EA CEO May Believe Dragon Age: The Veilguard Underperformed Due to Lack of Online Features
Dragon Age: The Veilguard has officially fallen short of Electronic Arts' expectations. In a recent financial report, EA CEO Andrew Wilson discussed the potential reasons for the RPG's underperformance.
Wilson noted that The Veilguard performed well at launch (the game received solid ratings on Metacritic and in Steam), but ultimately failed to resonate with "a broad enough audience in a competitive market."
We know as a leader in global entertainment, great titles—even when built and delivered with polished execution—can sometimes miss our financial expectations.
In order to break beyond the core audience, games need to directly connect to the evolving demands of players who increasingly seek shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives in this beloved category.
PC Gamer interprets Wilson's comments about "shared-world experiences and deeper engagement" as a possible reference to online features. It is known that The Veilguard was initially conceived as a service-based game, but after the failure of the service-focused Anthem and the success of the single-player Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order , management allowed the game’s concept to shift.
During an investor call, Wilson also highlighted that 74% of EA's revenue comes from service-based products.
Recently, BioWare underwent a restructuring, reducing its staff to around 100 employees. The team is now working on the next installment of Mass Effect.
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