Dragon Age Dev Hurt by Fan Backlash

Dragon Age star Alix Wilton Regan has addressed the controversy surrounding last year's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, attributing the "mixed reception" to critics who "wanted the game to fail, or wanted to see [BioWare] stumble."

The actress, who voiced the Female Inquisitor in both Dragon Age: Inquisition and The Veilguard, told IGN she was "heartbroken" by the game's commercial performance despite favorable critical reviews. During an interview discussing her video game roles - including her upcoming part in Microsoft's Perfect Dark reboot - Wilton Regan expressed gratitude for her time as the Inquisitor but doubted the character would return.

"I'm devastated for BioWare as a studio that the game received such polarized reactions," Wilton Regan commented regarding The Veilguard's reception. "Personally, I found it to be a strong entry that stayed true to BioWare's signature style."

"I believe many actively hoped for its failure - either because they're internet trolls or simply wanted to see BioWare struggle. Sadly, such negativity is all too common online."

Upon release, The Veilguard faced review bombing primarily targeting its LGBTQ+ representation, including a non-binary companion character and transgender player options. Steam user reviews remain "Mixed," with tags like "LGBTQ+" and "political" dominating player descriptions.

"People criticized the game before experiencing it," Wilton Regan added. "Judging any creative work before release is absurd. That mentality makes no logical sense."

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Publisher EA reported in January that The Veilguard underperformed sales projections by approximately 50%, coinciding with game director Corrine Busche's departure. Additional BioWare staff involved with the project were subsequently laid off.

BioWare has confirmed no future content updates for The Veilguard, effectively concluding the game's post-launch support.

"I'll always root for BioWare's success - they're an incredible team," Wilton Regan concluded. "Whatever they create next will undoubtedly showcase their exceptional talents. Players can look forward to more brilliant work from them."

A reduced BioWare team has now shifted focus to Mass Effect 5, though no release window has been announced.