Bioware's latest game is here, and it's already a critical success. Dragon Age: The Veilguard has been hailed as a triumphant return for BioWare with endearing characters set in an overall very captivating world. But fans of the game will be disappointed to learn that Bioware does not plan to release an expansion for the game.
A multiplayer experience turned single player for Dragon Age
In an interview with Rollingstone, the creative director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, John Epler, returned to the developer of the game that some consider undoubtedly the best game from Bioware in ages.
We thus learn how Bioware abandoned the idea of integrating multiplayer components into the game. “We are a studio designed to create single-player role-playing games”explains Epler. “And most importantly, I think a lot of people came here to make story-driven single-player RPGs. So it made more sense to create this game as it is rather than a multiplayer game. »
Many systems in The Veilguard had to be reworked, including how companions worked. Initially, Bioware planned for this new Dragon Age to be playable with a classic four-player configuration where three other friends could join a game. The studio therefore redesigned the experience to model itself on that of Mass Effect, with two companions.
BioWare was able to focus on the main protagonist, Rook, and his companions. The interactions between the group members were essential to making them feel like characters in their own right. In previous Dragon Age games, whenever the player traveled through the world, non-playable party members would talk to each other about current events or their interests, expanding their point of view and constantly changing the dynamic of the group. the team. However, these conversations were usually reserved for two characters at a time, with the third usually content to stand aside.
“One of the most criticized things at the launch of Dragon Age: Inquisition was that people felt there wasn't enough companion trading because it wasn't as frequent.”explains Epler. “A lot of the companion interactions are based on the interaction between two characters. In the end, it seemed to us that [trois] was the right number when we designed the game ».
Bioware now focuses on new Mass Effect game
With Dragon Age: The Veilguard now complete, BioWare confirms that there are currently no plans for a downloadable expansion. But it's also good news for Mass Effect fans.
Rather than imagining new stories to tell in their game, the developers are now entirely focused on the next Mass Effect. We recently learned that unlike Dragon Age, the next Mass Effect will be rather photorealistic. Although Epler wouldn't reveal anything about the next Mass Effect game, he did comment on the possibility of BioWare getting into multiplayer again.
“It is possible to tell a strong story in a multiplayer game. Final Fantasy XIV does a great job. Multiplayer also introduces complications in terms of world states. I make an important choice in my world, and the world changes. »
Officially teased for the first time in 2020 during the Game Awards, Mass Effect is developed under the Unreal Engine 5 engine. However, the game is not ready to see the light of day since it was still in pre-production in August 2023 and everything suggests that it will be released on the next generation of consoles.
