With BioWare moving on fromDragon Age: The Veilguardand setting its sights on its nextMass Effectgame, the studio’s development, release, and post-launch approach to the former could offer some insight into what to expect for the latter. Despite its predecessor,Dragon Age: Inquisition, setting a high standard for post-launch content with its TrespasserDLC in particular setting the stage forDragon Age: The Veilguarditself, BioWare’s confirmation that it had no similar DLC for its latest game in the series seemed surprising. However, this announcement now makes more sense, given the recent layoffs at BioWare and the studio’s uncertain future.
But with BioWare also claiming that it remains committed to its long-since-teased and as-of-yet unnamedMass Effect 4, it seems that this next game in its other flagship franchise could determine this future. To add to this reassurance, BioWare’s earlier statement duringDA: The Veilguard’s development that it is refocusing on single-player story-driven experiences following the failure ofAnthemindicates that the studio is endeavoring to learn from its past. Therefore, looking back on what did and didn’t work inDA: The Veilguardcould set expectations forMass Effect 4.
Choices Made and Lessons Learned From Dragon Age: The Veilguard Will Likely Shape Mass Effect 4
Acknowledging thatDA: The Veilguardfailed to meet EA’s expectations, it was arguably wise for BioWare to move on and scrap any potential plans it had for DLC. However, asDA: The Veilguardjoins the likes ofMass Effect: AndromedaandAnthem, BioWare appears to face an uphill struggle as it pushes forward withMass Effect 4. With this in mind, the studio will likely review the decisions made duringDA: The Veilguard’s development and the lessons learned following its launch as BioWare works on its next game.
This could mean thatMass Effect 4will be significantly impacted byDA: The Veilguard, such as potential reworks to its story, characters, setting, and more. For instance,DA: The Veilguarddrew criticism for not allowing players to import past saves fromDA: Inquisition, suggesting theDragon Agegame shouldn’t have been a sequel. Consequently, despite Liara’s cameo inMass Effect 4’s announcement trailer suggesting it will pick up from where the original trilogy left off, BioWare might want to reconsider this approach after the response it received toDA: The Veilguardas a direct sequel.
Mass Effect 4 Could Forego DLC Thanks to Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Mass Effect: Andromeda
While DLC has played an important role in past BioWare games, such asMass Effect 3’s Leviathanand Citadel orDA: Inquisition’s Trespasser, the fact thatDA: The Veilguarddidn’t receive any appears to fit a trend in the studio’s latest games. For example, even thoughME: Andromeda’s ending teased its potential for DLC with a Quarian ark—something that was later addressed in theMass Effect: Annihilationnovel—it could be that BioWare is discouraged from pursuing DLC for underperforming games. This could explain why bothME: Andromedaand nowDA: The Veilguardwill not receive any DLCafter their mixed receptions.
However, it could also be that BioWare’s previous DLC strategy seemed to set up its future games for failure. For instance, beyond the return ofLiara inMass Effect 2’s Lair of the Shadow Brokeror new squadmates like Zaeed, Kasumi, or Javik, DLC like Arrivalor evenDA: Inquisiton’s Trespasserthat directly set up a sequel have not worked out in BioWare’s favor. With Arrival’s poor reception andDA: The Veilguardfalling short of expectations set by Trespasser, BioWare might be foregoing DLC with other upcoming games likeMass Effect 4to focus on its current games and not its potential sequels.
