EA CEO Says Dragon Age: The Veilguard Failed to 'Resonate With a Broad Audience,' Gamers Increasingly Want 'Shared-World Features'

EA CEO Andrew Wilson attributes the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard to its failure to connect with a wider audience. Last week's restructuring of BioWare, focusing solely on Mass Effect 5, saw personnel shifts from the Dragon Age team to other EA projects.

EA's financial report revealed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite a reported 1.5 million players, fell significantly short of projected engagement, nearly 50% below expectations. IGN previously documented development challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, BioWare staff viewed the game's completion as a remarkable achievement given EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed.

Wilson, in an investor call, suggested that future RPGs require "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside strong narratives to broaden appeal. He praised the game's quality and critical reception but noted its limited audience reach in a competitive market. This statement implies that incorporating shared-world elements could have boosted sales, a perspective complicated by EA's prior decision to significantly overhaul the Dragon Age development, shifting from a planned multiplayer game to a single-player experience.

This perceived misinterpretation of the Dragon Age: The Veilguard outcome is echoed by fans, who point to the success of recent single-player RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3. The future of Dragon Age remains uncertain.

EA CFO Stuart Canfield linked BioWare's restructuring, reducing its size significantly, to the evolving gaming landscape and the need to prioritize high-potential projects. He highlighted the shift away from traditional blockbuster storytelling towards a focus on live-service models, which currently constitute 74% of EA's revenue, driven largely by Ultimate Team and contributions from titles like Apex Legends and The Sims. Future EA titles, including the upcoming Skate and the next Battlefield, are also expected to incorporate live-service elements.