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Why EA Thought Dragon Age: The Veilguard Could Break Out—and What Happened Next

EA CEO Andrew Wilson saw breakout potential in The Veilguard before launch; months later, EA said it underperformed in a competitive single-player RPG market.
Length2 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Before Dragon Age: The Veilguard launched, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said he believed it had “breakout potential.” He pointed to its story, world and characters, BioWare and Dragon Age’s established identities, extra development time, and what he saw as limited competition in the single-player fantasy category. That was a prelaunch forecast—not EA’s final verdict. In February 2025, EA said the game had underperformed and cited competitive dynamics in the single-player RPG market.

What did EA’s CEO say before launch?

On October 29, 2024, two days before the game’s October 31 release, EA chairman and CEO Andrew Wilson said: “I certainly think Veilguard has breakout potential.” He was describing what he thought the game could achieve, not reporting a sales result. EA’s Q2 FY2025 earnings call is the source of his remarks.

Wilson named several reasons for his optimism:

  • Creative appeal: He said the team had taken extra time to make the world rich, the characters interesting and the story compelling.
  • Studio and series identity: His confidence was also tied to BioWare and the established Dragon Age identity.
  • Category opportunity: Wilson believed the game was entering a market with limited competition in its category, referring to moves across the wider games industry. That was his assessment, not an independently established market finding.

He also cautioned that “it’s too early to predict the outcome,” while noting that critical reviews had been strong. The qualification matters: Wilson was making a forecast based on the game’s perceived strengths and market opportunity, not declaring it a success.

Did The Veilguard ultimately succeed?

EA’s later assessment was that it underperformed. On February 4, 2025, CFO and executive vice president Stuart Canfield said, “Dragon Age: The Veilguard underperformed,” and pointed to “the competitive dynamics of the single-player RPG market.” His comment appears in EA’s Q3 FY2025 earnings call.

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#1 Best Overall
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Deluxe - PlayStation 5
  • This video game is an immersive action role-playing game (RPG). Play Dragon Age: The Veilguard and become the leader others believe in
  • SAVE A BATTERED WORLD - Enter Thedas, a vibrant world of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths and glittering cities. The world is teetering on a knife’s edge while corrupt gods unleash havoc across the continent. Nations war and factions splinter. Who will you trust? From the Arlathan Forest to the back alleys of Minrathous, this is a broken world. Your actions will affect the fate of Thedas forever.
  • Unite THE VEILGUARD - Unite a team of seven companions, each with rich lives and deep backstories. These are characters to befriend, and even fall in love with. Among them, an assassin, a necromancer, a detective, each and all bringing their own expertise and unique abilities to the fight. You are never alone, decide who to take into battle and together face down demons, dragons and corrupt gods.
  • BECOME THE LEADER OTHERS BELIEVE IN - Select from different races and combat classes, customize your appearance, choose your character’s backstory and begin your journey as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. The choice is yours. Brace yourself, there are tough decisions to be made, allies to inspire, and a fight that needs every sword, staff and bow you can muster.

The two statements address different moments and questions: Wilson described the game’s potential before release; Canfield described EA’s performance assessment afterward. EA’s comments do not establish a more detailed cause for the underperformance than the broad competitive-market explanation Canfield gave, nor do they show that the creative qualities Wilson cited were absent.

What do EA’s financial figures reveal—and what don’t they?

EA’s FY2025 Form 10-K reported $2.017 billion in company-wide full-game net bookings, an increase of $12 million—less than 1%—year over year. It also reported $7.355 billion in total company-wide net bookings. Neither figure is a sales, revenue or player-count figure for The Veilguard; the filing does not isolate the game’s own bookings. EA’s FY2025 Form 10-K defines net bookings as the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold in physically during the period. It is distinct from full-game net revenue, which includes downloads and packaged goods.

Rank #2
Electronic Arts Dragon Age: The Veilguard Standard Edition PS5 | VideoGame | English
  • Dragon age the veilguard action rpg: Immersive action role-playing game where you become the leader others believe in as Rook
  • Save a battered world: Explore Thedas, a vibrant realm of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths and glittering cities teetering on the edge as corrupt gods unleash havoc
  • Unite the veilguard: Recruit a team of seven companions with rich backstories, including an assassin, a necromancer and a detective, each bringing unique abilities to the fight
  • Customize your hero: Select from different races and combat classes, customize your appearance and choose your character's backstory as Dragon Age's newest hero
  • International region free version: Region free PS5 disc plays on all systems, imported international packaging may differ in age rating and labeling, DLC may require correct region
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Why does the single-player RPG context matter?

BioWare’s June 6, 2024 announcement said the studio had refocused its work on creating a single-player game. That positioning fits the category Canfield later named when discussing the game’s underperformance. It does not, by itself, prove that the game’s format caused the result. BioWare’s announcement provides the studio’s description of the project.

Rank #4
DRAGON AGE THE VEILGUARD - 17"x20" Original Gaming Promo Poster SDCC 2024
  • Grading Scale: Mint, Near Mint, Very Good, Fair & Poor
  • Original Promo Gaming Poster - Not a Reprint
  • Posters come rolled in a plastic sleeve and shipped in a sturdy cardboard tube
  • Posters are from Gaming Companies and sizes are approximate.
  • Poster is in Near Mint Condition
Rank #3
Electronic Arts Dragon Age: Veilguard PS5
  • This video game is an immersive single player role-playing game in which you become full of hope; unite the guardian of the veil and defy the gods in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
  • Save the baggy world: Enter Thedas, a vivid world full of raw wildlife, betracherous mazes and sparkling cities; the world stands on the edge of a knife when the corrupt gods on the continent create chaos
  • Collect the curtain cover: you can make friends with these characters and even fall in love, among them there is a killer, necromant, and detective who bring their knowledge and unique skills to the battle
  • Get the trust of others: choose from different people and battle classes, customise your look, choose your character story and start your journey as a tower and perform heroic acts in Dragon Age
  • SELECT YOUR GAMING WAYS : In your adventures, you will gain new skills and discover unique, powerful artifacts that will allow you to improve your own fighting style; get ready

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