Dragon Age: The Veilguard has made waves among fans. However, creative director John Epler recently stated that BioWare has “no plans for downloadable expansions” to extend the story beyond its core conclusion. This news was disappointing for both new and longtime fans of the Dragon Age series, especially given that the older games likely won’t receive the remaster treatment similar to the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Epler expressed interest in seeing a remastered Dragon Age collection but noted that it would be challenging due to the technology behind the older games. Though Dragon Age: Origins was released in 2009, two years after Mass Effect, it was built on the proprietary Eclipse engine, which BioWare also used for Dragon Age II. After these entries, BioWare transitioned to the Frostbite engine for Dragon Age: Inquisition and familiarity with Eclipse faded over time, making a remaster difficult.
“I think I’m one of about 20 people left at BioWare who’s used Eclipse,” Epler admitted. “It’s something that’s not going to be as easy as Mass Effect, but we love the original games. Never say never; that’s what it comes down to.”
By contrast, the Mass Effect series was built using Unreal Engine 3, which made the Legendary Edition remasters a more feasible project. The irony, however, is that even older BioWare games like Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II received enhanced editions using an upgraded version of BioWare’s Infinity Engine. Dragon Age: Origins, a game nearly a decade newer, remains out of reach—at least for now. In gaming, “never say never” often comes across as “don’t hold your breath.”
Ultimately, the decision to pursue a remaster comes down to finances. If Dragon Age: The Veilguard, or a future title in the series, proves to be a significant financial success, EA might reconsider and find a way to reintroduce these classic games to modern players. For now, a remastered Dragon Age collection remains a distant possibility.