Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Fact check: Dragon Age The Vielguard was a financial failure for Bioware. Given their insistance on pushing the game in a direction that fans did not want, they deserve their failure.
1. Summary of the results
The claim about Dragon Age: The Veilguard being a financial failure is well-supported by multiple sources. The game reached only 1.5 million players in its first two months, falling approximately 50% below EA's internal expectations [1]. This number includes EA Play Pro subscription users, meaning actual sales were even lower [1]. For context, this performance stands in stark contrast to previous titles like Dragon Age: Inquisition, which sold over 12 million copies [1]. The financial underperformance had significant consequences, leading to substantial studio cuts that reduced BioWare to less than 100 employees [2] and resulted in the departure of key staff members, including game director Corinne Busche [3].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original statement overlooks important nuances in the game's reception. While it may have been a commercial disappointment, some reviewers actually praised the game's quality. Positive reviews highlighted the game's gameplay, graphics, storytelling, and character creation systems [4]. The financial failure might be attributed to various factors beyond just fan dissatisfaction, including:
- Watered-down RPG elements
- Inappropriate tone
- Departure from the original Dragon Age style [5]
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The statement's claim that Bioware "deserves their failure" represents a potentially oversimplified narrative. Several stakeholders are affected by this situation:
- Electronic Arts (EA) as the publisher, facing financial losses
- BioWare employees who lost their jobs due to subsequent layoffs [2]
- Fans of the series who may have different opinions about the game's direction
The original statement's emotional tone about the developer "deserving" failure ignores the human cost of the situation, particularly the job losses and studio downsizing [2]. While the game's commercial failure is factual, the assertion about fan rejection is more complex, as evidenced by some positive critical reception [4].