Ex-BioWare Dev Slams EA for Dragon Age Turmoil

Former Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah reveals EA and BioWare provided inadequate support to his team during the early stages of developing Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

In a recent YouTube video, the ex-BioWare developer reflected on pivotal moments during 2017—what he calls "the defining year in BioWare's history." His account examines decisions impacting both The Veilguard's formative years and how Mass Effect: Andromeda's troubled finale influenced studio dynamics.

The timeline begins in late 2016 when Darrah transitioned to oversee Andromeda's final development phase. He recalls the Dragon Age team feeling "neglected" and "lacking crucial backing from EA and BioWare leadership." Though reassigning Darrah aimed to accelerate Mass Effect's completion and redirect resources to Dragon Age, the strategy ultimately proved ineffective.

"This created dangerous leadership gaps—projects continuing without key decision-makers," Darrah explained. "While Andromeda's impact on Dragon Age was limited, it established a problematic precedent. Core teams shouldn't operate without their leadership infrastructure."

Following Andromeda's March 2017 launch—which Darrah bluntly describes as "disappointing"—BioWare navigated structural changes under EA's increasingly hands-on oversight. Despite Andromeda's completion, Dragon Age still struggled for support as studio priorities shifted.

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Darrah recounts escalating concerns to EA executives Andrew Wilson and Patrick Söderlund, receiving assurances about Dragon Age's strategic value. Despite limited 2017 resource allocations, the unexpected return of veteran Casey Hudson signaled deeper organizational changes—a decision made without consulting Darrah despite his seniority.

"As BioWare's second-highest ranking figure, being excluded from such a major hiring decision demonstrated profound disrespect," Darrah noted. "While my input wouldn't have altered the outcome, the process disregarded institutional knowledge."

When Darrah predicted BioWare's pivot toward Anthem, leadership reiterated commitments to Dragon Age—promises that ultimately went unfulfilled.

"History proved otherwise," he added wryly.

EA's intensifying Anthem focus through 2019 systematically drained resources from what would become The Veilguard, forcing fundamental design alterations. Though the 2024 release earned critical acclaim (including our 9/10 review), EA later deemed its commercial performance underwhelming—a characterization disputed by former developers who advocated for Larian Studios' development approach.

The Dragon Age team faced significant layoffs earlier this year as BioWare refocused on Mass Effect 5.