EA's Dragon Age Failure Highlights Demand for Shared Gaming Experiences

EA CEO Andrew Wilson attributes the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard to its failure to resonate with a sufficiently broad audience. Following the game's disappointing sales, which fell nearly 50% short of EA's projections, BioWare underwent a restructuring, shifting its focus solely to Mass Effect 5. This resulted in personnel transfers from the Dragon Age team to other EA studios.

The game's development was reportedly fraught with challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel, as documented by IGN. 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 broaden their appeal. He acknowledged the game's positive critical reception but emphasized its limited audience reach within a competitive market.

This statement is perplexing given EA's prior decision to significantly overhaul Dragon Age's development, pivoting from a live-service model to a single-player experience. The success of recent single-player RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 further challenges Wilson's assertion. Many fans believe EA has drawn the wrong conclusions from The Veilguard's performance.

The future of the Dragon Age franchise appears uncertain. EA CFO Stuart Canfield linked The Veilguard's underperformance to the evolving industry landscape, justifying the resource reallocation towards Mass Effect 5. This reallocation involved a significant reduction in BioWare's staff. Canfield highlighted the industry's historical reliance on blockbuster storytelling but acknowledged the shifting market dynamics.

It's crucial to note that single-player games constitute a small fraction of EA's revenue. The company's financial success heavily relies on live-service titles (74% in the past year), with major contributions from Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, and The Sims. Future projects like Skate and the next Battlefield are also anticipated to incorporate live-service elements.