Dragon Age 4 was revealed years in the past underneath the identify <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/the-game-awards-2018/2018/12/06/bioware-teases-next-dragon-age-game-with-the-dread-wolf-rises">Dragon Age: Dreadwolf</a>. Nevertheless, with seemingly months to go earlier than the sport’s fall 2024 launch, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/information/2024/06/06/dragon-age-4s-new-name-is-dragon-age-the-veilguard-first-gameplay-look-next-week">BioWare introduced it was altering the identify to Dragon Age: The Veilguard</a>. Forward of that announcement, <em>Sport Informer</em> visited BioWare's Edmonton workplace for an unique have a look at the sport for our <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2024/06/09/cover-reveal-dragon-age-the-veilguard">Dragon Age: The Veilguard cowl story</a>. It is right here we discovered that the identify had modified.
I interviewed varied Veilguard leads for the quilt story, and one of many first questions I requested every of them was, “Why the identify change?” Right here’s what every advised me:
BioWare’s Leads On Altering The Identify To Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Veilguard sport director Corinne Busche: “To begin with, I might say that these video games are reflections of the groups that make them, and as a part of that, it means we be taught rather a lot about what the guts and soul of the sport actually is as we’re creating it. And we rapidly discovered and realized that absolutely the beating coronary heart of this sport are these genuine numerous companions. After we took a step again, as we at all times do, we at all times verify our selections and be sure that they nonetheless signify the sport we’re making an attempt to construct. It simply felt like we would have liked a title that represented what this sport was really about.
Now, I need to be clear: I like Solas [and] he performs an vital position within the sport, however this isn’t a sport about Solas. So in all issues we do, making an attempt to seize that genuine expertise, we felt the title actually wanted to alter.”
Veilguard artistic director John Epler: “Dragon Age has at all times been about characters, not simply the villains, but additionally your group, your companions, the opposite characters on the earth. And as we had been constructing Dragon Age: The Veilguard – there’s this analogy I like to make use of, which is, ‘If you wish to carve an elephant out of marble, you simply take a bit of marble and take away the whole lot that doesn’t appear to be an elephant.’ As we had been constructing this sport, it grew to become actually clear that it was much less that we had been making an attempt to make The Veilguard and extra like The Veilguard was taking form as we constructed the sport.
Solas remains to be a central determine in it. He’s nonetheless a major character. However actually, the main focus shifts to the group. It’s in regards to the folks you recruit. It’s about stopping the tip of the world with this group of specialists, these extremely attention-grabbing and numerous characters that you simply recruit into your group. [We] realized Dreadwolf suggests a title targeted on a selected particular person, whereas The Veilguard, very like Inquisition, focuses extra on the group.”
BioWare normal supervisor Gary McKay: “First, let me say: Solas remains to be very a lot a part of this sport. That is completely nothing to say that he’s taking a again seat. However once we mirrored on what was actually the heartbeat of this sport, we actually noticed the companions leaping out at us. I feel you could possibly argue [these companions] are the perfect the franchise has ever seen. We have now seven extremely distinctive characters, every with their very own personalities, motivations; they’ve deep tales, and you’ve got a chance to essentially work together with these characters in a method that each shapes their story but additionally influences the primary story, proper right down to having a chance to affect their destiny.
It’s not simply the story; they’re additionally integral to the gameplay as properly. And so whenever you have a look at it from actually what the heartbeat of this sport is, the centerpiece of the sport, it’s in regards to the companions – the Veilguard. We felt that the title wanted to mirror what we thought the centerpiece of this sport was.”
Former Dragon Age government producer and Veilguard marketing consultant Mark Darrah: “I feel it’s completely the precise selection. Names can tackle a momentum. Arguably, this sport has sort of, in a method, been referred to as Dreadwolf to some extent since its earlier days. As the sport developed, as [BioWare] discovered precisely what it was, it’s very mature to step again and say, ‘We referred to as it one thing. Does it actually nonetheless mirror what the sport is?’ And I feel the actual fact the group was prepared to take that step is wonderful, and I feel that is completely the precise determination.”
The Solas In The Room
<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/websites/default/information/types/body_default/public/2024/06/14/c105380b/solas.jpg" alt="Dragon Age: The Veilguard Dreadwolf Sport Informer Cowl Story" class="image-style-body-default" />
Once I ask about Solas’ position within the story after I be taught his namesake is now not within the sport title, Darrah says Veilguard remains to be taking the Elven God’s narrative in a superb path. He provides, “It permits us to, hopefully, give a superb conclusion to all the various attitudes towards Solas which can be going to be coming from individuals who love Solas, who agree with Solas, who hate Solas, individuals who need to kick Solas off of a constructing – I feel that we provide the alternative to deliver that to an in depth, however then inform a higher story about The Veilguard and in regards to the world as an entire.”
Speaking to Epler, I be taught extra about how Solas isn’t precisely the large dangerous I anticipated earlier than seeing the opening hours of Veilguard. There’s much more nuance to everybody’s favourite bald elf.
“Essentially the most attention-grabbing villains to myself, and truthfully most individuals, will not be simply straight up, ‘I need to finish the world.’ To them, they’re the heroes of the story, and Solas is not any exception,” Epler tells me. “Solas at all times feels that he’s a tragic hero however a hero nonetheless, so he’s coming into this believing firmly that what he did, that which you stopped him from doing, was the precise factor – that you simply made a mistake. However now he’s trapped and may’t attain out and actively have an effect on [Thedas], so he must work with you.
“That permits us to supply plenty of nuance to that relationship,” Epler says.
If you happen to’re questioning what Epler means when he says Solas trapped, it’s fairly literal – within the sport’s prologue, which is a part of the 20-minute gameplay section BioWare not too long ago launched (the above video), the player-character Rook and companions Lace Harding, Varric Tethras, and Neve Gallus cease Solas’ try to destroy the Veil, a barrier between the magical Fade and Thedas. I gained’t spoil precisely what occurs right here, however Rook passes out moments later and wakes up in a dream-like panorama to the voice of Solas himself… as a result of he’s trapped right here.
He explains he was making an attempt to maneuver the Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain, each of whom are a part of the Evanuris or Elven gods of historic instances, to a brand new jail as a result of the previous one was now not containing them correctly. Sadly for Solas, he’s trapped right here – the Fade – by our doing and Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain are free, blighted, and roaming Thedas. It’s as much as Rook to cease them, nevertheless it appears they’ll should work with Solas (or not less than take heed to his steering and recommendation) to take action.
“So one of many rules we took to once we had been constructing the story of The Veilguard early on was we needed the start of the sport to really feel like the ultimate chapter of an earlier story and also you’re coming in proper on the finish, you’re coming in as should you’ve been chasing Solas – the [Solas at the end of Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC] who mentioned he was going to finish the world and tear down the Veil,” Epler provides.
Epler says gamers will see early on (and because the narrative develops throughout Veilguard) that Solas sees a lot of himself in you, the player-controlled Rook, particularly “the elements that perhaps he doesn’t wish to face.” Consequently, there’s an attention-grabbing push and pull between Solas and Rook. He says gamers can outline the connection between these two characters with their selections in dialogue.
“You may proceed to be suspicious and hostile in the direction of him, or you can begin to see him and discover that frequent floor, that connection between the 2 of you, and actually develop a special relationship over the course of the story,” Epler says.
For extra in regards to the sport, together with unique particulars, interviews, video options, and extra, click on the Dragon Age: The Veilguard hub button beneath.
Supply: Sport Informer
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