Behind the Scenes of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Tumultuous Development

Former Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah reveals EA and BioWare failed to adequately support his team during Dragon Age: The Veilguard's early development phase.

In his revealing YouTube video, the veteran developer shared insights about working on the acclaimed fantasy RPG series, particularly during 2017 - a year he describes as "the most transformative 12 months in BioWare's history." His account sheds light on decisions affecting both The Veilguard's development and the studio's shifting priorities during Mass Effect: Andromeda's final stages.

A Crisis of Leadership and Resources

The story begins in late 2016 when Darrah was reassigned to assist with Andromeda's completion. At the time, he felt the Dragon Age team was "left adrift" with "minimal support from either BioWare or EA leadership." The intended strategy - freeing up resources by finishing Mass Effect - ultimately proved unsuccessful.

"This marked the first instance of disruptive leadership changes," Darrah explained. "Having key figures leave projects mid-development sets a dangerous precedent. While my Andromeda involvement was brief, the precedent it established created lasting problems."

Following Andromeda's troubled March 2017 launch and EA's increased oversight ("hyper interested" in BioWare's operations), Darrah found Dragon Age still wasn't receiving necessary support. Despite assurances from EA executives about the franchise's importance, resources continued being diverted.

Studio Upheaval and Broken Promises

The situation worsened when veteran Casey Hudson was unexpectedly brought back to BioWare without consulting Darrah - then the studio's second-highest ranking member.

"Being completely excluded from such a major decision showed profound disrespect," Darrah stated. "While my input wouldn't have changed the outcome, proper protocol should have included me in these discussions."

As Darrah predicted, BioWare shifted focus to Anthem despite EA's promises to prioritize Dragon Age. "We all know how that turned out," he noted wryly. Through 2019, resources were consistently pulled from what would become The Veilguard, forcing fundamental redesigns.

The Aftermath

Despite critical acclaim (including a 9/10 from our review), EA deemed The Veilguard's 2024 launch commercially disappointing. Former developers countered these claims, with some advocating for adopting Larian Studios' development approach.

The situation culminated in January's layoffs of numerous Dragon Age team members as BioWare pivoted back to Mass Effect 5 development.