Hitting you with another Dragon Age news update, once more we're delving into new info that's particularly concerning the expected release window of the next Dragon Age game.
Last month, we were told that Dragon Age 4 was in deep pre-production, and it wasn't going to be released until at least 2024/2025, as the game seemingly was still undergoing it's initial pre-production phases.
However, in the months prior, we had contradictory news stories stating that Dragon Age 4 had already begun its full-development stages, and pre-production had wrapped up. These stories were both the Anthem team reshuffling back to Dragon Age, and the departure of Fernando Melo who in his goodbye letter, stated that he helmed Dragon Age 4 out of pre-production and into full-swing development.
The expectation of this games release was quite convoluted in the messages that BioWare's senior staff were sending out. But as of today, this matter can rest in ease it seems because we have an update straight from EA themselves.
Y'see, with the publication of EA's 2019 earnings call, an update has been made on Dragon Age 4's expected release. And it's actually sooner than we expected since the original release window which was aimed at 2024/2025.
As it follows, Daniel Ahmad, a senior analyst at Niko Partners, was sitting in on the EA conference call that happened. He shared on Twitter the following statement:
"EA says that new Dragon Age from BioWare is in development but likely won't be until after FY22. So after April 2022."
2022 being quite a dramatic change of time compared to 2024/2025. To gain further understanding, I took to investigating EA's earning calls myself to find the related Dragon Age tidbits, and I came across this.
Mike Hickey asked about the next Dragon Age in the works, concerning it's future release. The big man himself, Blake Jorgensen replied to him with the following statement:
"Yes. I mean you should assume that there is Dragon Age out there and we've talked about it publicly that it's in the works, and it probably comes after fiscal '22. But we typically don't give multi-year guidance this early in the year or multi-year guidance period. So I don't want to start giving '23 guidance now that I've started to hit on '22. But you should assume that it's out there and plans are under way for that product as well as some other products."
So, straight from the CFO's mouth, Dragon Age 4's initial release window is somewhere in between late 2022 and early to mid 2023. Potentially even later, there's no date set in stone here, it's more of an expected release. Basically, the game won't be coming out any sooner that Spring, 2022.
Another thing Blake touched on there was "as well as some other products." We could spend all day speculating what the heck that means, but to throw an idea out there, perhaps BioWare are still working on that rumoured Dragon Age: Tactics game? Or they could be working on a Mobile Dragon Age game, or even he could be referring to the Dragon Age Keep.
Regardless, it's EA, of course they're going to get BioWare to make some companion app, or separate thing that can have micro-transactions attached to it.
In any event, we won't be playing Dragon Age 4 up until 2022, whether we'll see trailers and other teasers is unknown. However, at least BioWare seemingly have ample time to create the best Dragon Age game possible, all we can do in the meanwhile is support the dev's as they crack on with delivering an epic Dragon Age title!
Another element within this earnings call talks about EA delivering "fan-favorite remasters." Which is mind-boggling to hear considering EA's hot take on remasters and remakes in the past. They've changed their mind it seems and we can now expect fan favs. It was stated this time last year that a Dragon Age: Origins remaster is a hopeful idea.
And we've all wanted to jump back into the Mass Effect Trilogy since the mess that Andromeda was, so what a better way for Mass Effect to make a come back then to have the trilogy remade for HD graphics, and better controls.
So, I guess we can remain hopeful right? Mass Effect and Dragon Age are both fan-favourite franchises, and N7 Day is just next week? So could we possible have ourselves a remaster? I can only hope.