Following BioWare's recent announcement that its upcoming Dragon Age entry Dreadwolf is now instead called The Veilguard, lead developers reveal what prompted the name change.
Speaking in an interview with Game Informer, Dragon Age: The Veilguard heads explain the RPG's new title and what it means regarding Solas' role in-game. Game director Corinne Busche opens by saying that devs "learn a lot about what the heart soul of the game really is as we're developing it." Busche states that this learning process is what led BioWare to realize "that the absolute beating heart of this game are these authentic diverse companions" rather than Solas.
"When we took a step back, as we always do, we always check our decisions and make sure that they still represent the game we're trying to build," Busche continues. "It just felt like we needed a title that represented what this game was truly about."
The dev admits she adores Solas and he "plays an important role in the game" nonetheless - "but this is not a game about Solas." Busche concludes that because of this, "to capture that authentic experience, we felt the title really needed to change."
Creative director John Epler echoes Busche's sentiment: "Dragon Age has always been about characters, not just the villains, but also your team, your companions, the other characters in the world." Epler explains that as BioWare was developing the RPG, "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" - but that doesn't mean that Solas, the previously titular Dreadwolf himself, isn't significant to the game.
"Solas is still a central figure in it," Epler continues, delving into the mage's role in The Veilguard. "He's still a significant character. But really, the focus shifts to the team. It's about the people you recruit. It's about stopping the end of the world with this group of specialists, these incredibly interesting and diverse
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