Threads
- A former Xbox executive believes Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s performance could lead to layoffs at BioWare.
- She argues that the game must have required a huge budget and is unlikely to sell enough to recoup production costs.
- Both Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda flopped prior to BioWare’s latest Dragon Age offering.
Following much excitement over the return of BioWare, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has come and gone. The RPG, while initially showing promise with impressive Steam player counts, seems to have disappeared from the limelight already.
It also failed to receive major nominations at The Game Awards despite a positive critical reception. This lukewarm performance has led to concerns about BioWare’s future, with one former Xbox executive recently discussing the possibility of layoffs.
Why it matters: Layoffs have been a major problem for the industry. Studios have faced much worse job cuts this year than in the past.
In her latest video, Laura Fryer, a former Xbox veteran who worked on the Gears franchise, discussed the current state of gaming’s bubble.
She pointed to various instances of developers and publishers forming their own bubble with the media, leading to yes men who often convince themselves of being right in every situation.
While the video was based on a much broader discussion, it eventually pivoted to Dragon Age: The Veilguard. As Laura Fryer points out, the game must have had a massive budget in production alone.
This is typical of modern AAA releases but also means that these games cannot turn a profit without selling millions of units. According to Laura Fryer, this does not seem very likely for BioWare’s latest RPG.
It’s looking like it won’t be enough, and I have concerns this will lead to more layoffs.
-Laura Fryer
Data from Europe has suggested that the game is doing worse than both Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth so far. BioWare has also remained silent on sales figures, which may be indicative of potential disappointment.
Ultimately, this could lead to more layoffs at BioWare. The studio already had two back-to-back disappointments with Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda, so a lukewarm launch for Dragon Age: The Veilguard may spell disaster for the team.
The studio already laid off 50 employees last year, but this may not have been the last of its job cuts. What are your thoughts on Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s performance? Let’s discuss this in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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