Ex-BioWare Lead Slams EA Over Dragon Age: Veilguard Snub

Mark Darrah, former executive producer of the Dragon Age series, reveals that EA and BioWare failed to provide adequate support to his team during the initial development phase of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

The veteran BioWare developer shared insights into his tenure working on the acclaimed fantasy RPG franchise in a recent YouTube video. His account covers pivotal events from 2017—what Darrah describes as "the most transformative 12 months in BioWare's history." He discusses decisions that shaped the early stages of last year's Dragon Age title, as well as how shifting priorities coincided with the final development phases of Mass Effect: Andromeda.

The timeline begins in late 2016 when Darrah was reassigned to oversee Andromeda's final development stretch. According to him, the Dragon Age team felt "neglected" and "lacked substantial backing from either BioWare or EA." While Darrah's move aimed to expedite Mass Effect's completion—freeing resources for Dragon Age—this strategy ultimately proved ineffective.

"This marked the first instance of leadership disruption," Darrah explained, "where a project lead departed to assist another initiative while their original project continued. In Andromeda's case, the impact on Dragon Age wasn't catastrophic, but it established a concerning precedent about redistributing core leadership—an inherently risky approach."

Following Mass Effect: Andromeda's problematic March 2017 launch, BioWare faced additional challenges adapting to EA's restructuring. Despite Andromeda's difficulties, Darrah contends Dragon Age still struggled to secure necessary support post-launch.

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Darrah recalls raising concerns with EA executives, receiving assurances about Dragon Age's priority. Yet amidst limited resource allocation in 2017, BioWare staff were abruptly informed of franchise veteran Casey Hudson's return—a significant organizational change made without consulting Darrah, the studio's second-highest-ranking member.

"This demonstrated profound disrespect," Darrah stated. "While my involvement wouldn't have altered the decision, excluding me from such a consequential hiring process reflects poorly on leadership."

When Darrah predicted BioWare's forthcoming Anthem focus would further compromise Dragon Age, EA leadership promised otherwise. "History shows those assurances weren't honored," Darrah noted.

EA's Anthem investment intensified until its troubled 2019 release, during which Darrah felt his trust was "repeatedly undermined." Resources were consistently diverted from what would become Dragon Age: The Veilguard, forcing fundamental project alterations.

Despite launching to critical acclaim (including our 9/10 review), EA deemed The Veilguard's 2024 performance disappointing, claiming it didn't "reach a wide enough audience"—a characterization former BioWare developers contested, some advocating for Larian Studios' development approach.

Following The Veilguard's release, numerous Dragon Age team members were laid off in January as BioWare pivoted back to Mass Effect 5.