The future of the Dragon Age franchise appears grim, according to Mark Darrah, former executive producer on Dragon Age: Origins through Inquisition. Darrah suggests that Electronic Arts' approach to game development, which he likens to "a hedge fund with a videogame hobby," makes it improbable for a new Dragon Age title to ever be greenlit. He believes the series is "probably dead and buried."
Darrah's skepticism stems from EA's internal dynamics and its perceived lack of understanding or long-term commitment to narrative-driven RPGs like Dragon Age. In an interview with FRVR, he explained that the difficulty in making games at EA is exacerbated by the company's complex relationship with shipping products. "Someone once described to me EA as a hedge fund with a videogame hobby that it wished it didn’t spend so much money on. And I think that remains true," Darrah stated.
He further elaborated that the "frightening number" of dormant intellectual properties owned by EA leaves him with "no concept of who could, would, possibly pitch [a new Dragon Age game] at EA." Even if an external studio were to propose a new Dragon Age game, Darrah anticipates internal resistance from BioWare itself, where individuals might actively work against such a proposal to protect the studio's established IP.
This outlook is compounded by recent events, including the underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which failed to meet sales targets. Furthermore, speculation surrounding a potential takeover of EA by Saudi Arabia, involving billions in debt, could place any non-essential games at further risk. Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that EA executives likely view Dragon Age as non-essential due to a fundamental lack of understanding of its appeal, even treating successful installments like Dragon Age: Inquisition as mere "flukes."
Despite the bleak outlook for Dragon Age, BioWare is reportedly still working on a new Mass Effect game. However, the producer's comments cast doubt on the viability of EA's commitment to nurturing its major RPG franchises for the long term.