After being in development for nearly a decade, BioWare’s latest game,Dragon Age: The Veilguard, was finally released last year. This new addition to the long-runningDragon Ageseries was, without a doubt, one of the most controversial releases of 2024. After releasing a handful of poorly received games, such asAnthemandMass Effect: Andromeda, many were hoping that BioWare would be able to reclaim the RPG throne withDragon Age: The Veilguard, but unfortunately, that didn’t end up being the case. Although the game was met with solid critic reviews, far higher than BioWare’s recent titles, its reception among players was quite meager.
On Steam,Dragon Age: The Veilguardcurrently has a 69% Mixed user score, which is lower than that of previousDragonAgeinstallments. To make matters worse, according to publisher EA,the game sold around 1.5 million copies, which was 50% below the company’s expectations.Dragon Age: The Veilguardhas been criticized for lots of things, from its limited player choice to its writing quality, but one of the biggest issues with the game is the fact that it’s unapproachable to newcomers, something that other RPGs, likeAvowedandThe Elder Scrolls 6, don’t suffer from.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Isn’t As Newcomer-Friendly As Avowed and The Elder Scrolls 6
DA: The Veilguard, Avowed, and TES 6 Are All New Entries in Once-Dormant IPs
Aside from being part of the same genre,Dragon Age: The Veilguard,Avowed, andThe Elder Scrolls 6all have one thing in common: they’re new installments in long-dormant franchises.Dragon Age: The Veilguardcame out about a decade after the last game in its respective series,Dragon Age: Inquisition,was released. Meanwhile,Avowedmade its debut on Xbox Series X/S and Windows PCroughly seven years after the launch ofPillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, which it shares a universe with.The Elder Scrolls 6, on the other hand, isn’t even out yet, but by the time it is released, more than 14 years will have passed since the launch ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.
It’s always exciting to see new entries in inactive franchises, but the one problem they often face is that they’re typically unfriendly towards new players, especially when it comes to narrative-driven titles.Avowedand, in particular, the upcomingThe Elder Scrolls 6do have some workarounds to this issue, though. Even thoughAvowedis set in the same world asPillars of Eternity 1and2, it has no direct connection to either game story-wise. Since it’s technically aPillars of Eternityspin-off, it can be enjoyed whether or not one has prior knowledge of its predecessors. Plus, anyone who’s unfamiliar with the lore ofPillars of Eternitycan easily look up any relevant information inAvowed’s in-game glossary, which can be accessed during any conversation.
Very little is known aboutThe Elder Scrolls 6, but it will likely be as approachable towards newcomers asAvowedis. Judging by the history of the series, the game will probably have an entirely new, self-contained story instead of serving as a direct sequel toThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. None ofthe modern mainlineElder Scrollsgamesare directly connected story-wise, so they can be played in any order. The same will likely apply toThe Elder Scrolls 6, whenever it does come out.
DA: The Veilguard Being a Sequel to a 10-Year-Old Game Likely Hindered Its Success
UnlikeAvowedandThe Elder Scrolls 6,Dragon Age: The Veilguardis fairly reliant on its predecessors from a story perspective. BioWare’s latest RPG is basicallya direct continuation ofDragon Age: Inquisition, set ten years after the events of the game. AlthoughDragon Age: The Veilguardcan technically be experienced without prior knowledge of theDragon Ageseries, its story will make a lot more sense to those who have playedInquisition. Since it doesn’t contain the in-game glossary thatAvowedhad and isn’t a completely standalone experience like mostElder Scrollstitles are, new players were sort of alienated byDragon Age: The Veilguard’s narrative, which potentially impacted the game’s overall success.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
