EA CEO: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Missed Broad Appeal, Gamers Crave Shared-World Features

EA CEO Andrew Wilson has recently discussed the commercial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, noting that the game failed to "resonate with a broad enough audience." This statement comes in the wake of EA's decision to restructure Dragon Age developer BioWare, shifting their focus exclusively to Mass Effect 5. As a result, some team members who worked on The Veilguard have been reassigned to other projects within EA's network of studios.

The decision to pivot was influenced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard's disappointing engagement numbers. EA reported that the game attracted 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, a figure that fell short of the company's expectations by nearly 50%.

The development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard was not without its challenges. IGN detailed various hurdles, including layoffs and the departure of several key project leads at different stages of the project. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier noted that BioWare staff considered it a "miracle" that the game was released in a complete state, given EA's initial push towards incorporating live-service elements, which were later reversed.

During an investor-focused financial call, Wilson elaborated on the broader implications for EA's approach to role-playing games. He emphasized the need for these games to incorporate "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside high-quality narratives to meet the evolving demands of players and expand their audience.

Wilson acknowledged that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had a high-quality launch and received positive reviews from critics and players. However, he pointed out that the game did not capture a wide enough market in the highly competitive gaming industry. His comments suggest that the inclusion of shared-world features might have enhanced the game's appeal and sales performance.

This perspective raises questions about EA's strategic decisions, particularly since BioWare had shifted Dragon Age from a multiplayer framework to a single-player RPG, a move that IGN reported on extensively. Fans have expressed concern that EA may be drawing the wrong conclusions from The Veilguard's performance, especially given the success of recent single-player RPGs like Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3.

With Dragon Age seemingly on indefinite hiatus, attention now turns to Mass Effect 5. EA CFO Stuart Canfield discussed the company's decision to refocus BioWare's efforts on this project, which involved reducing the studio's workforce from 200 to fewer than 100 people. Canfield highlighted the evolving nature of the gaming industry and the necessity of reallocating resources to maximize potential opportunities.

It's important to note that single-player games constitute only a small fraction of EA's revenue, with live service games contributing the majority (74% over the last year). EA's successful live service titles, such as Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, and The Sims, along with upcoming projects like Skate and the next Battlefield, underscore the company's ongoing commitment to this model.