Going all the best way again to Origins, your selections – and the results of these selections – have been a serious a part of Dragon Age historical past, with every participant character making choices which have large implications on the world of Thedas. Did you might have the outdated god child with Morrigan in Origins? Did you facet with the mages or templars in Dragon Age II? Did you drink from the Well of Sorrows in Inquisition? And, for the love of The Maker, who did you smooch?
In line with that theme, beginning with Inquisition, you would really import your world states from earlier video games by way of BioWare’s on-line database, The Keep. That means if you happen to did have the outdated god child with Morrigan, the child may really present up in Inquisition, together with many different little nods to your earlier selections.
But Dragon Age: The Veilguard took a special strategy – as an alternative of leaning on The Keep, BioWare as an alternative lets you recreate your protagonist from Dragon Age: Inquisition within the character creator and choose sure choices you made in Inquisition by way of tarot playing cards. However, the sport affords solely three world state choices: whether or not or not you disbanded the Inquisition, whether or not you vowed to redeem Solas or cease him at any value, and, after all, who did you smooch in Inquisition?
Speaking to us for our IGN First protection again in September, the BioWare workforce defined they needed to concentrate on selections in The Veilguard that they may react to meaningfully. Still, that didn’t change the truth that many followers have been majorly disillusioned upon listening to in regards to the restricted choices – particularly given the truth that they solely tie again to Inquisition, with no updates from Origins’ Hero of Ferelden or Dragon Age II’s Hawke.
However, there’s a glimmer of excellent information for these hoping to see their earlier selections mirrored in future Dragon Age video games, ought to BioWare determine to make one other sequel. Game Director Corrine Busche and Creative Director John Epler just lately sat down with IGN for a wide-ranging, spoiler-filled interview (which you’ll be able to learn right here), the place we requested if the workforce wished that they had built-in any further previous choices in The Veilguard. Here’s what Busche needed to say:
The huge factor for us is we needed to make this story, each single selection you make, really feel related to it. One factor that we may have said extra clearly or perhaps alluded to extra clearly within the recreation is the concept simply because these selections from the previous library of video games did not essentially influence this specific story, that does not imply they’re gone. This is an opportunity for us to actually key in to what issues with these occasions and what’s taking place in Northern Thedas. I do absolutely count on that these selections going clear again to Dragon Age: Origins will once more matter. So simply needed to be on document with that. Every one in all your selections that individuals have made all through their Dragon Age journey, these are nonetheless your selections.
While that needs to be encouraging for followers hoping to see their selections mirrored in Thedas’ future, the massive caveat right here is whether or not or not Dragon Age: The Veilguard will certainly find yourself getting a sequel, and that’s unclear as of but. While it obtained constructive evaluations and have become EA’s greatest single-player recreation on Steam at launch, an analyst just lately advised IGN that it faces an “uphill battle” to match Inquisition’s launch gross sales. Plus, it was already a rocky sufficient journey to get to Dragon Age 4, and BioWare has shifted its consideration to Mass Effect 5 with no plans for The Veilguard DLC.
Still, that’s to not say the top of The Veilguard didn’t trace at occasions from earlier Dragon Age video games and the way they may come into play for potential future video games. We requested Busche and Epler about that as properly, however be warned: Full endgame spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard to comply with.
A Hint at What a Potential Dragon Age 5 Could Be About
Curiously, The Veilguard has a “secret ending” that comes within the type of the post-credits scene, which you’ll be able to solely view as soon as you discover the three mysterious circles by fixing a puzzle and finishing a pair facet quests (learn IGN’s information to getting the key ending right here). Or if you happen to don’t really feel like doing all that, don’t fear, you possibly can simply view it under:
While it begins with exhibiting our baddies from The Veilguard – Elgar’nan, Ghilan’nain, and the Dread Wolf – we additionally get glimpses of occasions and characters that will likely be acquainted to followers who performed earlier video games, together with depictions of Loghain, Meredith, Orsino, Bertrand, Corypheus, and Flemeth. Busche introduced up this secret ending when speaking in regards to the potential of earlier selections coming again into play, including, “if you happen to’ve seen the 2D ending we talked about, a few of these occasions being fairly pertinent, it’s simple to see how these selections can and will likely be related into the long run.”
But along with the extra recognizable characters, that secret ending additionally exhibits off a mysterious group of masked figures who’ve clearly been pulling some strings. While solely well-researched followers would doubtless guess that this group is The Executors – a shadowy group that’s simply been referenced right here and there in issues like a Dragon Age: Inquisition War Table mission – Epler talked somewhat bit about what their look would possibly imply for the way forward for Thedas.
“Without moving into what perhaps the long run holds for them, their aim is to take away the elven gods from the desk,” Epler stated. “Again, [the gods] are essentially the most highly effective forces on Thedas up thus far. And no matter [the voices’] plans could also be, one other highly effective magical power on the desk like that’s going to pose some obstacles.”
“I feel the opposite factor in regards to the Executors, they’re very danger averse,” he continued. “They’ve been taking part in the extraordinarily lengthy recreation as a result of the one factor they do not need to do is depart any of their items in examine. They’re at all times going to go for the choice that retains them the furthest away from hurt, whereas additionally advancing these targets.”
Epler went on to level out that there’s a frequent chain of world-shattering occasions from Origins by means of the top of The Veilguard. “Why now? Why on this age, why this particular time?” he continued. “You begin to get a way of why that could be – not as a result of anybody’s stepping into and controlling kingdoms or taking up armies. Someone is seeing the endgame coming and perhaps they’re organising for it.”
When pressed additional if we’d see extra of the Executors’ plans in a possible Dragon Age 5, Epler responded, “by no means say by no means.” So, whereas it nonetheless appears clear that Dragon Age 5 hasn’t been formally greenlit as of but, the artistic workforce definitely has some plans for the long run.
For extra on the conclusion of The Veilguard and what it may imply for Dragon Age’s future, take a look at our full ending defined.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing leisure reporting. When she’s not writing or enhancing, you will discover her studying fantasy novels or taking part in Dungeons & Dragons.
