BioWare has given more insights into the new installment of Dragon Age and its title change from "Dragon Age: Dreadwolf" to "Dragon Age: The Veilguard." merely days before the game's highly anticipated reveal.
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Just days before BioWare unveiled the newest Dragon Age game with a trailer and an announced Fall 2024 release window, the studio made a change to the installment's name. Initially titled Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, the game is now known as Dragon Age: The Veilguard. BioWare GM Gary McKay previously explained the new title better captures the essence of this installment. "The previous name didn’t show just how strongly we feel about our new heroes, their stories, and how you’ll need to bring them together to save all of Thedas," McKay stated in the announcement.
At the heart of The Veilguard are its characters. Players will unite a team of seven unique companions, each with deep and compelling storylines, and attempt to protect the Veil. On various occasions, BioWare has always said they intend to create a more interconnected experience about a coming together of its characters for a shared purpose.
Game director Corinne Busche, in a recent interview with Game Informer, elaborated on this, stating, "These games are reflections of the teams that make them, and as part of that, it means we learn a lot about what the heart and soul of the game really is as we're developing it."
Creative director John Epler further explained the shift in focus, attributing it to an organic process that took place as development transpired. "As we were building this game, it became really clear that it was less that we were trying to 'make' The Veilguard and more like The Veilguard was 'taking shape' as we built the game," he told the news site.
The Dread Wolf is Still a Central Character in The Veilguard
Epler assured that Solas, the character known as the "Dread Wolf" in the Dragon Age universe, remains central to the storyline. "Dreadwolf suggests a title focused on a specific individual, whereas The Veilguard, much like Inquisition, focuses more on the team," Epler explained. McKay added on, "Solas is still very much part of this game. This is absolutely nothing to say that he's taking a back seat."
The game's companions are integral not only to the storyline but also to the gameplay. McKay further shared, "When you look at it from really what the heartbeat of this game is, the centerpiece of the game, it's about the companions – the Veilguard."
Regarding Solas's role in The Veilguard, Epler teased that Solas perceives himself as a tragic hero who believes that his actions are ultimately for the greater good. "Solas always feels that he is a tragic hero but a hero nonetheless," Epler shared. "He believes firmly that what he did, that which you stopped him from doing, was the right thing – that you made a mistake. But now he's trapped and can't reach out and actively affect [Thedas], so he needs to work with you."
The prologue shown in The Veilguard's hands-off demo during Summer Game Fest 2024 set the stage for the dynamics between Solas and the player. As depicted, Solas attempts to destroy the Veil––the barrier between the magical realm of Fade and the continent of Thedas. This act leads to both Solas and the player character becoming trapped in a dream-like landscape.
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Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Leads On The Name Change And Solas’ Role In The Story
