The Dragon Age Remake That Didn't Happen: Inside Info from a BioWare Insider
Many fans have long hoped for a redo of the first three Dragon Age games. Yet, a former BioWare big name, Mark Darrah, says trying wasn't the issue. In a talk with YouTuber MrMattyPlays, Darrah said that though they tried many times to remake the loved RPGs, the game's maker, Electronic Arts (EA), turned them all down.
A 'Champions Trilogy' That Never Came to Be
Darrah, who was a top boss on the old games, told EA about one plan. He wanted to call the first three games the "Champions trilogy," linking the big heroes from each game: the Hero of Ferelden, the Champion of Kirkwall, and the Inquisitor.
"You take those three games, make them look new, put them out again, and see how it goes from there," said Darrah. This way, new players could jump in easy, and old fans could enjoy them anew.
Why EA Said No: Two Big Issues
EA did not want to go ahead with the idea for two main reasons—one about tech and one about their view.
The Tech Trouble: Three Games, Three Tech Types
The redo of Mass Effect worked well because all three games used versions of the same tech, the Unreal Engine. But for Dragon Age, each game used different tech:
- Dragon Age: Origins was on the Eclipse Engine.
- Dragon Age II used the Lycium Engine, a new form of Eclipse.
- Dragon Age: Inquisition ran on the Frostbite Engine.
These tech gaps would make making a unified redo much tougher and more costly than the Mass Effect redo.
A Strange View from the Top
Aside from tech, Darrah said EA does not like redos much. "It's odd for a company that likes making money to not like redos,” he said. "But they don't seem to like them."
Looking for Other Ways
The BioWare team thought of other ideas too. One early plan was to get a skilled mod team, teach them to use the Frostbite tools, and have them totally remake Dragon Age: Origins. But this, like the other tries, never happened.
For now, tech issues and EA's own views have kept a redone Dragon Age trilogy just a thought.
