So long, Dragon Age Dreadwolf, we hardly knew ye. The upcoming RPG from Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate, and Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic developer BioWare is, at least name wise, no more. Just days before the first gameplay trailer for the new Dragon Age game, BioWare announces that the sequel to Inquisition will now have a new name, inspired by the team-based, character-driven gameplay and plot we can expect once it launches. Is the new title for Dragon Age 4 better or worse? Decide for yourself.
First it was Dragon Age 4. Then it was Dragon Age Dreadwolf. Now, the new BioWare RPG is officially renamed to Dragon Age: The Veilguard, ostensibly in honor of the pack of heroes that feature at the center of its story and gameplay. In a new post, Dragon Age executive producer and BioWare general manager Gary McKay explains why the upcoming game is suddenly switching names, mere days before its first gameplay trailer on Tuesday June 11, and ahead of what is now the Dragon Age: The Veilguard release date.
“After Dragon Age Inquisition launched, the studio was given an incredible opportunity to explore, test, and validate a variety of gameplay concepts as we worked to determine what the next Dragon Age could look like,” McKay says. “We brought everything to the table which, yes, even included a multiplayer concept.
“The time we spent experimenting and iterating gradually taught us a lot. This work, and the amazing support from EA, helped us re-focus on creating an incredible single player game, with all the choices, characters and world building you’d expect from us.
“Each game also introduces a new lead hero – The Warden, Hawke, The Inquisitor – that you can call your own. You can expect all that, and more, with the new game. And of course, much like your unique hero, it wouldn’t be a Dragon Age game without an amazing cast of companions, right?
“Naturally, the Dread Wolf still has an important part in this tale, but you and your companions – not your enemies – are the heart of this new experience,” McKay continues. “So, to capture what this game is all about, we changed the name as the original title didn’t show just how strongly we feel about our new heroes, their stories and how you’ll need to bring them together to save all of Thedas.”
Dreadwolf or Veilguard? Veilguard or Dreadwolf? I like the sound of the new Dragon Age, and its focus on a cast of characters and their connections, so a name that reflects that conceit feels right. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Reminder that the first Dragon Age: The Veilguard gameplay trailer arrives on Tuesday June 11, at 8am PST / 11am EST / 4pm BST / 5pm CEST, and will be broadcast on the official Dragon Age YouTube channel.
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