BioWare Wanted to Remaster Dragon Age Trilogy, But EA Said No
Fans of BioWare's beloved Dragon Age series have long hoped for a remastered collection, similar to the highly successful Mass Effect Legendary Edition. However, it seems those hopes have been dashed for now. Mark Darrah, a BioWare veteran and former executive producer for the Dragon Age series, recently shed light on why a remaster hasn't materialized.
According to Darrah, BioWare explored the idea of releasing a remastered collection that would include Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. This proposed collection might have been called the 'Champion's Trilogy.' Despite BioWare's interest, Electronic Arts, the publisher, reportedly did not support the initiative.
Why EA Reportedly Said No to a Dragon Age Remaster
Darrah pointed to two main reasons for EA's refusal. Firstly, he claimed that EA has a general aversion to remasters. "EA was openly saying they were against remasters. I don't know what that might be related to. It's strange for a public company to refuse free money," Darrah stated. This stance appears somewhat contradictory given the release of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition and the Dead Space remake.
Secondly, updating the Dragon Age games presents a much greater challenge than the Mass Effect trilogy. The three Mass Effect titles were released within a few years of each other and largely ran on the same generation of hardware. In contrast, Dragon Age: Origins, its sequel, and Inquisition were built on different engines and feature distinct gameplay mechanics, making a unified remaster a far more complex undertaking. Darrah mentioned that one early idea was to "create tools for Frostbite, then find promising contractors, help them develop, and pay them for a remake of Dragon Age: Origins."
The financial aspect also played a significant role. Darrah explained that EA's position was essentially: "Sure, do it, but only with funds already allocated." He added, "We couldn't do it with the money we had because we were working on other projects." This highlights a common dilemma in game development, where resources are often stretched thin across ongoing projects.
A Path Forward?
Despite the setbacks, Darrah believes EA should reconsider its stance on updated titles and invest in a Dragon Age collection. He suggested a potential approach: "First, take these three games (and perhaps Veilguard), spruce them up a bit, re-release them – more as a remaster than a remake – see the result, and then decide what to do next."
The latest installment in the series, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, recently launched on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. While critics rated it at 82 out of 100, player reception has been mixed, with only 68% positive reviews on Steam. The lack of a classic trilogy remaster means fans will continue to look to the future for new Dragon Age experiences rather than revisiting its updated past.
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