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Dragon Age: Inquisition begins October 7
The just released trailer for BioWare's Dragon Age: Inquisition marks it with an October 7 launch date. The clip also has the proper amount of epic exposition with seasoned gravitas, some gameplay and Varric Tethras from Dragon Age 2. Because if there's anything that needs to be brought over from Dragon Age 2 it's Varric. Let his dwarfy star shine bright!
Dragon Age: Inquisition has Kinect voice commands a la Mass Effect 3
BioWare is building Dragon Age: Inquisition with voice controls via Kinect on Xbox 360 and Xbox One, similar to the voice commands in Mass Effect 3, Creative Director Mike Laidlaw told Xbox The Official Magazine. "We're expecting that Xbox 360 and Xbox One editions will ship with a Kinect-enabled voice command feature, just like Mass Effect 3 did," Laidlaw said. BioWare is also planning to use SmartGlass in some way, Producer Cameron Lee said: "It needs to make sense, of course. But we want Inquisition to be an experience you can take with you everywhere - to work, the commute home, the living room, bed." Laidlaw also revealed that Dragon Age: Inquisition won't feature any character DLC because it would have to be partly on-disc, and BioWare doesn't want to inspire criticism from fans. "Because of how deeply enmeshed in the system companion characters are, we can't just add them on the fly – part of them has to be shipped on the disc," Laidlaw said. "Which has led to criticism that we're forcing people to pay for content they already own. It's not the case, but we've decided this time to not go that route. There will be no DLC party members."
Dragon Age: Inquisition's forests, seas, palaces and trolls in one video
Dragon Age: Inquisition's environments span from brilliant ballrooms, to dark forests, crashing seas and otherworldly mountaintops, inhabited by people, animals, trolls and, of course, dragons. The latest video shows off Inquisition's settings, which include emergent ecosystems that change depending on what you do in the area. "You'll see towns attacked by bandits, deer fleeing from wolves, giants feeding on bears, and countless other scenarios," Producer Cameron Lee writes. Dragon Age: Inquisition is due out in fall 2014 for Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC. It was delayed in July and previously scheduled to launch at the end of 2013. The delay allowed the game to have multiple playable races. Also, Morrigan returns in Inquisition with a significant role, though not a playable one. [Image: BioWare]
Dragon Age Inquisition includes time-disrupting 'tactical view'
Dragon Age: Inquisition will feature a familiar method for calling out actions for your party, BioWare's Mike Laidlaw and Mark Darrah revealed during a panel at PAX Prime. The game will include a "tactical view" function, which has players shifting seamlessly to a top-down view at any point above a battle, similar to Dragon Age: Origins. With the game frozen in place, players can then issue commands for their companions at will before shifting back to the game's traditional over-the-shoulder, third-person perspective and resuming action. The in-game action demonstrated during the panel took place in a location called Crestwood, which Darrah said is "bigger than all of Dragon Age 2 put together." The game's delay to fall 2014 allowed the developers to bring multiple playable races back to the series, and it was revealed during the panel that both male and female horned Qunari characters would be among those playable races.
'Dragon Age Keep' sets up your story choices before Inquisition
BioWare announced Dragon Age Keep today, an online tool that enables players to experiment with story scenarios from Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, setting up the ideal starting state heading into Inquisition. While choices made in Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 are meant to carry over to Dragon Age: Inquisition, it hasn't been clear just how they would transfer from current-generation systems to PS4 and Xbox One. Dragon Age: Inquisition Executive Producer Mark Darrah noted in a BioWare blog that the online solution presented by Dragon Age Keep "allows players to take their unique world state into any platform (present or future) and even other media." Darrah added that by moving the system to the cloud, the opportunity to fix issues in the plot's logic has opened up. "Under the hood, the Keep has a logic validator which ensures you'll always have a valid world state free from errors and conflicts," he said. With regards to importing directly from previous games to Dragon Age Keep, Darrah said the team is "continuing to investigate ways in which save files from previous games could be used to populate the initial world state of the Dragon Age Keep." BioWare is now accepting applicants for Dragon Age Keep's beta program. The app will be available in 2014, months before the game launches on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
Dragon Age: Inquisition delay brings back multiple playable races
Dragon Age: Inquisition will see the return of playable races. "Because we moved the [release] date, we were able to bring it back," Executive Producer Mark Darrah told Game Informer, pointing to the game's delay to fall 2014 as an opportunity to bring race selection back to the series. In October 2012, Creative Director Mike Laidlaw said that humans would be the only playable race in the game in, but that has since changed. "The race decision was made well before E3, but why didn't we bring it up? Because again we wanted to make sure it was locked down," Laidlaw said. "We wanted to make sure we'd done the work and our homework was done so that we could commit to it. So that people could, with absolute enthusiasm, get ready for elf, or dwarf or whatever."
Morrigan has 'significant role' in Dragon Age: Inquisition, but not a playable one
Morrigan is back in town, but don't bother inviting her to your Dragon Age: Inquisition party. As creative director Mike Laidlaw told Game Informer, the Witch of the Wilds has an important part in the third Dragon Age chapter, but it won't be as a party member. "That's going to disappoint some people," Laidlaw told Game Informer, "but I think it's important for us to be upfront about that." Lead writer David Gaider added, "It's not a cameo, she plays a significant role." Morrigan didn't appear in Dragon Age 2, but Laidlaw said BioWare knew the core of the Inquisition storyline, which he described as the character's "moment," since "midway through Dragon Age: Origins." Morrigan's story was the focus of Origins DLC 'Witch of the Hunt," which Joystiq chief wizard Ludwig Kietzmann felt didn't address the game's big questions convincingly. Talking of Origins, Gaider confirmed players' past interactions with Morrigan, romantic or otherwise, will affect "the various states" her Inquisition self can be in - Bioware producer Cameron Lee recently confirmed saves from previous DA games would affect Inquisition. We'll have to wait until the fall of next year to see what Morrigan's been brewing, when Dragon Age: Inquisition casts itself onto Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.
Ye olde Dragon Age saves to affect Dragon Age: Inquisition
While not going into explicit detail about how the system will function, BioWare producer Cameron Lee did reveal during PAX Australia that saves from previous Dragon Age titles will have an effect on the world of Dragon Age: Inquisition. "It will absolutely come across," Lee said, adding that a player's past decisions "will matter" in the new game, although no further specifics were given about how someone's unique world history will be integrated into Inquisition. Unlike the Mass Effect series and its perpetual Shepard, Dragon Age's installments are not branched by a single hero, but rather by the effect they may (or may not) have on the lore of the world. This initially sounds as though it may be an issue for players who buy the game for Xbox One or PlayStation 4, as they will presumably be unable to import their saves from current-gen systems, but writer Patrick Weekes noted that "you can have an equally rich experience no matter which platform you're playing on."
Dragon Age: Inquisition drops the '3' to drive home a non-linear narrative
Dragon Age: Inquisition ditches the "3," as slyly revealed during EA's E3 press conference. This decision isn't an attempt to make the name The Game Formerly Known As "Dragon Age 3" stick – EA Labels President Frank Gibeau tells IGN it's a "tactical marketing decision." "There wasn't anything that strategic about it, to be blunt," Gibeau says. "We just wanted to draw more attention to the fact that Inquisition is an all-new chapter inside of the Dragon Age universe, as opposed to people expecting a follow-on to Dragon Age 1 and 2 in a literal, linear sense." The word "Inquisition" needs to stand out, Gibeau says, since that's what this Dragon Age story is all about: "There's a whole bunch of gameplay and features and big story choices related to how you go through this Inquisition that happens in the world." We're sure this is all comforting news for Joystiq's Sinan Kubba, who definitely thought he was losing it when that "3" didn't show up during the EA conference.
Dragon Age 3 pushed back to fall 2014, is open-world [updates: trailer, platforms!]
Update: Series Creative Director Mike Laidlaw revealed Dragon Age 3 is coming to Xbox One, PS4, PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. We've also buffed this post with today's trailer, which Laidlaw said was running in-engine. EA revealed Dragon Age: Inquisition is an open-world RPG coming in fall 2014. The third Dragon Age game was previously earmarked for late this year. The game's first trailer, shown at EA's E3 conference, showcased the return of the witchly Morrigan.
Next Mass Effect, Dragon Age 3 powered by Frostbite 3
Both the next Mass Effect game and Dragon Age 3: Inquisition use the Frostbite 3 engine, despite initial official word from publisher EA saying otherwise. An official press release for Dragon Age 3 from September 2012 said the upcoming RPG was underpinned by Frostbite 2. However, BioWare Montreal & Edmonton General Manager Aaryn Flynn, following some speculation, took to Twitter to settle the matter.Flynn tweeted: "For everyone who's been asking after the #BF4 reveal, #DA3 and the next Mass Effect are also using Frostbite 3. It's awesome."While the Dragon Age 3 press release was explicit, looking back certain BioWare devs were coyer on the matter. BioWare Montreal Studio Director Yanick Roy only said in a November 2012 blog post that DA3 used Frostbite tech, not specifically Frostbite 2. That correlates with the careful wording of DA3 Executive Producer Mark Darrah, who in an announcement post said his studio was working on a new game engine for DA3, and that it had "started with Frostbite 2 from DICE as a foundation to accomplish this."So Battlefield 4 isn't the only Frostbite 3 game confirmed to be arriving this year, as Dragon Age 3 is scheduled for a "late 2013" release.
Here's some pretty Dragon Age 3 concept art
When BioWare revealed a few details about Dragon Age 3: Inquisition at the Edmonton Expo yesterday, it also showed off concept art to the panel attendees.The artwork has since been posted to the Bioware blog without all those pesky heads in front of it (though we're sure they can be edited back in upon request). Dragon Age 3 is planned to launch in late 2013. %Gallery-168846%
More Dragon Age 3 details surface
A few small details and concept art for Dragon Age 3: Inquisition were revealed during a BioWare panel at the Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo today thanks to the live-tweeting work of Cameron Lee, a producer on the game.Namely, Cinematic Designer John Perry said that "he's had a longer pre-production on Dragon Age 3 than any other BioWare project he's worked on," and that "one level in Dragon Age 3 is as big as all of Dragon Age 2's levels." Creative Director Mike Laidlaw noted that players will be human in the game, and that "customization is going to be bigger than Dragon Age: Origins."BioWare GM Aaryn Flynn posted a picture to Twitter of the backs of event attendees' heads, which happened to include concept art for the game in the background. As nice as those heads are, we will update when the actual art is available. Dragon Age 3: Inquisition is in development and slated for a late 2013 release.
BioWare GM outlines new Mass Effect, original game after upheaval
Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare Edmonton and Montreal, doesn't want fans to worry about passion or creativity within the studio following the retirement of BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk."I know this might be concerning for some of you but the leaders at BioWare have had some time to think about it – to think about how the games, the fans, and the creative teams would move on without the two guys who started this organization back in 1995," Flynn writes.He outlines the projects coming from BioWare, noting yesterday's reveal of Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, which has executive producer Mark Darrah at the helm.Casey Hudson, executive producer of the Mass Effect series, has plans for another full game within the Mass Effect universe. The next piece of DLC for Mass Effect 3 is Omega, due out in the fall.Hudson is also creating a brand new game, Flynn says: "While Casey continues to oversee the development of our new Mass Effect project, he and his leads are putting together their vision for an all new game set in a fictional universe, built from the bottom-up with all new gaming technology."Flynn closes the roundup with a nod to Muzyka and Zeschuk, and to BioWare as a resilient brand. "Ray and Greg built BioWare to last. They've always known their retirement would come one day, so they developed a team of people who would ensure their standards and culture would endure. We'll humbly carry that torch and continue learning in the process."To the Doctors: I wish you the very best, and we will always honor your legacy. The games we develop will always share your unique creativity and steadfast integrity."
BioWare announces Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, coming late 2013
BioWare today announced Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, along with a release window of late 2013. On a post on the Dragon Age website, Executive Producer Mark Darrah revealed the game is being developed by "a lot" of the same team that created the previous entries in the fantasy RPG series. Shortly after, EA sent us a press release detailing more information, including that Inquisition set to release late next year, and that DICE's Frosbite 2 engine is the foundation for the one being built for the game. "The Dragon Age team has been working on Dragon Age 3: Inquisition for almost two years now," said Aaryn Flynn, BioWare General Manager. "We've been poring over player feedback from past games and connecting directly with our fans. They haven't held back, so we're not either. With Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, we want to give fans what they're asking for – a great story with choices that matter, a massive world to explore, deep customization and combat that is both tactical and visceral." In the website post, Darrah noted that he didn't want to talk about the game until BioWare had "something to show." However, Darrah felt BioWare had to speak up following recent rumors. Meanwhile, there's no word yet on which platforms Dragon Age 3: Inquisition is coming to.
Rumor: Dragon Age 3 survey shows characters, possible titles, 'Inquisition' storyline
A BioWare forum user claims to have taken a survey about potential content in Dragon Age 3. The survey, as presented in screenshots taken by Earthborn_Shepard, shows character art, a list of proposed titles (Dragon Age 3: The Breach, Exarch, Inquisition, Inquisitor, or Apocrypha) and a synopsis, which reveals the player taking the role of "The Inquisitor," who is investigating the magical plot to destroy the Chantry and create anarchy. The character can be a rogue, warrior, or mage, according to the synopsis, and has up to ten companions to choose from.The NeoGAF thread on the subject helpfully rounded up all the content from the BioWare Social thread, allowing you to see all the various characters allegedly shown in the survey.BioWare has never officially announced a Dragon Age 3, only making vague references to future Dragon Age games ... and hiring for Dragon Age 3.
Analyst: SWTOR caused Dragon Age III delay
There's been a lot of discussion following the recent EA earnings report in which the company announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic has 1.3 million subscribers, down from its previous 1.7 million mark. We've heard from the fans, the critics, and the studio itself -- now it's time for the analysts to contribute their side of the conversation. According to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, EA's investment in SWTOR has caused a delay in other projects at BioWare, particularly in Dragon Age III's case. The analyst noted that Dragon Age III's expected release window was delayed, and he says this is due to the enormous undertaking of SWTOR. "We believe that a significant portion of the BioWare team responsible for the game was reassigned to Star Wars in order to create content and fix bugs to keep the game's audience engaged," Pachter said. Delay or no, Pachter is upbeat about EA's future, especially in light of the earnings report's news that the company turned a profit. He says that the company will continue to grow, make money, and be a good bet for investors.
BioWare done with Dragon Age 2, fully moving on to next phase
BioWare's Dragon Age 2 team has officially packed up its tents, put out the fires and left camp, executive producer Mark Darrah announced on the BioWare forums."While we will still be keeping an eye out for any issues that might crop up in DAII and supporting the community should any emergencies should [sic] arise, we're moving the entire team's focus to the next phase of Dragon Age's future," Darrah wrote.The "next phase of Dragon Age's future" could be too vague for some, so creative director Mike Laidlaw clarified in a TL;DR Twitter update: "We're done development on Dragon Age II, and the team has fully moved onto The Next Thing(tm)."BioWare halted production on Exalted March, an expansion pack for Dragon Age 2, because "other Dragon Age opportunities came up," Darrah tweeted. It's safe to reason that stopping production on DLC probably wouldn't happen for anything less than work on a shiny new title, and with these scraps of evidence and previous unintentional outings, we feel safe to propose that BioWare is now working on Dragon Age 3.Moving the franchise into the future involves looking at the past, Darrah said. "This past year, we've spent a lot of time both going back to the 'BioWare vault' of games and re-examining them, and looking at some new possibilities that today's industry allows," he wrote. The Dragon Age team may not have to look very far in BioWare's history to find things it should avoid, such as "endings."
Rumors: Dead Space expands into FPS and flight, Dragon Age goes multiplayer
Kotaku cites an anonymous "insider" on two new rumors regarding two of Electronic Arts' biggest "new" franchises: Dead Space and Dragon Age. Though Dead Space 2 managed to ship over two million units in its first six months of release, EA wants to "make the series bigger and better," says the insider. The plan: A Dead Space first-person shooter, a Dead Space "flight game" and, lastly, a Dead Space "Uncharted-like game." Apparently, that recent EA management shift in August "brought in new brass that nearly killed off Dead Space 3," if this insider is to be believed. But it's not dead and, as previous rumors suggested, Dead Space 3 takes place on ice planet Tau Volantis and will feature co-op. Now for Dragon Age ... this one is good. Kotaku's insider says that, like BioWare's other major RPG brand, Dragon Age will get a multiplayer offering, reportedly powered by DICE's Frostbite 2 engine. This could be part of a future Dragon Age installment, let's call it Dragon Age 3, or a separate downloadable title; the gameplay will be arena-based, and feature both PvE and PvP combat, as well as ... dragons. Because Dragon Age, and all that. Here's our advice, EA: If you want to increase awareness of the Dead Space brand, making games that aren't like Dead Space seems like a poor strategy. Also, a flight game? Are you trying not to sell games? And the problem with Dragon Age isn't a lack of multiplayer. The (extraordinarily) fast turnaround on Dragon Age 2 resulted in a rushed RPG that was dwarfed (and, frankly, embarrassed) by productions like The Witcher 2 and Skyrim (which managed to ship a not-so-shabby seven million units at launch).
Bioware hints at the future of Dragon Age DLC and 3
BioWare's Mike Laidlaw (who just joined Twitter!) was up at PAX in Seattle last weekend, dropping a few hints on future Dragon Age 2 DLC, as well as what Bioware is planning for the next iteration in the series, Dragon Age 3. Neogaf has kindly summarized a few reports on the panel, and we'll go even one further for you "TLDR" types: Dragon Age 3 will feature the world of Ferelden at war between mages and templars, with the player traveling around to places as far as Orlais and Tevinter to try and calm (or maybe stoke, knowing Bioware) the fighting. One of the maps shown was "four to five times larger than Ferelden," and cited as the future of the series. The story of the first game's Warden "is over," apparently, and while there's still more of Hawke's story left to tell, writer David Gaider hinted that the protagonist of the third game would be yet another new hero. Co-op is possible but not likely, followers will keep their "unique" armor designs but still change visually over time, and combat will revolve around "preparation, teamwork, and positioning," with less button-smashing and more thought given to prepping your team for battle. In closer plans, Laidlaw said that we'll see more of Varric in upcoming DLC for Dragon Age 2, as well as Leliana and Flemeth. Morrigan will be back as well, and BioWare says that the Legacy DLC was received well, so that will be the model for updates in the future. Minus that last boss fight -- the team agrees that the AI in there wasn't quite as smart as they would have liked. Though it doesn't seem all that hard to program fire to equal bad, right?
