A full original Dragon Age trilogy remaster or remake is unlikely to happen, according to former BioWare series producer Mark Darrah. Speaking on a podcast interview, Darrah explained that while such a collection would likely sell well, the odds of development are low because nobody inside or outside BioWare understands the proprietary technology powering the older entries.

Quick Facts

  • Source: Former BioWare series producer Mark Darrah speaking on an FRVR podcast interview.
  • Engines involved: Dragon Age: Origins used the Eclipse Engine, Dragon Age 2 used the Lycium Engine, and Dragon Age: Inquisition used DICE's Frostbite Engine.
  • Past pitch: Darrah previously pitched a "Champion's Trilogy" concept using Frostbite tools and an external mod house.

Engine Hurdles and the Mass Effect Comparison

Unlike the Mass Effect trilogy, which ran on Epic's publicly licensed Unreal Engine that is well-understood across the industry, the Dragon Age series relied on multiple proprietary engines. Dragon Age: Origins utilized the Eclipse Engine (an updated Aurora variant), Dragon Age 2 ran on the Lycium Engine, and Dragon Age: Inquisition shifted to DICE's Frostbite Engine. Merging three games built on entirely different proprietary tech into a single remaster package presents a significant technical hurdle.

Darrah noted that essentially no one at BioWare or elsewhere in the industry understands the Aurora Engine anymore, meaning a remaster would require building a brand-new team within BioWare specifically to master the legacy tools.

The "Champion's Trilogy" Pitch

During his time at BioWare, Darrah did pitch a retroactive "Champion's Trilogy" that would group the first three games together around key figures. The original plan involved creating Frostbite tools and employing a talented mod house to handle a remake of Dragon Age: Origins.

Darrah briefly returned to BioWare in 2023 as a consultant on Dragon Age: The Veilguard before leaving his long-term role in 2020. Current development at BioWare focuses primarily on the next Mass Effect following recent studio layoffs and EA's broader cost-cutting measures.