Dragon Age Veilguard: A Development Story
The development of Dragon Age: Veilguard has been anything but smooth. A recent report details the game's troubled journey, highlighting significant challenges and changes throughout its decade-long creation.
From Multiplayer to Single-Player
Initially conceived as a multiplayer experience, Veilguard underwent a pivotal shift to a single-player game in 2020. This transition, while not a complete reset, necessitated substantial rework. Developers had to adapt existing mechanics and content intended for a vastly different game, leading to significant additional development time.
Addressing Player Choice and Consequences
Testing revealed that the game's choices and consequences fell short of BioWare's established standards. The multiplayer origins hindered the depth of player agency, resulting in further development to add meaningful and impactful choices. A key example cited is the inclusion of a difficult decision regarding the fate of two cities, demanding considerable effort to properly integrate it into the narrative.
Tone Shift and Marketing Concerns
The game's tone also underwent a significant overhaul. Concerns about the reception to Forspoken's dialogue prompted a rewrite of Veilguard's script to shift from a snarky tone to a more serious approach. Furthermore, the initial reveal trailer raised concerns about the game's marketing, necessitating adjustments to avoid unintended comparisons to other titles.
Internal Friction and Future of BioWare
The report also sheds light on internal friction between BioWare's Dragon Age and Mass Effect teams. The collaboration, while ultimately contributing to the game's completion, faced cultural differences and added to the already stressful development process. Following Veilguard's release and subsequent layoffs, the future of BioWare remains uncertain.
Source: Rock Paper Shotgun