The cool-sounding Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is now the much less cool-sounding Dragon Age: The Veilguard
The player's companions are now the main focus of the game.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf (aka the fourth Dragon Age) is now Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and we're getting a gameplay reveal next week, plus BioWare is finally opening up about the overall direction for the game.
The announcement, along with some details plus an explanation of why 'Dreadwolf' was dropped, came via the official BioWare blog. Additionally, IGN has an exclusive, in-depth look at some story details and some juicy teases straight from BioWare GM Gary McKay.
"Each of the seven unique characters that make up your companions will have deep and compelling storylines where the decisions you make will impact your relationships with them – as well as their lives. You’ll unite this team of unforgettable heroes as you take on a terrifying new threat unleashed on the world. Naturally, the Dread Wolf still has an important part in this tale, but you and your companions – not your enemies – are the heart of this new experience," the BioWare post teases. Maybe it's because of the recent success of Baldur's Gate 3 and its approach to companions, which, funnily enough, built upon what BioWare (and not just Larian) had done in past Dragon Age installments.
Regardless, it's abundantly clear from the post and the interview with IGN that BioWare wants to return to its widely acclaimed roots with this game, and a central part of that is nurturing the party members we'll encounter in our new adventure and the relationships that can be developed. After Mass Effect Andromeda underwhelming and poor Anthem straight-up failing to take off after a confused development, Dragon Age: Inquisition was left as BioWare's last great game, and hopefully its sequel will be able to recapture that magic.
"The biggest clue I can share is that you and your companions – that make up The Veilguard – are central to taking down a new evil threat unleashed upon Thedas. It might not just be Solas," added McKay. It also seems that the overall story might have evolved over the years while retaining the central conflict teased at the end of the Trespasser DLC, which served as Inquisition's epilogue. As for the number of companions, pared down from nine to seven, McKay says it's the "right number for the story we’re telling," as "each one is intended to represent a unique faction or element from Thedas."
EA and BioWare are also claiming that newcomers won't need to play through all the previous games in order to jump into this story even though it's still very much a follow-up to Inquisition: "The previous games, characters and events aren’t the anchor of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. It’s about your adventure with a brand new cast of companions that you must rally to fight against a powerful force."
Regarding the gameplay, we'll see much of what The Veilguard has to offer on Tuesday, June 11th at 8:00am PT, when the first-ever gameplay demo, which runs for 15 minutes, is released at the Dragon Age YouTube channel. For now, however, McKay says the overall system has been pushed forward like in each past entry, and they're introducing "a new ability wheel where you can pause the action and set up your next move – whether it’s your companions’ abilities or your own," which may work in tandem with a more dynamic, real-time (but tactical) combat system like in past entries.
Stay tuned for more on Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a massive RPG which will surely make waves in the coming months as the gameplay demo hits and more details arrive. While we don't have a concrete release date yet, EA recently noted they're targeting an early 2025 release at the latest.