EA CEO Says Dragon Age: The Veilguard Failed to 'Resonate With a Broad Audience,' Gamers Increasingly Want 'Shared-World Features'

EA CEO Andrew Wilson attributes the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard to its failure to resonate with a sufficiently broad audience. This followed a restructuring of BioWare, the developer, to focus solely on Mass Effect 5, resulting in staff reassignments across other EA studios.

EA's financial report revealed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite a reported 1.5 million players, fell significantly short of projected engagement figures—nearly 50% below expectations. IGN previously documented development challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, BioWare staff viewed the game's completion as a remarkable feat given EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed.

Wilson, in an investor call, suggested that future role-playing games require "shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives" to expand beyond their core audience. He acknowledged the game's positive critical reception but highlighted its limited market reach.

This perspective is questionable, considering EA's earlier mandated reboot of Dragon Age, transforming it from a planned multiplayer game into a single-player RPG. This decision, coupled with the recent success of single-player titles like Baldur's Gate 3, has led fans to criticize EA's post-mortem analysis. The future of the Dragon Age franchise appears uncertain.

EA CFO Stuart Canfield further elaborated on the BioWare restructuring, noting the reduction in staff from approximately 200 to under 100, focusing resources on Mass Effect 5. He emphasized the shifting industry landscape and the necessity of prioritizing high-potential projects.

It's crucial to note that single-player games contribute minimally to EA's overall revenue. Live service games, predominantly driven by Ultimate Team but also including titles like Apex Legends and The Sims, constitute a substantial 74% of EA's revenue over the past year. Future projects like Skate and the next Battlefield are also planned as live-service titles.