Dragon Age Star 'Devastated' by Backlash, Claims BioWare Critics Wanted Failure

Dragon Age star Alix Wilton Regan has shared her heartfelt response to the backlash surrounding last year's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, attributing the "mixed reactions" to individuals who "wanted to see the game fail, or wanted to see [BioWare] fail."

Regan, renowned for her role as the Female Inquisitor in both Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, expressed to IGN her deep disappointment over BioWare's latest release not resonating with a broader audience, despite receiving largely positive reviews from critics.

In a comprehensive interview that delved into her extensive portfolio of iconic video game characters, including her part in Microsoft's forthcoming Perfect Dark reboot, Regan reflected fondly on her time as BioWare's Inquisitor. However, she expressed doubts about reprising the role in the future.

"I also think a lot of people kind of wanted to see it fail, or wanted to see [BioWare] fail, either because they're just really bad people on the internet — of which there are unfortunately many, as we have discovered."

At its launch, The Veilguard faced significant online review bombing. The game drew criticism for being "woke," primarily due to the inclusion of a non-binary companion character and the option for players to select a transgender protagonist. On Steam, Dragon Age: The Veilguard currently holds a 'Mixed' user rating, with tags like "LGBTQ+" and "politics" applied by the community.

"People were attacking the game before it was released," Regan added. "It's ridiculous. How can you judge a game, a book, a film, a TV show before it's actually released? You can't. It's an idiotic stance to take."

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In January, publisher EA disclosed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had "underperformed" by approximately 50% compared to expectations, shortly after the game's director, Corrine Busche, announced her departure from the company. Additionally, other BioWare employees who contributed to the game were laid off.

That same month, BioWare announced that Dragon Age: The Veilguard would receive no further updates, signaling the end of content development for the title.

"I only ever want to see the folks from BioWare thrive, because I adore them," Regan concluded. "And whatever they go on to do next, I have no doubt their talents will be richly rewarded. We're really lucky we'll get more gold from them in the future."

Currently, a streamlined BioWare team is focusing on Mass Effect 5, though a release date has yet to be announced.