Going all the way in which again to Origins, your decisions – and the implications of these decisions – have been a main a part of Dragon Age historical past, with every participant character making selections which have large implications on the world of Thedas. Did you will have the outdated god child with Morrigan in Origins?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 Nicely of Sorrows in Inquisition? And, for the love of The Maker, who did you smooch?
Consistent with that theme, beginning with Inquisition, you could possibly truly import your world states from earlier video games by way of BioWare’s on-line database, The Preserve. Which means in case you did have the outdated god child with Morrigan, the child may truly present up in Inquisition, together with many different little nods to your earlier decisions.
However Dragon Age: The Veilguard took a completely different strategy – as an alternative of leaning on The Preserve, BioWare as an alternative permits you to recreate your protagonist from Dragon Age: Inquisition within the character creator and choose sure selections you made in Inquisition by way of tarot playing cards. Nonetheless, the sport provides solely three world state selections: whether or not or not you disbanded the Inquisition, whether or not you vowed to redeem Solas or cease him at any price, and, after all, who did you smooch in Inquisition?
Talking to us for our IGN First protection again in September, the BioWare staff defined they wished to give attention to decisions in The Veilguard that they might react to meaningfully. Still, that didn’t change the truth that many followers had been majorly upset 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.
Nonetheless, there’s a glimmer of fine information for these hoping to see their earlier decisions mirrored in future Dragon Age video games, ought to BioWare determine to make one other sequel. Sport Director Corrine Busche and Artistic Director John Epler not too long ago sat down with IGN for a wide-ranging, spoiler-filled interview (which you’ll learn right here), the place we requested if the staff wished they’d built-in any further previous selections in The Veilguard. Right here’s what Busche had to say:
The huge factor for us is we wished to make this story, each single selection you make, really feel related to it. One factor that we may have said extra clearly or possibly alluded to extra clearly within the recreation is the concept that simply because these decisions from the previous library of video games did not essentially influence this explicit story, that does not imply they’re gone. That is a probability for us to actually key in to what issues with these occasions and what’s occurring in Northern Thedas. I do absolutely anticipate that these decisions going clear again to Dragon Age: Origins will once more matter. So simply wished to be on file with that. Each one in every of your decisions that folks have made all through their Dragon Age journey, these are nonetheless your decisions.
Whereas that ought to be encouraging for followers hoping to see their decisions 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. Whereas it obtained optimistic evaluations and have become EA’s largest single-player recreation on Steam at launch, an analyst not too long ago informed 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 Impact 5 with no plans for The Veilguard DLC.
Still, that’s not to say the tip 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 observe.
A Trace at What a Potential Dragon Age 5 Might Be About
Curiously, The Veilguard has a “secret ending” that comes within the type of the post-credits scene, which you’ll solely view as soon as you discover the three mysterious circles by fixing a puzzle and finishing a couple facet quests (learn IGN’s information to getting the key ending right here). Or in case you don’t really feel like doing all that, don’t fear, you possibly can simply view it under:
Whereas 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 shall 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 decisions coming again into play, including, “in case you’ve seen the 2D ending we talked about, a few of these occasions being fairly pertinent, it’s straightforward to see how these decisions can and shall be related into the long run.”
However as well as to the extra recognizable characters, that secret ending additionally exhibits off a mysterious group of masked figures who’ve clearly been pulling some strings. Whereas solely well-researched followers would seemingly 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 Conflict Desk mission – Epler talked a little bit about what their look may imply for the way forward for Thedas.
“With out stepping into what possibly the long run holds for them, their objective is to take away the elven gods from the desk,” Epler stated. “Once more, [the gods] are probably the most highly effective forces on Thedas up to this level. 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 have been enjoying the extraordinarily lengthy recreation as a result of the one factor they do not need to do is go away any of their items in verify. They’re all the time going to go for the choice that retains them the furthest away from hurt, whereas additionally advancing these objectives.”
Epler went on to level out that there’s a frequent chain of world-shattering occasions from Origins by the tip of The Veilguard. “Why now? Why on this age, why this particular time?” he continued. “You begin to get a sense of why that may be – not as a result of anybody’s moving into and controlling kingdoms or taking on armies. Somebody is seeing the endgame coming and possibly they’re establishing for it.”
When pressed additional if we’d see extra of the Executors’ plans in a potential 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 staff actually 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 Information Editor with IGN, overseeing leisure reporting. When she’s not writing or modifying, yow will discover her studying fantasy novels or enjoying Dungeons & Dragons.