EA CEO Andrew Wilson recently addressed the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, stating that the game failed to "resonate with a broad enough audience." This comes after EA restructured Dragon Age developer BioWare to focus exclusively on Mass Effect 5, leading to some team members being reassigned to other projects within EA studios.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard's disappointing performance was evident in EA's recent financial quarter, where the game engaged only 1.5 million players—a figure nearly 50% lower than the company's projections. IGN has documented the game's development challenges, which included layoffs and the departure of several project leads at various stages. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier noted that BioWare staff considered it a miracle that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released as a complete game, especially after EA's initial push for a live-service model, which was later reversed.
During an investor-focused financial call, Wilson emphasized that role-playing games need to incorporate "shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives" to appeal to a wider audience. He suggested that Dragon Age: The Veilguard's lack of these elements contributed to its failure to attract a larger player base in the highly competitive market. However, this stance seems contradictory given that EA supported BioWare's shift from a multiplayer-focused game to a single-player RPG, as reported by IGN.
Fans have expressed concerns that EA may be drawing the wrong conclusions from Dragon Age: The Veilguard's performance, especially in light of the recent success of single-player RPGs like Larian's Baldur's Gate 3. The future of Dragon Age appears uncertain, but the spotlight now shifts to Mass Effect 5.
EA CFO Stuart Canfield discussed the decision to restructure BioWare, which has seen the studio's workforce reduced from 200 to less than 100 people, to focus on the next Mass Effect. Canfield highlighted the evolving industry landscape and the necessity to reallocate resources toward high-potential opportunities. It's important to note that single-player games constitute a small fraction of EA's revenue, with the majority (74% in the last 12 months) coming from live service titles, including Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, The Sims, and the upcoming Skate and Battlefield games.
