Following layoffs at BioWare impacting key Dragon Age: The Veilguard developers, a former writer offered reassurance to fans, stating, "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."

This week's EA restructuring prioritized Mass Effect 5, reassigning some Veilguard staff to other EA studios. Game Developer reported John Epler, Veilguard's creative director, transitioned to Full Circle's Skate project. However, other developers confirmed layoffs.

This followed EA's announcement of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's underperformance, reporting 1.5 million engaged players—significantly below projections. Importantly, EA didn't specify if this figure represented unit sales or included EA Play Pro subscribers and free trial participants.

The combination of EA's announcement, BioWare's restructuring, and confirmed layoffs fueled fan concerns about the Dragon Age franchise's future. The Veilguard lacks planned DLC, and BioWare's involvement concluded last week with what appeared to be its final major update.

However, Sheryl Chee, a senior writer who moved from BioWare to Motive Studios to work on Iron Man, offered a message of hope on social media. She acknowledged the challenges of the past two years but emphasized her continued employment. Responding to a fan expressing concern over Dragon Age's demise, Chee highlighted the franchise's enduring connection with its fans:

"But DA isn't dead. There's fic. There's art. There's the connections we made through the games and because of the games. Technically EA/BioWare owns the IP but you can't own an idea, no matter how much they want to. DA isn't dead because it's yours now."

She further emphasized fan creativity as a continuation of the Dragon Age legacy, citing fan-created content as evidence of the franchise's enduring spirit.

The Dragon Age series began with 2010's Dragon Age: Origins, followed by Dragon Age 2 (2011) and Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014). The Veilguard's release marked a decade-long gap between sequels. In September, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed Dragon Age: Inquisition's sales significantly exceeded EA's internal projections.

While EA hasn't declared Dragon Age defunct, the future of the series remains uncertain given BioWare's current focus on Mass Effect 5. EA assured IGN that a dedicated team is developing Mass Effect 5, led by veterans from the original trilogy. They declined to share specific numbers but asserted the team is adequately staffed.