Dragon Age Co-Creator Offers EA Some Advice: Follow Baldur’s Gate 3 Developer Larian’s Lead

Former BioWare developers have voiced their opinions on the underperformance of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and EA CEO Andrew Wilson's comments regarding its failure to resonate with a wider audience.

During an earnings call, Wilson attributed the game's poor performance to its failure to attract a broad enough player base. This followed EA's restructuring of BioWare, focusing solely on Mass Effect 5, resulting in staff transfers and layoffs. EA reported that Dreadwolf engaged only 1.5 million players, significantly below projections.

IGN previously documented Dreadwolf's troubled development, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, BioWare employees considered the game's completion a miracle given EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed.

Wilson suggested that BioWare's RPGs require "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside strong narratives to achieve EA's desired level of success. He acknowledged the game's high-quality launch and positive reviews but emphasized its limited appeal in a competitive market.

Many interpreted Wilson's comments as suggesting that incorporating shared-world features and increased engagement could have boosted sales. However, as previously reported by IGN, a development reboot, initiated by EA, transformed Dreadwolf from a planned multiplayer game into a single-player RPG.

Former BioWare developers have taken to social media to share their perspectives. David Gaider, former narrative lead on Dragon Age, criticized EA's conclusion that the game's failure stemmed from a lack of live-service elements, calling it short-sighted and self-serving. He argued that EA should focus on the core strengths that made the franchise successful, citing Baldur's Gate 3's success as an example of a predominantly single-player RPG that achieved significant popularity.

Mike Laidlaw, former creative director on Dragon Age, expressed his strong disagreement with the idea of fundamentally altering the core single-player experience to incorporate purely multiplayer elements, stating he would likely resign if faced with such a demand.

The outcome of these events suggests the future of the Dragon Age franchise is uncertain, with BioWare now fully committed to Mass Effect 5. EA CFO Stuart Canfield acknowledged the shifting industry landscape and the need to reallocate resources towards high-potential projects, highlighting the financial underperformance of Dreadwolf as a factor in this decision. The restructuring reportedly reduced BioWare's workforce from 200 to under 100 employees.