David Gaider, the veteran writer who served as lead on the first three Dragon Age games, doesn't believe the fantasy series has a future while under the ownership of Electronic Arts. In a recent discussion, the former BioWare developer expressed skepticism regarding the franchise’s potential, even as he admitted he would be open to taking the reins if the opportunity ever arose.
BioWare’s current priorities have shifted significantly following the launch of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in late 2024. After a development cycle marked by turmoil and a subsequent downsizing of the studio, the remaining staff are now focused on the next Mass Effect. With no word on when that project will arrive, the studio has effectively moved on, leaving the Dragon Age series in what appears to be a long-term hiatus.
Could the Series Ever Return?
For Gaider, the history of the series under EA was always precarious. "Throughout the entire time I was there, we were always one breath away from the project being shelved," Gaider told PC Gamer. He noted that the team consistently outperformed publisher expectations, which was the only reason the series survived as long as it did. "The thing that happened is that we kept releasing games, and it would sell much better than they thought it should, and it kept surprising them."
That pattern broke with The Veilguard. EA reported that the game reached 1.5 million players during its first three months on sale—a figure that represents only half of the publisher's internal expectations. By comparison, Dragon Age: Inquisition remains BioWare’s best-selling title, having shifted 12 million units.
Gaider’s Take on a Potential Revival
Despite his pessimism regarding EA's involvement, Gaider did contemplate what a hypothetical return to the series might look like under his guidance. "I do like a challenge," he said. "So if, out of some weird alignment of the stars, somebody handed the Dragon Age franchise back to me and said, 'Breathe the life back into this baby', that'd be a tough one, but I think that'd be an interesting thing to do."
If he were to return, Gaider indicated he would pivot away from the tone of The Veilguard, which faced criticism for its writing and character portrayals. "[I'd] go back to the basics of what made Dragon Age appeal to so many people in the first place," he explained. "And go somewhere dark and dangerous, and do things that will make people upset. I think that's what I would want to do with it."
While the future of the series remains bleak from a corporate standpoint, some within BioWare have sought to frame the situation differently. Sheryl Chee, a senior writer on The Veilguard who has since moved to Motive to work on Iron Man, previously offered words of reassurance to fans, noting that the series "isn't dead because it's yours now," suggesting that the franchise's life may continue through community-driven efforts like fan fiction and artwork.
For now, The Veilguard stands as the final word on the major plotlines that have defined the Dragon Age series to date, serving as a capstone that, while mixed in its reception, brought a close to the long-standing narrative threads involving characters like Solas.