EA Advised to Emulate Baldur’s Gate 3 Developer by Dragon Age Co-Creator

Recent comments from EA CEO Andrew Wilson on Dragon Age: The Veilguard have sparked reactions from former BioWare developers. During a financial call, Wilson stated that the game failed to "resonate with a broad enough audience," despite engaging 1.5 million players in its recent quarter, which was significantly below EA's expectations. This led to a restructuring at BioWare, shifting focus entirely to Mass Effect 5, with some staff moved to other projects and others laid off.

EA's decision followed a series of challenges during Dragon Age: The Veilguard's development, including layoffs, the departure of several project leads, and a mid-development shift from a multiplayer to a single-player RPG, as reported by IGN and Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. Wilson suggested that BioWare's RPGs need "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside high-quality narratives to meet EA's success metrics.

In response, David Gaider, the creator of Dragon Age's setting and former narrative lead at BioWare, criticized EA's interpretation of The Veilguard's performance. Gaider, now at Summerfall Studios, argued that attributing the game's underperformance to a lack of live-service elements is shortsighted. He advised EA to focus on what Dragon Age did best, citing the success of Baldur's Gate 3 as an example of how a primarily single-player RPG can thrive.

Mike Laidlaw, former creative director on Dragon Age and now at Yellow Brick Games, echoed Gaider's sentiments. Laidlaw stated that he would quit rather than fundamentally change a beloved single-player game into a multiplayer-focused title, hinting at past pressures from EA to do just that.

With BioWare now fully committed to Mass Effect 5 under the leadership of series veterans, EA CFO Stuart Canfield emphasized the importance of reallocating resources to high-potential opportunities. The restructuring has reduced BioWare's workforce significantly, signaling a shift in the company's focus away from Dragon Age.