EA CEO Andrew Wilson has claimed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed due to its lack of live service elements.
The latest game in BioWare’s fantasy role-playing series went through ten years of development turmoil
In early November, on the eve of the crucial holiday shopping season, staffers at the video-game studio BioWare were feeling optimistic. After an excruciating development cycle, they had finally released their latest game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and the early reception was largely positive. The role-playing game was topping sales charts on Steam, and solid, if not spectacular, reviews were rolling in.
Its easy they called the die hard fans people in their nerd caves who will buy anything and then went woke to reach modern audiences....insulting the nerds in their caves along the way showing utter contempt for their fan base. very hapy it failed and any company who insults their fan base and treat their customers with contempt and insults, in future, i also hope fail.
It’s disappointing but not surprising to see what's happening with Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the broader situation at BioWare. The layoffs are tragic — no one wants to see talented developers lose their jobs. But when studios repeatedly create games that alienate their own fanbase, outcomes like this become unfortunately predictable.
There’s a pattern we’re seeing far too often: beloved franchises are revived, only to be reshaped into something almost unrecognizable. Changes are made that no one asked for, often at the expense of what originally made these games special. Then, when long-time fans express concern or lose interest, they’re told, “This game might not be for you.” But when those same fans heed that advice and don’t buy the game, suddenly they're labeled as toxic, sexist, bigoted, or worse.
Let’s be clear: the overwhelming majority of gamers have no issue with diversity, LGBTQ+ representation, or strong female leads. In fact, some of the most iconic characters in gaming — like Aloy, Ellie, or FemShep — are proof that inclusivity and excellent storytelling can and do go hand in hand. The issue arises when diversity feels performative, forced, or disconnected from the narrative — when characters or themes are inserted not to serve the story, but to satisfy a corporate DEI checklist. Audiences can tell the difference.
When studios chase approval from a vocal minority that often doesn’t even buy games — while simultaneously dismissing loyal fans who actually do — they risk not just the success of individual titles, but the health of their entire studio. Telling your core customers “don’t buy it if you don’t like it” is not a viable business strategy. Because guess what? Many of us won’t. And when the game fails commercially, blaming those very fans for not supporting it is both unfair and self-defeating.
Gamers aren’t asking for less diversity or less progress. We’re asking for better writing, thoughtful character development, and a respect for the franchises we’ve supported for decades. When you give people great games that speak to them — whether they’re old fans or new players — they will show up. But if you keep making games for people who don’t play them, don’t be surprised when those who do stop showing up
I thought the writing and character development were fine. Sometimes things just dont resonate with people.
Dragon Age star Alix Wilton Regan has given her personal response to the backlash faced by last year's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and blamed the "mixed reactions" on people who "wanted to see the game fail, or wanted to see [BioWare] fail".
Blame everyone else...yeah...great stance
Gives off that "if you didn't like it then you are clearly one of those bigoted trolls" vibe
There's not much to talk about, Bioware made a s****y Dragon Age game which was heavily dumbed down compared to their previous games.
Yes its true, some trolls were hating on it because of some silly reasons but the rest of people who actually had constructive criticism were lumped into those very same trolls to silence them.
Make anyone who actually has some valid things to say look like bad people so their criticism and opinions are automatically invalid. It's a PR move that has been going on for years, even Hollywood does it with films, it just causes fans to be at each others throats while the spotlight is taken off the games flaws and it becomes all about toxic fans. The developers then sit back, stir the pot while they get away with whatever they've done with their bad product.
@-Foxtrot hit the nail on the head. For me, and many many others, it had nothing to do with transgender inclusion or whatever.... it was the dumbed down gameplay from previous titles that turned me off! It's cowardly to hide behind the social issue backlash and refuse to accept feedback on the actual game from the rest of us. We simply did not like the new gameplay.
So who's fault is it? Probably happened at the highest level, "let's make a dragon age dumbed down so that a larger audience will enjoy it, which will make us a lot more money!" Except... that backfired. Rpg gamers want deep rpg gameplay.Word got out that it wasn't.
The problem is that we’ve wanted a true successor to DA:Origins for years and never got it. Lorian literally learned from you and now makes your games better than you.
Don’t blame us for the fact that you know exactly what to make and choose not to every single time.
Be happy you sell what you do on name alone. BioWare was my favorite company for so long…
@Joab
“Makes your games better than you?” Really? Last I checked, Bioware hasnt released a crpg since origins, so Larian is not doing anything one to one better than a fundamentally different type of game. Bioware has changed their direction, and fans are so bound to their attachment to the old Bioware, that they are becoming resentful and hateful, and worst of all…blind. Its fng up your perception.
Exactly. People are hiding behind their real reasons bs...everyone knows this game was targeted before it could be properly judged..ie before it was even released people decided to trash it.
You acting as though it's impossible to for anyone to gauge any potential red flags before a game's release, but that's not the case.
-Pre-release footage
-Title name changes
-In-house comparisons to Norse God of War
-An EA-published game that's been in development hell
I don't see the gotcha in your comment. Hell, bringing up MindsEye doesn't do you favors, given how selectively edited its trailers often are. The majority of 'hate' thrown towards MindsEye is justified skepticism.
@coolbean
That's because there is no gotcha in my comment. It's a genuine question.
Using MindsEye as an example is apropos because it's timely and the latest game to be hated.
It hasn't released and the hate I'm referring to is people straight up lying that no gameplay footage was released.
Hating games before they release isn't new. And no one is saying don't be cautious with a new IP. But you knew that already.
People originally hated the color pallette me included but I waited and wanted to look past the color scheme and what I played was solid. The characters aren't everyone's cup of tea ok I understand, but certain characters had a depth like identity struggle and navigating the world as their true self. Ok I like that character dynamic personally. I can go on but about what I liked in detail but anyway. People chose one thing to hate and ran with it and justified the reason each time leading up to release. DEI! Oh like mass effect dei same sex marriage? Where's the outrage for that all those years ago? Unwarranted amount of hate for stupid contradictory reasons. If you don't like for honest reasons ok cool respects but if it's bad faith then yeah not cool.
Now Minds Eye. I had to do some investigating. The studios biggest marketing promotion is from the creator of GTA Leslie Benzie already set themselves up for very high expectations. I know it's a way to get eyes on the game. You also have to deliver a experience that's at least on par maybe better with past GTA games. The pre orders went out with out gameplay or no real incentive to pre-order. So get your money now up front before we show anything. The "leak" and streamer showing "excitement" for the game. While comments are saying the game looks mid or at very least middling or skeptical comments. No deep dive gameplay just over a week away from Launch. They're already making road maps and promises already before the game even releases which also not a good sign. I dont hate for no reason if I see a game that looks weird I say something or I could be all wrong and the game could get a 80 meta after all. though I think it's gonna get a 57 meta personally.
There is literally dialogue of a character explaining how they need to pay reparations to another character in the form of doing push ups because they “misgendered” them. The dialogue in the game is hyper tolerant woke BS
It’s not the same as mass effect, not even close
@PanicMechanic Not how the scene played out. Isabela establishes that she made her crew do push ups if they fucked up, ( jobs, missions, anything,etc...) She misgenedered Taash and starts doing them on her own, Taash is confused until she explains it.
Now is Taash still badly written? Yes
It’s honestly frustrating to see what happened with Dragon Age: Veilguard. This is an established IP—fans knew what they wanted: a true sequel in spirit and tone to Dragon Age: Origins. Instead, Bioware overhauled the identity of the series so much that it barely resembles what made the earlier games great. Characters changing drastically, tone and gameplay shifting too far from the original formula—it just doesn’t land, and frankly, I’d argue Veilguard doesn’t even surpass Dragon Age 2.
If this had launched as a new IP, maybe expectations would’ve been different. But slapping the Dragon Age name on something that feels so disconnected only makes things worse. And once a game gets hit with that "agenda-driven" label—fairly or unfairly—it’s incredibly difficult to shake the stigma.
What makes it more frustrating is the tone from some developers. Telling fans, “This might not be for you” or “Don’t buy it if you don’t like it,” then turning around and painting criticism as toxic or bigoted when people don’t buy it—it’s not a good look. Open, respectful dialogue with the community is how the industry moves forward, not deflection or gaslighting.
Look at Black Myth: Wukong, or the excitement around Expedition 33. These games are succeeding on the merits of gameplay, world-building, and focus—not by leaning into polarizing narratives or identity marketing. Players just want well-made, fun, immersive games. It’s not that deep
This is what people do in general, especially gamers. Gamers look at things as if the devs failed them, and never ask if they themselves are the cause of the dislike for the game.
@Foxtrot again
You calling it a s****y game is constructive huh? That is demolition, not construction. Lol
They never wanted to see it fail or the game fail, they wanted to see a good game with a good story that was in line with the original. They knew we weren't going to get this so they openly criticised everything about it. AND they were proven correct. The game sucked and failed in every way. Maybe you should have listened to the fans in the first place.
Perhaps people just wanted a proper Dragon Age game, not a Disney inspired Dragon Age, with awful writing.
This game was changed from a live service to a single player game quite late in the development, I'm surprised it turned out as well as it did. The writing and the direction was screwed by EA marketing teams.
Then you had all the anti-woke psychos set loose by heavily politicised streamer grifters. How people take their directions from those nutters I will never know.
how are they grifters? are you just parroting what other people say or do you have proof
Do you have proof that they're not?
I mean just look at Rumble who are funded by people like Peter Thiel and JD Vance or Turning Point USA training right-wing influencers and and paying troll farms to brigade and mass comment right-wing talking points on social media and streaming platforms and then you have the management group Today Is America that manage over 200 influencers and creators to spread right-wing sentiment to their young audience.
Like I said, grifters.
Please feel free to look up anything I've stated.
"do you have proof that they're not"
that's not how things work bro
do you have any proof you didn't commit horrible crimes in secret?
You forgot to read the rest of the comment kid.
Like I said feel free to disprove anything I've stated.
https://www.splcenter.org/r...
https://nupoliticalreview.o...
wrong. it isn't a good dragon age game. as someone who's never played a dragon age game. I like it with no previous bias/ history. but I understand those who don't like the turn. But it's not a bad game (cheesy lines aside), it's fun to play
Dragon Age: The Veilguard was never going to be one of those games that gets "fixed" with updates, but DLC could've let the devs tell their own story.
I know everyone hates this game, but I have had a blast with it. I enjoyed the combat, characters (for the most part), and the story. Not to mention the environments are beautiful. I like this game more than dragon age 2 or inquisition.
I’m still playing through Inquisition now but will hop into Veilguard after that. I was surprised when it was added to PS+ Essentials last month. I’ll see for myself if it deserves all the hate or not.
The best thing about options and people is. Things are allowed to cater to others and they enjoy it, and it’s equally okay if you don’t individually vibe with something.
What’s not okay is over criticizing something due to your personal bias and agendas. Campaigning against harmless things that don’t truly dictate anything in your life. I’m not into dragon age games, but I never once made an agenda to tell people how “bad” each iteration is because it didn’t click for me.
This game deserves nothing more than to be buried in the annals of history, only to resurface decades later as a cautionary tale of the astonishing foolishness that prevailed in 2024.
This game was a mockery to the Dragon Age series. I lost all faith in the series thanks to this one.
I can see not liking the change in combat but that’s about the only criticism I could give it and I actually had a blast as a veil jumper archer. To each his own I’m not saying it’s the greatest game ever but it’s my favorite dragon age game since origins
That's what people say about every new Dragon Age game. Many fans almost gave up on the series after Dragon Age 2. Even more stopped caring for Inquisition because despite the high reviews, fans of the original Bioware hated the gameplay. Some players never even left the first area "The Hinterlands".
Lots of the main Bioware team is gone from years ago. The site is silly if they want to fix it they would have to re-do everything.
They might as well make a new entry. They should take fan feedback rather than ignoring them to push an agenda.
Definitely didn't feel like a Dragon Age game.
I just don’t get that critique. Graphics were great, characters were great, story was great, and I liked the combat as well. Like I said to each his own. It sucks for the people who didn’t like it, but I really enjoyed it.
The characters were great? In what universe? They were thinly disguised activists shoehorned into a fantasy setting, prioritizing forced ideology over genuine storytelling. Calling them "great' is an insult to the art of character creation. They lacked depth, relatability, and purpose—a mess that even garbage would resent being compared to.
The DLC was supposed to feature a blond haired dude, with orange skin, that bans all woke nonsense from the game.
No. We all know why it failed and why it underperformed by over 50% of internal estimates. If you had have added a live service element it would have made it an even bigger failure because that would have meant that you put more into the budget and your losses would have been even bigger.
If you want to look at why, then maybe look at the director you chose. Or the writers and what type of crap they were writing. The whole thing was a waste of time and money. Now Dragon Age is well and truly dead. Let's hope they don't utterly destroy the new Mass Effect.
Good f****** grief
Are they this stupid or do they know the real reason and are using this as an excuse to put in live service elements?
Anthem was live service and it bombed so clearly it’s not the answer.
And people have faith for Battlefield…
Lol, what?
Lol this shows what we already know. EA is run by idiots. What a joke.
There are a lot of reasons why Veilguard failed and it would have failed even worse if there were live service elements he is trying to save face with lame excuses