After a seemingly solid launch for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, there are probably some newcomers to the series considering delving into the original trilogy. But anyone hoping for a Mass Effect: Legendary Edition-style remaster shouldn’t hold their breath; Dragon Age: The Veilguard creative director John Epler says the project would be a challenge because almost no one at BioWare knows how the studio’s old engine works.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was well-received when it launched in 2021, featuring visual and performance improvements, improved models, new lighting, gameplay adjustments, and more. It was a welcome refinement of a classic trilogy, and the kind of treatment that most would probably agree BioWare’s other beloved trilogy deserves.
However, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone (thanks PC Gamer), Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd creative director John Epler, who has been at BioWare since the release of the original Dragon Age in 2009, noted that while he would love see the trilogy Getting the remastered trilogy would be a challenge due to the proprietary engines of the first three games.
Unlike the Mass Effect trilogy, which was developed in Unreal Engine 3, Dragon Age Inquisition was created using EA’s Frostbite engine, while Dragon Age 1 and 2, more problematic, were created using EA’s own Eclipse Engine. BioWare. “I think I’m one of about 20 people left at BioWare who have actually used Eclipse,” Epler explained. “[Remastering Dragon Age is] Something that’s not going to be as easy as Mass Effect, but we love the original games.”
But there may be a small hope for Dragon Age fans, given that Epler didn’t completely rule out the idea. “Never say never,” he added, “I guess that’s what it comes down to.”
Of course, EA’s interest in giving Dragon Age the Legendary Edition treatment (and, indeed, its continued interest in the series as a whole) will likely depend on the success of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which seemed to be off to a solid start when was launched. released last week. The publisher hasn’t announced any official numbers yet, but The Veilguard achieved an all-time peak of 89,418 concurrent players on Steam, setting a new record for a single-player EA game.
What that means for the future of The Veilguard is unclear, but speaking ahead of the release, Epler said that BioWare’s “entire attention…has completely shifted to the next Mass Effect,” meaning he had no plans of DLC, beyond “quality of life improvements.” and a handful of smaller content updates.”
Regardless of what happens next, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a delight. “What BioWare has managed to achieve here, despite all the pressure it has faced since Dragon Age: Inquisition came out 10 years ago, is extraordinary,” Eurogamer’s Robert Purchese wrote in his five-star review. “The Veilguard is exquisitely realized and full of sophistication in all systems and narratives. It is warm and welcoming, funny and hopeful, gentle when necessary and, of course, it is epic; epic in a way that I think will set a high bar not only for BioWare in the next few years, but for RPGs in general, this is one of the best.”
