Following layoffs at BioWare impacting key Dragon Age: Dreadwolf developers, a former writer offered reassurance to fans, stating, "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."
EA's restructuring of BioWare to prioritize Mass Effect 5 resulted in some Dreadwolf team members transferring to other EA studios, while others faced layoffs. This followed EA's announcement of Dreadwolf's underperformance, reporting only 1.5 million engaged players – significantly below projections. It remains unclear whether this figure represents unit sales, includes EA Play Pro subscribers, or accounts for a free trial period.
The combination of EA's announcement, BioWare's restructuring, and the layoffs fueled concerns within the Dragon Age community about the franchise's future. With no planned DLC for Dreadwolf and development concluding, the series appeared dormant.
However, Sheryl Chee, a former senior writer on Dreadwolf (now working on Motive's Iron Man project), shared a message of hope on social media. She acknowledged the challenges faced by her team but emphasized her continued employment. Responding to a fan's concerns, she highlighted the enduring power of fan contributions: "DA isn't dead because it's yours now." She cited fan fiction, art, and the community built around the games as evidence of the franchise's continued life beyond EA/BioWare's ownership of the IP. She underscored that the impact of Dragon Age lies in its ability to inspire creative endeavors within the fanbase.
The Dragon Age series, launched with 2010's Dragon Age: Origins, followed by Dragon Age 2 (2011) and Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014), experienced a significant gap before Dreadwolf's release. In contrast to Dreadwolf's performance, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed that Inquisition sold over 12 million copies, exceeding EA's expectations.
While EA hasn't explicitly declared the end of Dragon Age, the future of the franchise remains uncertain given BioWare's current focus on Mass Effect 5. EA confirmed a dedicated team at BioWare is developing Mass Effect 5, led by veterans from the original trilogy. They declined to disclose specific team numbers but asserted sufficient personnel are in place for the project's current developmental stage.
