EA's Andrew Wilson attributes the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard to its failure to attract a sufficiently wide 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.
EA's financial report revealed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite a reported 1.5 million players, fell significantly short of projections (nearly 50%). IGN previously documented various development hurdles, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported that BioWare staff considered the game's completion 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 need "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside strong narratives to broaden appeal. He acknowledged the game's positive critical reception but emphasized its limited audience reach in a competitive market. This statement contrasts with EA's prior support for BioWare's pivot to a single-player Dragon Age experience, a reboot that abandoned earlier plans for a multiplayer game.
Fan reaction suggests EA may have misconstrued the lessons from The Veilguard's failure, citing the recent success of single-player titles like Baldur's Gate 3. The future of Dragon Age remains uncertain.
EA CFO Stuart Canfield linked BioWare's restructuring (reportedly reducing staff from 200 to under 100) to the evolving gaming landscape, emphasizing the reallocation of resources to high-potential projects. He noted that while blockbuster storytelling has traditionally driven success, The Veilguard's performance underscores the industry's shift.
It's crucial to remember that single-player games contribute minimally to EA's overall revenue, which heavily relies (74% in the last year) on live-service titles like Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, and The Sims. Future projects like Skate and the next Battlefield are also expected to incorporate live-service elements.
