We're eagerly awaiting Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, and now EA announced a big milestone in the development of the game.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has been in the making for quite a while now. Inquisition came out in 2014, so it's been eight years already. Many of us (me specifically, lol) had hoped that the game would release this year, but that's obviously not going to happen.
It's already been two years since BioWare showed us the first trailer for Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. I'm putting my money on another trailer at the Game Awards 2022 with a release in late 2023 (sometime between October and December).
Now EA announced what they themselves call a milestone: Dragon Age: Dreadwolf just reached Alpha status! This means that the separate parts of the game have now been combined, so that in theory the game is playable now. Of course, there is still lots of progression to be made, including cutscenes, music, environment and so on, but the fact that the RPG has reached Alpha status is definitely a good sign for everyone who's waiting for the game.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Will Target New & Veteran Fans
All in all, it seems like Dreadwolf is finally getting closer. Just a month ago, BioWare published a community update on their blog, talking all things Dragon Age. They shared the first codex entries, a deeper look into the lore and story of Dragon Age and also talked about the writing process for the game.
I started playing Dragon Age with Dragon Age 2. I know, controversial, but it is what it is. Back then, I thought I had to play Origins in order to understand 2, but it really wasn't necessary. That same dynamic will apply to Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. It will not require you to play the original trilogy. Though I do recommend it, they're all amazing games, especially Inquisition.
Unlike Inquisition, where Hawke from Dragon Age 2 played a major role, Dreadwolf will have a new hero that seems to have nothing to do with the three previous ones. Since BioWare states that it will also target veteran fans, though, I'm assuming that the game will feature various easter eggs, as it did for Dragon Age 2. Even the codex entries they shared will be familiar to fans that played Inquisition, but we'll get to that in a second.
Here is a direct quote from Sylvia Feketekuty, senior writer on DA:D:
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has been a balance of providing answers to long-standing questions for veteran fans while making a game that new players, or someone who only played DA:I years ago, can also get into.
Well, I only want one question answered: will I get my Solavellan happy ending?
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Codex Entries Released
BioWare was kind enough to release three codex entries. One is about the Necropolis in Nevarra, a mausoleum, another is about Vinsomer, a dragon that you could actually fight in Inquisition and lastly, The Randy Dowager Quarterly Vol. 3, another small easter egg for Inquisition.
As you can see, Dreadwolf features interesting stories for both new and veteran players. Me, as the latter, is very happy to see familiar names such as The Randy Dowager or Vinsomer.
It'll be a while before the game releases, but at least BioWare gave us this. I'm happy. I'm excited, and I'm looking forward to what's next. Dareth shiral.