
If you’re a Dragon Age fan who’s ever felt like your favorite franchise was being short-changed, you’re not alone. Former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah recently opened up about the chaotic early days of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and let’s just say, it’s a story full of twists, turns, and a dash of corporate shenanigans.
Behind the Veil: Early Development and a Jerk-Tastic Experience Darrah’s candid chat on his YouTube channel takes us back to around 2017—a year he refers to as “the most impactful 12 months in BioWare’s history.” Picture this: a brilliant team all set to create yet another legendary entry in the Dragon Age series, only to feel like they were being “jerked around” by EA and BioWare, who just weren’t on board with giving them the support they needed. The plan was simple—shift resources from Mass Effect: Andromeda to the new Dragon Age—but things didn’t quite go as expected.
Leadership Hiccups & Resource Rifts It all kicked off in late 2016 when Darrah was pulled into the whirlwind of wrapping up Mass Effect: Andromeda. His recollections are eye-opening: as the Dragon Age team watched their resources get siphoned away, they felt abandoned and unsupported. Darrah points out, “This was the first time where we had this leadership discontinuity, where the person in charge of a project left that project to help someone else…” He emphasizes that, even though the Andromeda stint was brief, it set a dangerous precedent—running a project without key leadership is like trying to slay an archdemon without a sword.
Meanwhile, as Mass Effect: Andromeda launched in March 2017 (in a fashion that, by Darrah’s words… “doesn’t go well”), the studio was still in flux after a major structural shake-up at EA. New leadership was breathing down the necks of every project with fresh, hyper-focused energy—only, the interest in Dragon Age was not nearly as fervent as the passion its fans (and the game itself) deserved. Despite reassurances from EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson and former EA exec Patrick Söderlund on the franchise’s importance, the promised resources never fully materialized. Instead, the drama intensified when BioWare staff discovered that industry legend Casey Hudson was being brought back without even consulting Darrah, the second-most senior person at the studio. Talk about a power move without a heads-up!
Resource Tug-of-War, Anthem Ambitions, and the Fallout In the midst of all this internal chaos, Darrah predicted that the studio would pivot its focus to Anthem—a hunch that turned out to be more than just a passing thought. As EA’s interest in Anthem soared (despite its eventual troubled launch in 2019), the numbers and resources meant for Dragon Age: The Veilguard were consistently pulled into another gravitational field. Imagine having a cherished project slowly morph into a different beast because you’re always on the back foot, constantly feeling like your trust is being “constantly hammered” and “constantly challenged.” That’s the raw, unfiltered account Darrah gives on how fundamental changes were forced upon The Veilguard throughout 2019.
The Launch and the Legacy Despite all the organizational rollercoaster and resource theft, Dragon Age: The Veilguard finally made its grand entrance in late 2024. Critics warmly embraced the game—IGN even dropped a solid 9/10 in our review—proclaiming it a fantastic fantasy RPG gem. Yet, EA’s narrative was slightly different. In February, the company remarked that the game failed to “resonate with a broad enough audience,” a comment that didn’t sit too well with former developers, some of whom have even advocated that EA take notes from Larian Studios—the creative minds behind Baldur’s Gate 3.
As if that weren’t enough, the fallout from these turbulent times was palpable. A significant number of Dragon Age developers were laid off in January this year as BioWare dramatically shifted its focus back to Mass Effect 5. It’s a bittersweet reminder of how corporate strategies can sometimes leave a long-time fanbase and loyal team hanging in the balance.
Final Thoughts Darrah’s behind-the-curtain saga shines a spotlight on the often messy business of game development, where brilliant creative minds sometimes find themselves caught in a tug-of-war between production realities and corporate ambitions. It’s a tale that resonates with anyone who’s ever hoped that the magic behind their favorite games would be given the spotlight it truly deserves.
Source: This article was inspired by content from Ign . All images belong to their respective owners.