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 recent financial report revealed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite a reported 1.5 million players, significantly missed projected engagement figures, falling nearly 50% short. 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 feat considering EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed.

Wilson, in an investor call, suggested future RPGs require "shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives" to broaden appeal. He acknowledged the game's critical acclaim but highlighted its limited audience reach in a competitive market. This statement implies that incorporating these features might have improved sales, a perspective complicated by EA's prior mandate for a BioWare Dragon Age reboot that ultimately shifted the game to a single-player focus.

Fan reaction suggests EA may have misconstrued the lessons from The Veilguard's performance, pointing to the success of recent single-player RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3. The future of Dragon Age remains uncertain.

EA CFO Stuart Canfield addressed the BioWare restructuring, noting the shift towards Mass Effect 5, which involved significant staff reductions. He emphasized the changing industry landscape and the strategic reallocation of resources to maximize potential.

It's crucial to remember that single-player games represent a small fraction of EA's revenue. Live service games, particularly Ultimate Team, contribute the majority (74% in the past year), with significant contributions from titles like Apex Legends and The Sims. Future EA titles, such as the upcoming Skate and the next Battlefield, are also expected to follow this live-service model.