Following recent layoffs at BioWare, which saw the departure of many key developers behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard, former series writer Sheryl Chee has sought to reassure fans. Amidst concerns that the franchise might be nearing its end, Chee emphasized the enduring spirit of the Dragon Age community, stating, "DA isn't dead because it's yours now."

This week, Electronic Arts (EA) restructured BioWare to concentrate solely on Mass Effect 5. As a result, some team members who worked on Dragon Age: The Veilguard were reassigned to other EA studio projects, such as John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, who transitioned to work on Full Circle's upcoming skateboarding game, Skate. Unfortunately, others faced layoffs and are currently seeking new opportunities.

EA's decision to restructure came after Dragon Age: The Veilguard did not meet the company's expectations. EA disclosed that the game engaged 1.5 million players in its recent financial quarter, a figure that fell short of their projections by nearly 50%. It's important to note, however, that EA did not specify whether this number represents unit sales, as Dragon Age: The Veilguard was also accessible through EA's Play Pro subscription service. Additionally, it remains unclear whether the 1.5 million players include those who tried the game via the free trial offered through the cheaper EA Play subscription.

The combination of EA's announcement, the restructuring of BioWare, and the layoffs has led to widespread concern among Dragon Age fans that the series may be on its last legs. There are no plans for DLC for The Veilguard, and BioWare's involvement with the game concluded last week with what appears to be its final major update.

Despite these developments, Sheryl Chee, who transitioned from BioWare to work on Iron Man at Motive, took to social media to offer a message of hope. Reflecting on the challenges faced by her team over the past two years, Chee acknowledged the difficulty but also highlighted the resilience of the Dragon Age community. In response to a fan's lament about the series' potential demise, Chee shared an inspiring quote from Camus: "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." She went on to emphasize that while EA and BioWare may own the intellectual property, the true essence of Dragon Age lives on through the fans' creativity and connections fostered by the games.

Chee's message resonated with fans, with one expressing their intent to write a giant alternate universe (AU) story inspired by Dragon Age. Chee celebrated this response, noting that if the series inspires such creativity and passion, it has fulfilled its purpose, and she feels honored to have been part of it.

The Dragon Age series began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2010, followed by Dragon Age 2 in 2011, and Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014. The latest installment, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, took a decade to release. In September, former executive producer Mark Darrah revealed that Dragon Age: Inquisition had sold over 12 million copies, significantly exceeding EA's internal projections.

While EA has not officially declared the end of Dragon Age, the future of the series appears uncertain given BioWare's full focus on Mass Effect 5. EA has confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy, is currently developing the next installment in the Mass Effect series. EA assured IGN that the studio has the appropriate number of people in the right roles to advance Mass Effect at this stage of development.