Many have debated the reasons behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard becoming a massive failure. However, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson stated that the game flopped because the company decided to remove the live-service feature. According to PC Gamer, Wilson discussed the topic during a quarterly financial call. He argued that to attract a larger audience, their new games should evolve based on current demand, which, according to him, includes ‘shared-world features.’
“Dragon Age had a high-quality launch and was well-reviewed by critics and those who played,” Electronic Arts’ CEO said. “However, it did not resonate with a broad enough audience in this highly competitive market.” Dragon Age: The Veilguard was initially intended to feature heavy live-service elements, but the company changed its mind due to Anthem‘s failure. Based on this statement, EA is still insistent on implementing live-service elements in all of its games.
Although many players complain about the flood of live-service games on the market, it’s undeniable that these types of games generate more profit. During the quarterly financial call, EA’s chief financial officer, Stuart Canfield, stated that live-service games dominated EA’s business.
In 2024, EA generated $7.347 billion, with $5.449 billion coming from live-service games. Based on this data, Canfield also shared Wilson’s view, stating, “The game’s financial performance highlights the evolving industry landscape and reinforces the importance of our actions to reallocate toward our most significant and highest potential opportunities.”
Fans vehemently disagree with EA’s CEO. Many criticized the statement, saying they wanted their RPG games to be offline. “That’s not the lesson to take away from this game failing, EA, you absolute trogs,” one Redditor commented.
Others wondered why EA remained blind to the success of Baldur’s Gate 3. This prompted another Redditor to reply that EA wasn’t interested in making high-quality games. “They are interested in making popular games that can be heavily monetized, like Sims 4 or FIFA,” another Redditor said.
While many fans mocked EA for missing the point, some raised concerns about Mass Effect’s future. Due to Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s failure, it’s highly likely that EA would try to turn the game into another live-service title. While fans were okay with the game featuring multiplayer content, they did not want the company to turn Mass Effect into another Destiny or Warframe.
Other fans pointed out that Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed due to its lackluster writing. While the previous Dragon Age games featured gritty and serious stories, EA decided to ditch the grimdark narrative in favor of a more lighthearted plot. While this theoretically should have made the game more appealing to a wider audience, it ended up displeasing both longtime fans and new players.
