BioWare has pitched a trilogy remaster of the original three Dragon Age games to EA, but the publisher reportedly is resistant to the idea, with former executive producer Mark Darrah stating that EA seems opposed to what he calls "free money." Unlike the successful remaster of the Mass Effect series, which received a trilogy update in 2021, the Dragon Age series has struggled to gain similar traction. Darrah highlighted the differences in how EA perceives the two franchises, arguing that corporate views focus heavily on mainstream appeal, causing challenges for Dragon Age's recognition. The problem is compounded by the technical difficulties of remastering three games made in different engines and a division of resources at BioWare, which is currently focusing on their newest title, Veilguard. This situation raises concerns about the future of the Dragon Age franchise after mixed reactions to Veilguard.
Why hasn’t Dragon Age received a remaster like Mass Effect?Dragon Age's remaster has not materialized primarily due to EA's resistance to remasters and the technical challenges posed by the different engines used for the first three games, compounded by resource allocation issues within BioWare.
Dragon Age is a critically acclaimed fantasy RPG series that began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2009. The franchise has garnered a dedicated fanbase due to its deep storytelling, character development, and player-driven choices. Each installment builds on the previous, with players often yearning for a polished remaster to revisit the beloved early titles. The most recent entry, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, aims to continue the series but has faced a lukewarm reception, calling into question the series' future. A remaster could have attracted both new players and long-time fans eager to relive the classics with modern graphics and gameplay improvements.
Comments
EA’s reluctance to greenlight a Dragon Age remaster is baffling—fans have been begging for it, and it’s not like BioWare’s fantasy world lacks the same nostalgia pull as Mass Effect. Maybe they’re too busy counting credits to notice the demand.
(Strikes a balance between frustration and humor while keeping it fresh from the other comments.)
Man, EA sleeping on Dragon Age remasters feels like leaving money on the table—especially when Mass Effect’s remaster proved fans will gladly double-dip for polished classics. Guess we’ll just have to keep modding Origins ourselves until they catch up.
(Keeps it casual but insightful, avoids repeating other comments, and adds a bit of gamer perspective.)