
Here's a story that somehow managed to pass us by: the next Dragon Age game — commonly referred to as Dragon Age 4 — was going to be a 'live service' title, incorporating a "heavy" multiplayer component. But apparently, that vision for the project was scrapped following the success of single-player adventure Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and the outright failure of ANTHEM (development on which was cancelled just last week).
This is according to a report from Bloomberg, which states that the upcoming Dragon Age title is now set to be a single-player experience. This change in direction has only taken place "in recent months", which suggests that the game is still a long way off from release.
Still, this will probably come as promising news to many a Dragon Age fan. BioWare made its name on producing quality role-playing titles, and although the standard has certainly slipped over the last console generation, the next Dragon Age still has a reputation to uphold (or potentially salvage, depending on your outlook).
Are you happy to hear this? Breathe a sigh of relief in the comments section below.
[source bloomberg.com]
Comments 49
Thank goodness. I'm glad this business model isn't doing well for them.
For me, single-player campaigns are the meat and potatoes of the gaming diet. Nothing is as satisfying, and nothing can replace them.
This a positive thing for Bioware, their fans and the whole videogames industry.
Great news. I still lack faith in a EA backed Bioware, though. No matter what type of game they decide to call it, I'm sure it will have plenty of opportunities to waste more money than your initial purchase price alone.
Oh, for Bioware's good old days. 'Dramatic Sigh'
Good. Glad they realized not every game needs MP. I still won't buy a game from EA though. Activision/Blizzard and them are on boycott status.
@Ralizah Meat, potatoes, AND dessert!
that bow and arrow looks pretty cool
The fact that it was ever live service MP is terrible. It means they're chasing trends and not a great game. This will only be so good, that's my feeling
On the one hand great news screw "live service" garbage on the other it still won't save the game it's still modern Bioware In Name Only the talent that gave us Origins went to the deep roads a long time ago
That's good to hear. Think if it was a live service game I would not have bothered getting it. Have a feeling it's not going to be any good still but I can hope.
@Jaz007 That was my first thought too. How much will the final product have been compromised by this original direction?
Hmmmmmm. It's almost like EA (and forgive me if I'm reaching here) is realizing the vast majority of BioWare fans want them to make strictly single-player games and not live service garbage. Wow. What a revelation!
@RBMango Yeah, It's been amazing to watch how completely customer stupid Bioware has been over the last decade. You'd almost think EA had something to do with it.
Good. I expect my Dragon Age games to be full of deep lore and likeable characters not teaming up with xxAssassinNINJA673xx and Party-Dave97 to raid a magical dungeon or something.
Good games make more money. Huh, who woulda thought?
@ApostateMage lol, Party-Dave97 has mad skillz tho...
It's good that Bioware has been handed the reigns to control their own destiny. You have to think this is their last chance. EA must have come to them and said "Okay guys, this is it. What do you need for this to be a success?" To which Bioware replied, "Let us do the things that made us successful in the first place."
Why EA paid a ton of money for a single player RPG studio and then tried to shift them into something they were not is insane to me.
@LordSteev @ApostateMage
Thanks guys! Enjoy playing with yall as well!
Battlefield later?
Love, Party-Dave97
Andraste heard our prayers.
@Ralizah Vegetarians would beg to differ 😂
@Feena
Which is great, but now we have to team up to free her from EA's heartless dungeon.
@ILikeStake
PD!!! You da man!
Only good thing Anthem ever did
It's poetic justice that "single player games didn't sell" ea got burned so bad with it's multiplayer focused anthem while single player jedi fallen order sells good
As long as they do not add microtransactions then I think we are good to go........still credit where is due although I have a feeling they were forced good news i suppose bit pessimistic damn right were talking E.A.here..
You see guys and gals. It takes years of dedication and outrage but eventually th4 publishers get the picture. You have to hit them where it hurts. In the wallet.
@Insightful totally agree but the game needs to be a multiplayer focused title like battlefield and rocket league etc.
@ILikeStake Yeah sure, Dave. Just don't invite AssassinNINJA, he's always eating crisps right down the mic and blasting modern day rap.
Remember last Dagon age game, it’s was developed as mmo style game, and then devs switched to single player game. And that was not good at all!
I will actually buy it now. I don't support developers who do that online only crap so this is a relief.
I'm not a Dragon Age fan, but I would expect problems with DA4. It was likely always developed with the GaaS philosophy due to EA. Now they plan to remove that this late in development? How would this not screw things up?
While not exactly the same scenario, it reminds me of Torchlight 3 starting out as a F2P game only to be turned into a normal Torchlight game after most of the development was likely done. That certainly worked out for the game. /s 🙄
It's fantastic news. Between this and ME5 I'm more excited about EA's lineup than a most of Sony's lineup, which is kind of depressing to say.
I never thought I'd see the day when EA of all companies stops trying to always be the next COD and returns to a focus on single player. They're capable of great games, they have great talent, then can produce amazing quality....they just usually choose not to. They do seem to be going through a rebirth of sorts. I hope it works out well, financially, as they have a treasure trove of IP they're sitting on that could light the gaming world on fire, should they ever choose to actually make games for it.
@ApostateMage Wait, don't finish chapter 8, I need the drop, but internet is flaky, hang on, i'll try 2 reboot the router....give me 10 before you go on!
@NEStalgia Sure no problem. We'll stand around doing emotes whilst we wait. When you come back on and see a big dragon, don't freak out, it'll just be me showing off my new Flemeth skin.
@ApostateMage Aww, I'm back but I don't know if it'll keep connected lol but where'd CdrSheepHerderxx069_0w0 go? We need his tank, can you discord him?
@ApostateMage
Nice Flemeth! What did that set you back?
@nessisonett Meat-flavored tofu and potatoes, then, for the leaf munchers among us.
Great news. There is enough franchises ruined by MP, no need for another.
I'm both surprised and not surprised it took EA this long to realize what a bad idea that is.
Worst case scenario, Nintendo will always be there for single player games... Because the excel at it and still have no clue how to make an online game.
I understant that people received this news positively, but it haven't changed my expectations about this game - which is close to zero. This drastic shift on the whole concept of the game and gameplay serves only to show that its last trailer had nothing to informs us about the game. I will wait a actual presentation to consider getting on board.
As much as people like this change, I'd be worried that they've basically shifted the whole game drastically. Multiplayer games and single player ones play very differently and depending on how far along they gotten this'll be one big rework.
That new Amazon game New World had the same thing happen to it.
i prefer to loose myself in a game world explore and learn its lore, no internet connection needed ,how i relax , sweet sweet words offline single player game ahhhhhh satisfaction guaranteed.
Dragon age inquisition was and still is amazing.word up son
@playstation1995 I disagree. It just wasn't that good and it was riddled with bugs and gliches. I genuingly don't understand how this got 89 on metacritics.
Meanwhile, Days Gone was a better game in every way, got trashed on because it had bugs and glitches (less than bioware and bethesda games), yet it's at 71 when the thing should be sitting at 80 or 90 on metacritics.
Bethesda and Bioware are getting free passes even though they mostly release average games.
@GigaGaia. No i disagrees with you.i play the games so many times and i never had one glitches. Or bugs.word up son
Not suggesting a single player focus for what was a single player rpg isn't a good thing-but this does recall the kind of EA pivots with the Amy Hennig led Star Wars game & indeed Anthem. Switching back to a single player design focus will push things back a bit...wonder if EA will take inspiration from Ubisoft & make it a grindy open world affair to fit in mtx that way?
@playstation1995 Have to agree - didn't have any bugs or glitches on the PS4. I did, for a short while, have the PS3 edition and that was painful, ugly and seemed to have graphical issues.
I'm sure DA:4 will be amazing on the PS5 but I have a funny feeling that it'd be absolutely fine on the 4 too, if not quite as shiny, if they do it. That said, you never know, you might be able to buy a PS5 from a shop by the time this drops!
@sanderson72. Yep i was playing dragon age goty edition 4 days ago.its a great game especially as a mage. Never had a issue on my ps4 pro.the game is flawless.word up son
@NEStalgia @ILikeStake Actually, mmoing with you guys sounds fun, but just not Dragon Age xD I wonder which class @ApostateMage would pick...
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...