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, the game's developer, to focus solely on Mass Effect 5, saw some Veilguard staff reassigned to other EA projects.
This followed EA's announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite a "high-quality launch" and positive critical reception, fell significantly short of projected player engagement, attracting only 1.5 million players – 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 strong narratives to expand beyond the core fanbase. He implied that these features could have boosted The Veilguard's sales. However, this perspective clashes with EA's earlier decision to significantly overhaul the game's development, shifting it from a planned multiplayer title to a single-player RPG.
This has led to criticism that EA drew the wrong conclusions from The Veilguard's failure, particularly given the recent success of single-player RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3. The future of the Dragon Age franchise remains uncertain.
EA CFO Stuart Canfield commented on the BioWare restructuring, noting the reduction in staff from approximately 200 to under 100. He highlighted the shift in the industry landscape and the need to prioritize high-potential projects. It's important to remember that single-player games contribute minimally to EA's overall revenue, which heavily relies (74% in the past year) on live-service titles like Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, and The Sims, with future projects like Skate and the next Battlefield also following this model.
