"EA CEO: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Failed to Connect, Gamers Crave Shared-World Features"

EA CEO Andrew Wilson has recently addressed the financial underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, admitting that the game failed to "resonate with a broad enough audience." This statement comes in the wake of EA's decision to restructure Dragon Age developer BioWare, shifting its focus exclusively to Mass Effect 5. As a result, some of the team members who worked on The Veilguard have been reassigned to projects at other EA studios.

The disappointing performance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard was highlighted by EA's announcement that the game only engaged 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, a figure that fell nearly 50% short of the company's expectations. This underwhelming reception prompted EA to reevaluate its strategy for the franchise.

IGN has documented several development challenges faced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including layoffs and the departure of key project leads at various stages. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier noted that BioWare staff considered it a "miracle" that the game was released at all, given EA's initial push for a live-service model which was later abandoned.

During an investor-focused financial call, Wilson emphasized the need for EA's role-playing games to incorporate "shared-world features and deeper engagement" alongside high-quality narratives. He suggested that these elements could help such games appeal to a wider audience. Wilson remarked, "In order to break out beyond the core audience, games need to directly connect to the evolving demands of players who increasingly seek shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives in this beloved category."

Despite receiving positive reviews from critics and players, Wilson noted that Dragon Age: The Veilguard did not capture a large enough market share in the highly competitive gaming industry. This observation has led some to question EA's strategic direction, especially considering the game's shift from a multiplayer framework to a single-player RPG.

Fans have expressed concern that EA may have drawn the wrong conclusions from The Veilguard's performance, particularly when compared to the success of recent single-player RPGs like Larian's Baldur's Gate 3. With Dragon Age seemingly on indefinite hiatus, attention now turns to Mass Effect 5.

EA CFO Stuart Canfield discussed the restructuring of BioWare to prioritize Mass Effect 5, which has reportedly involved reducing the studio's workforce from 200 to less than 100 employees. He stated, "Historically, blockbuster storytelling has been the primary way our industry bought beloved IP to players. The game's financial performance highlights the evolving industry landscape and reinforces the importance of our actions to reallocate resources towards our most significant and highest potential opportunities."

It's important to note that single-player games constitute a small fraction of EA's total revenue, with the majority (74% over the last 12 months) coming from live service models. EA's successful live service offerings, such as Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, and The Sims, along with upcoming titles like Skate and the next Battlefield, underscore the company's strategic focus on this lucrative segment of the market.