EA CEO: Dragon Age Failure Reveals 'Shared-World Feature' Preference

EA CEO Andrew Wilson attributes the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard to its failure to connect with a sufficiently broad audience. Last week's restructuring of BioWare, focusing solely on Mass Effect 5, saw personnel shifts from the Dragon Age team to other EA projects.

This followed EA's announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite a reported 1.5 million players during the recent financial quarter, fell significantly short of projected engagement figures (almost 50% below expectations). IGN previously documented various development challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, BioWare staff considered the game's completion a remarkable feat, given EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed.

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

This statement implies that incorporating shared-world elements and increased engagement might have improved sales. However, this perspective contrasts with EA's support for BioWare's substantial Dragon Age overhaul, transforming it from a planned multiplayer game into a single-player RPG.

Many fans criticize EA's interpretation of The Veilguard's failure, citing the recent success of single-player RPGs like Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3. The future of the Dragon Age franchise remains uncertain.

EA CFO Stuart Canfield linked BioWare's restructuring (reducing its workforce to under 100 from approximately 200) and focus on Mass Effect 5 to the changing industry landscape, emphasizing the reallocation of resources to high-potential projects. He highlighted the shift away from traditional blockbuster storytelling, noting the financial performance of The Veilguard as indicative of this trend.

It's crucial to note that single-player games constitute a small fraction of EA's revenue. The majority (74% in the past year) stems from live-service titles, including Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, and The Sims, with future projects like Skate and the next Battlefield also expected to follow this model.