Fans have been waiting since 2014 for a new Dragon Age game. Dragon Age: Inquisition launched in November of 2014 and ended on a cliffhanger that still hasn’t been resolved. Well, BioWare has just announced the release date for the series’ next chapter, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and it turns out it’s coming in just a few weeks before the 10-year anniversary of its predecessor on November 18. The Veilguard is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X on October 31,. so I guess we can’t say we waited a full decade for the next Dragon Age, even if it feels like it’s been at least that long.
The release date news comes with a brand-new trailer showcasing the stakes the characters face after the opening hour BioWare showcased back in June. After new protagonist Rook and their crew ruined Inquisition party-member-turned-villain Solas’ ritual and released the long-imprisoned elven gods from the Fade, they’ll now have to face them and save the world. Solas will still be a major player, however, acting as a sort of a Johnny Silverhand-style voice in Rook’s head for much of the game. Will the fans who have been wanting to punch the turncoat in the mouth for all these years get the chance? Will the sad souls who tried to romance him get to kiss him on the mouth if they so choose? These questions and more will be answered in October.
There’s a lot going on in the release date trailer, but a standout moment is the reveal that Morrigan, one of the best companions from Dragon Age: Origins and a supporting character in Dragon Age: Inquisition, will be returning in The Veilguard. She’s gone through a wardrobe change this time, however, and is now sporting an outfit reminiscent of the garb her mother Flemeth wears in Dragon Age II onward. Given the events of Inquisition, Morrigan may end up being a major player in the events to come, depending on your choices in the previous game.
Annoyingly enough, BioWare’s doing the same thing a lot of games do these days and releasing a pseudo collector’s edition for The Veilguard without the actual game inside it on the BioWare Gear Store. The $US150 “Rook’s Coffer” package includes some goodies like a light-up Lyrium Dagger and a deck of cards based on the one Rook can play with in-game. But if you want the game itself, you’ll have to cough up some extra cash and buy that separately.
It’s wild to finally see a date put on The Veilguard after years of reported development struggles, scrapped drafts, and a lot of turnover at BioWare in the time since Inquisition. But it’s also cathartic to see the studio finally putting out an RPG again after Anthem failed to take off as a loot shooter.
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