teased a new Dragon Age game with the Dread Wolf trailer. Last year, despite very much seeming on-track for an official reveal, the game was never actually announced. At this June's EA Play stream, BioWare showed some concept art that definitely had to be the first images of the new Dragon Age. Today, to celebrate Dragon Age Day (which always comes around on December 4), BioWare released some short stories from ?its writers that d??efinitely seem to be prepping us for an imminent reveal.

While we're six days out from The Game Awards, we're also just one day removed from news that BioWare GM Casey Hudson and Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah both abruptly left the company at the same time. Even though they predictably maintain that the next Dragon Age is in good hands and shaping up nicely, their departures will have some effect. With Dragon Age, it's always a twisted and convoluted tale, and tha?t extends beyond the stuff with? dragons and high fantasy.

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Darrah remains 'confident that the next Dragon Age will show that we remain committed to this kind of game'

In a surprising turn of events today at BioWare, two long-time staffers – Casey Hudson, the studio's general manager, and Mark Darrah, the executive producer of Dragon Age – announced they're retiring.

"Arriving at this point has been an opportunity for me to reflect on my own future, and 2020 has been a year that forced all of us to re-imagine how we think about work and life," said Casey. "For me, it's been the realizatio?n that I still have tremendous energy to create, but also that I need to try something different." W??ith his retirement, he's opening the door "for the next generation of studio leaders."

"BioWare has always been about telling emotional stories through characters," said Darrah. "We have wandered away from this central guiding pillar at times, but I am confident that the next Dragon Age will show that we remain ?committed to this kind of game. W??e will have a lot to show you."

"Mass Effect too has an exciting future," he added. "I won't say too much but I ?am impressed b??y the growth of Mike Gamble and I am looking forward to all that franchise will do under his leadership."

EA's chief studios officer Lau??ra Miele shared her own high-level update in a public statement.

"Samantha Ryan, who came to Electronic Arts after leading Warner Brothers Games, is one of the strongest leaders in the industry. She will continue to oversee the studio. I'm also excited to announce Christian Dailey, who joined BioWare from Blizzard, will be leading our Dragon Age project currently in development. Christian is a fantastic creative leader and I look forward to you all getting to know him in the coming days. We recently announced Mass Effect: The Legendary Edition and Mike Gamble is leading a team hard at work on that franchise's future." B?ioWare is still ?lining up a new general manager.

These are two series that fans are ho?ping against hope will turn out we?ll. Count me among them.

A Message From Laura Miele, Chief Studi?os Officer, Electronic Arts [BioWare]

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Located in Quebec City

Mike Laidlaw is a?? n??ame you probably see pop up from time to time.

That's because he was lead designer on Dragon Age: Origins and oversaw the entire Dragon Age series; and he also had a hand in several BioWare classics like Jade Empire. But in 2017, Laidlaw departed BioWare several years before their name would become more sullied by Anthem and right after the tumultuous launch of Mass Effect: Andromeda. He left at a good time, but now w??e finally know what he's been up to. Ent??er Yellow Brick Games.

Announced today with a site that ?lays down what it's all about, Laidlaw is joining up with several other key developers from studios such as Ubisoft, with a mission to "deliver innovative and emergent gameplay crafted by a small, highly skilled team." Seemingly out of the AAA game, Laidlaw's studio "believes very strongly in creating digital playgrounds. The more interactivity and freedom a game can give to a player??, the more immersive and compelling it can be, so long as there are clear rules that guide those interactions."

Laidlaw serves as one of the four founders of the studio, along with Frederic St-Laurent B, Jeff Skalski, and Thomas Giroux: they're based in Quebec City and are currently hiring. Like many former AAA studios, this is another one to put on your list of "wait and sees." So many developers are becoming fed up with the way conglomerates like EA and Activision are doing business, so hop??e??fully this expanded creative freedom will lead to good things for everyone.

About Us [Yellow Brick Games]

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Mark Darrah speaks

Dragon Age 4, which will undoubtedly be coming? to next-gen consoles at this point, is still making progress. How much ??progress? Well, that depends on how well BioWare handles working from home in the coming months.

Although the team has been fairly silent on anything explicitly Dragon Age 4 for a long while, BioWa?re executive producer Mark Darrah took to Twitter to calm the masses; providing a semi-detailed missive of what's actually happening. In his four point directive, he explained that Dragon Age 4 production is still trucking along, despite?? the fact that BioWare is working from home.

He does note, however, like several other studios (some of whom have delayed their games due to remote work), that "working from home is harder." For AAA game development, which requires all sorts of coordination from voiceover work, to design, to orchestral scores, I believe it! There is zero mention of a "delay" of any kind though, so as always, Dragon Age 4 will come when it comes.

Mark Darrah [Twitter]

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If you leave us to speculate, our speculation will run rampant

Electronic Arts' EA Play Live stream lasted 50 minutes today, and exactly 14 of those second was dedicated to talking about BioWare. Here's what w??as said: "BioWare imagines and creates worlds where you become the hero of your own story. We're using this next generation of technology to m?ake those fantasy worlds your reality."

Much more important, here's what was shown:

And:

Also:

This has to be Dragon Age 4 environmental concept art, right? It's certainly not Mass Effect. It better not be more Anthem.

EA has already confirmed that BioWare is working on another Dragon Age, but we shouldn?'t expect it until 2022 at the earliest. That ??means you can bet it's a PS5 and Xbox Series X game. Otherwise, it's all very impossible to speculate about.

Just look at the pictures. That's ??why you're here anyway.

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More to come

EA is making good on that promise to bring more games to Steam nine years after an exod??us from Valve's platform in favor of its own marketplace, EA Origin. This rekindled relationship just took a big step forward as EA added 13 more games to Steam.

This morning, EA put these games on Steam:

• Burnout Paradise Remastered ($5)
• Crysis 3 ($10)
• Dragon Age II ($10)
• Dragon Age: Inquisition ($20)
• Fe ($10)
• Mirror's Edge Catalyst ($10)
• Need for Speed ($10)
• Need for Speed: Heat ($28)
• Need for Speed: Rivals ($10)
• Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for the Neighborville ($20)
• Sea of Solitude ($10)
• Unravel ($10)
• Unravel 2 ($10)

Most of? them are old, but some of them are relatively new. Also, all of them are on sale -- a minimum of 50 percent but some all the way up to 75 percent off. The listings above reflect the sale price. The discounts are ??good until July 9.

However, if you don't want to jump in head-first on full-blown owne?rship, EA is also bringing its subscription service to Steam. EA Access will launch sometime this summer, and its library will include all the games listed above. EA Access is expected to ru??n $5 per month, which is how much it costs on EA Origin.

There's more coming too. This is just the "first wave" of EA games on Steam. It'll eventually swell to more than 25 games total. EA says that we'll get more info about ??EA Access and new Steam games during EA Play Live next Thursday.

EA Games Come to Steam [Electronic Arts]

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Start warming up those lungs

A few weeks ago, we reported on an intriguing new title, Chorus: A Musical Adventure, that had begun raising capital on crowdfunding website Fig. Well, it appears plenty of people are ready to give it once more with feeling, as the unique looking RPG has surpassed its initial goal of $600,000 with just two days to spare.

To refresh memories, Chorus is the story of a singer called Grace whose world is thrown into disarray when a mysterious, newly-signed band member is murdered, leaving our hero suddenly possessed by strange, otherworldly powers. Now wanted for the killing, Grace must travel to the underworld, interact with famous gods and de??mons such as Apollo, Persephone, and Pan, and solve the mysterious murder of The Muse if she is to clear her name and re??turn to any semblance of normality.

What makes Chorus truly different fro?m your average RPG is that the game plays out almost entirely in the form of a stage musical. Conversations are per??formed in the form of dramatic and powerful ballads, with dialogue options counting as both lyrics, and also tonal changes to the song's direction.

There isn't a whole lot to look at right now. But with cool-looking characters, a unique concept, and talent including Dragon Age writer David Gaider and voice actors Troy Baker and Laura Bailey, Chorus: A Musical Adventure is definitely on my radar, and I'm looking for??ward to its PC release, very loosely scheduled for 2021.

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Return to Thedas?

BioWare is akin to a man caught in a torrential downpour without an umbrella, but with a big goofy smile plastered to his face because sunny days might&???nbsp;be ahead. By the most lenient estimate, the rainstorm has lasted nearly three years; by harsher standards, it's more like eight years.

Through the decade, BioWare has suffered: Enormous blowback to the end of Shepard's arc in Mass Effect 3; a divisive reception to Dragon Age: Inquisition; the cancellation of Shadow Realms; a new Mass Effect that was so universally hated that it forced EA to put the series on indefinite hiatus; and an attempt at a Destiny-like games-as-a-service product in Anthem, which saw its player base plummet to depressingly low numbers mere months after launch. All the while, BioWare has been outwardly optimistic about the future of everything -- Mass Effect, Anthem, all of it --?? despite not giving us any real reason to be optimistic about any of it.

It seems as though the next opportu?nity for BioWare to correct course will be revealed in a month. Earlier today, BioWare tweeted this:

Today marks 10 years of Dragon Age! This year we’re excited to join the community’s party on December 4th and celebrate a decade together in the world we all love. See you on 12/4 for Dragon 4ge Day!

— BioWare (@bioware) November 3, 2019

It's not an outright confirmation, no, but it's also as subtle as a baseball bat to the kneecap -- which, ironically, is exactly what it'll feel like if Dragon Age 4 isn't announced. Transposing the A with a 4 would be the cruelest joke if there were no upcoming reveal. That's especially true because BioWare has been teasing a new Dragon Age for a year now.

But, there probably will be. We're probably going to get first confirmation of Dragon Age 4 on December 4, and it'll probably be followed by a proper trailer a week later during The Game Awards. Whatever happens, don't expect a release anytime in the near future. EA recently told investors that a new Dragon Age game? won't laun??ch until 2022 at the earliest.

The post BioWare’s revealing Dragon Age 4 in one month (or this is all a stupid, cruel trick) appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't bore us, get to the...

One of the most intriguing looking projects currently on the crowdfunding scene is all new title Chorus: An Adventure Musical, wh??ich is currently in pre-development at Australian company Summerfall Studios.

Chorus is a narrative adventure game that puts players in the boots of Grace, a young singer whose?? life takes an extreme turn for the weird when a recently signed band member (the Muse) dies in her arms, bestowing upon Grace incredible powers. Now erroneously wanted for her killing, Grace must track down the real culprit while interacting with the Muse's friends - who?? just so happen to be a menagerie of mythological gods and monsters.

The kicker in Chorus' concept is that the story plays out in musical format, and will be packed to the brim with dramatic, powerful songs, which including branching verses dependent on your actions and dialogue choices. A concept video - which you can check out below - features Summerfall's Liam Esler and Dragon Age writer David Gaider explaining the mechanics of Chorus' mystic universe, while in-game clips feature stalwart voice actor Laura Bailey demonstrating how the lung-busting ballads will be incorporated into Chorus' gameplay.

It's an obvious comparison to make, but anyone who remembers the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Once More With Feeling" will immediately understand what Summerfall are going for with this project.

Chorus is currently crowdfunding on fig.co, where (at the time of writing) it has raised $133,000 of a $600,000 target. Summerfall is currently looking toward a PC release, though it will consider console ports if the opportunity presents itself. There's still a long way to go, unfortunately, as the team is predicting a two-year development cycle. But given the talent on-board, Chorus could prove more than worth the wait in the end.

With great looking art, slick and stylish characters, and a fascinating and unique narrative mechanic - at least where video games are concerned - I'm already sold on Chorus: An Adventure Musical. Here's hoping we'll be hearing more ??news about this intriguing new title in the near future. Oh, and Summerfall? If you need more singers, I'll warm up my drunken "Cat's in the Cradle."

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An acknowledgement to fans

BioWare's Casey Hudson hopped on stage early into The Game Awards to talk about... Anthem. Yes, Anthem. The studio's loot-driven sci-fi shooter with RPG elements that's launching in February. But fans of a certain other BioWare property -- one we recently heard rumblings about -- only needed some patience. Later on in the show, BioWare debuted a teaser trailer for the next Dragon Age.

"I suspect you have questions..." #TheDreadWolfRises pic.twitter.com/oT7L6LOFKA

— BioWare (@bioware) December 7, 2018

The short clip was a stripped-down tease??r with familiar imagery and a simple voice-over: "So, you've found me at last? I suspect you have questions." Cue #TheDreadWolfRises. That's a wrap.

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The RPG series is 'incredibly important' to the studio

BioWare is busy wrapping up Anthem, its futuristic multiplayer action-RPG centered around exosuits, but that's not about to stop us from wondering what's up with the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series.

With respect to Mass Effect, we recently saw a small news blip pop up on N7 Day: BioWare released a 4K and HDR update for Mass Effect: Andromeda on Xbox One X. It was something! Reiterating that there's still hope for the dubious series, general manager Casey Hudson said that the N7 Day festivities were "just a small part of the plans we're making for Mass Effect going forward."

On the Dragon Age front, Hudson was more concrete. "If you've been following these blogs, or myself and Mark Darrah on Twitter, you know we're also working on some secret Dragon Age stuff," he said.

"Dragon Age is an incredibly important franchise in our studio, and we're excited to continue its legacy. Look for more on this in the coming month (though I won't tell you where to look…)."

It's easy to assume that "in the coming month" is code for The Game Awards, which will air next Thursday, December 6 with at least 10 new game announcements. We already know that BioWare is planning to debut a new trailer for Anthem at th?e show. Maybe we're in for a classic one-two punch?

November Update [BioWare]

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Someone's still working on them

It might seem as if BioWare is all hands on deck for Anthem's February 2019 release. It kind of has to be. BioWare says Anthem isn't make or break for the studio, but it feels that way. Anthem needs to land.

Turns out, it's more like 99 percent hands on deck for Anthem. In a summer update, BioWare GM Casey Hudson says there are some small teams working on the future of Mass Effect and Dragon Age. "We have some teams hidden away working on some secret stuff that I think you’ll really like --?? we're just not ready to talk about any of it for a li?ttle while..." Hudson slyly remarked with regard to those two franchises.

Yeah, this isn't the time for a grand reveal of half-baked ideas about the future direction of Mass Effect and Dragon Age. But I guess it's nice to know that there's at least some activity. Mass Effect, specifically, left us on such a low note. There's finally a little bit of hope, even if it's just a sliver. Maybe this N7 Day won't be quite so sad.

Mid-Summer Update [BioWare]

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Champ's back

Dragon Age II used to be among BioWare's most derided RPGs. Derided is a stro??ng word for what was really just a divisive game. Some people loved it, but others felt it skimped on the expansive RPG elements that the developer excelled at.

It's funny how time has taken the heat off Dragon Age II. Now when talking about BioWare's greatest shortcomings, this game is no longer in the conversation. Instead, Mass Effect Andromeda and Mass Effect 3 dominate the topic. Dragon Age II is probably pretty okay by comparison! Maybe it doesn't reach the heights? that BioWare titles are capable of, but it's far from rock bottom.

Today brings a new and simple opportunity to revisit Dragon Age II. It's the latest entry in Xbox One's ever-growing list of backward compatible titles. For anyone looking to play the trilogy in one place, this means the first two games are now both backward compatible (and Dragon Age: Inquisition originally launched on current-gen platform??????????????????????????s).

To commemorate the occasio??n, BioWare put toge?ther this dance party in reverse:

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'I have every confidence that the world we've created together is in good hands'

Dragon Age creative director and longtime BioWare employee Mike Laidlaw has left the studio. He broke the news in a letter posted to Twitter this afternoon,?? noting it's simply "time to move on."

Hey Everyone,

It's with a mix of emotions that I'm announcing my time with BioWare has ended. After 14 years and a chance to work on Jade Empire, Mass Effect and all things Dragon Age it's time for me to move on.

In my time at BioWare I have been lucky to work with some of the most talented and hardworking people in the industry. It's been an honor to be a part of the Dragon Age team, and I have every c??onfidence? that the world we've created together is in good hands and I'm excited for the road ahead.

For the near future, I plan to spend my time reconnecting with all the amazing games and worlds that my peers have created, and I look forward to sha??ring those experiences with you all on Twitch and Twitter.

To everyone who's taken the time to share feed?back and experiences, your amazing cosplays and artistic creations: thank you. You've made my time "i??n Thedas" amazing. Your passion inspires and I look forward to our next adventure together.

Ma serannas.

-Mike

While Laidlaw sounds positive about the future, any sort of high-profile departure like this is bound to spur speculation and uncertainty, and that's particularly true for a company like BioWare and a series like Dragon Age. The next entry hasn't been officially announced -- BioWare has been discussing its new IP Anthem as of late -- but we have heard bits and pieces about what's in the pipeline.

Mike Laidlaw [Twitter]

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