EA Boss Says BioWare Has Returned to Its Strengths With Dragon Age, Predicts ‘Breakout Potential’ Thanks in Part to ‘Limited Competition’ – IGN
Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson has predicted “breakout potential” for Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, claiming the upcoming RPG from BioWare has returned to its strengths after several years of troubled development. Speaking during EA’s recent earnings call, Wilson credited BioWare with successfully rediscovering its “core competency” by returning to its roots in role-playing game development.
“We believe that this Dragon Age title really marks a return to form for BioWare. The team at BioWare is deeply connected to the brand and is incredibly passionate about the future of this franchise,” said Wilson.
“They’ve really dug deep into the franchise, going back to what it means to create a role-playing experience, focusing on deep, rich, character stories and the things that BioWare does so incredibly well. As we saw with the Anthem franchise, when BioWare goes off-piste a little bit, it can struggle a bit,” Wilson acknowledged.
“They’ve really gone back to their roots and, in the process, built something truly exceptional,” he continued, expressing his confidence in the project’s potential for commercial success. Wilson believes that a combination of factors, including the strong return to form and limited competition in the RPG genre, make Dreadwolf a potential blockbuster.
“It’s an amazing story. There’s a lot of lore behind this game and we think that, particularly in a year where there’s a lot of big franchises but maybe less focus on a new AAA RPG, this game has a breakout opportunity for us,” said Wilson.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s release date is currently unannounced. However, the game has been in development for a while and Wilson’s enthusiastic comments suggest that the release date is closer than many believe.
Despite its promising future, BioWare has been in the spotlight for several years due to a tumultuous period marked by a string of failed projects, particularly the aforementioned Anthem. Nevertheless, the company managed to win back a significant portion of its fanbase with its latest offering, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
It remains to be seen if Dragon Age: Dreadwolf can deliver on its ambitious goals, re-establishing BioWare’s legacy and surpassing its earlier achievements. With its anticipated return to form and a perceived advantage in a market with relatively few AAA RPG releases, Dreadwolf certainly has a unique opportunity to rise above expectations. It will be exciting to witness whether the studio can successfully capitalize on its advantageous position and regain its former glory with this long-awaited title.
