Remasters are good business for video game companies, but don’t expect to see BioWare’s Dragon Age games getting the same treatment in the future–or possibly, ever. That’s according to Dragon Age series producer Mark Darrah, who says that the original trilogy of games likely won’t be remastered due to BioWare losing too much institutional knowledge.
Speaking to FRVR, Darrah–who was the executive producer on the Dragon Age series–was asked about the possibility of the classic Dragon Age games being remastered, similarly to 2021’s Mass Effect: Legendary Edition remaster. The former BioWare employee said that there were plans in place to create a “Champion Edition” remaster that would have included Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, and Dragon Age: Inquisition.
The first two Dragon Age games ran on enhanced versions of the Aurora engine called Eclipse and Lycium, while the third used DICE’s Frostbite engine. Remastering the games would thus require specialist knowledge–knowledge that BioWare no longer has. In comparison, remastering Mass Effect was an easier prospect due to all three games being developed on the Unreal 3 Engine.
“There is basically no one at BioWare anymore that understands the Aurora Engine,” Darrah explained. “So unlike Mass Effect–which is Unreal–there are basically no companies that could help you.”
That doesn’t mean that a Dragon Age trilogy remaster is impossible to make, but Darrah doesn’t think that EA in its current state will want to form a “brand-new team” to tackle a project like this. Which would be a pity, as Darrah believes that it could be a commercial success thanks to the impact that Baldur’s Gate 3 has had on the fantasy genre.
Earlier this month, former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider also spoke about the franchise and how he believes that it’s likely dead, following the poor commercial performance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
The game failed to meet EA’s expectations, and in the aftermath, mass layoffs at BioWare saw only a “core” team left behind to focus on the next Mass Effect game. EA is also preparing to become a private company, as a $55 billion leveraged buyout funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and several other investors is also in the works. If successful, the deal could see EA burdened with $20 billion in debt, and analysts believe that could lead to EA selling off studios like BioWare.