EA CEO Andrew Wilson recently addressed the financial shortcomings of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, stating that it failed to appeal to a wide enough audience. Last week, EA reorganized the Dragon Age developer studio, BioWare, directing its focus solely toward Mass Effect 5. This move resulted in some employees who worked on The Veilguard being reassigned to projects at other EA studios.
This decision came after EA announced that Dragon Age: The Veilguard underperformed against expectations for the anticipated action RPG. During its latest financial quarter, EA reported that Dragon Age engaged approximately 1.5 million players, which fell short by nearly half of their projections.
IGN detailed some of the development challenges faced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including layoffs and the departure of several key project leaders throughout the process. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, BioWare staff viewed the completion of a full game as a minor miracle, given EA’s initial push for live-service elements followed by a sudden reversal.
In an investor-focused call, Wilson emphasized that EA’s role-playing games must incorporate "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside high-quality narratives to reach a broader audience. He noted that while Dragon Age: The Veilguard received positive reviews and launched well, it didn’t attract enough mainstream interest in a fiercely competitive market.
Wilson hinted that incorporating shared-world mechanics and enhanced engagement might have improved sales. However, it’s challenging to reconcile this stance with EA’s significant overhaul of the Dragon Age series, shifting it from a multiplayer-centric framework to a traditional single-player RPG. Fans argue that EA has drawn the wrong conclusions from Dragon Age: The Veilguard's performance, citing the recent success of standalone RPGs like Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3. Regardless, it seems Dragon Age is on hold for now.
EA CFO Stuart Canfield discussed the company’s decision to restructure BioWare with a focus on Mass Effect 5, reducing the studio's size significantly. Historically, narrative-driven blockbusters have been central to bringing beloved IPs to audiences, but the financial results underscore the shifting industry landscape. Live services now account for the majority of EA’s revenue, with Ultimate Team leading the charge, followed by titles like Apex Legends, The Sims, and upcoming releases such as Skate and Battlefield.
It’s evident that single-player games represent only a fraction of EA’s earnings, yet they remain crucial for maintaining a balanced portfolio.
