Although many fans hoped Dragon Age 4 would be at EA Play, the chances beforehand seemed small. The game isn't too far into development, even now, and is likely another year or two out. Because of this, it was shocking when EA rolled a next-gen clip that showcased 3 new screenshots of Dragon Age 4, and with how little of the game has been seen, there's been a lot of discussion around these three screenshots.
They show a massive, spooky tree (as seen above), a Chapel covered in Red Lyrium, and what appears to be some type of giant heart created from the substance as well. Many have joked about romancing the tree, some have postulated that the area shown is the Temple of Sacred Ashes, and so much more. What is clear, however, is that these will likely be all fans see of Dragon Age 4 for some time. Most fans understand the current situation and want the best of the game, so these screenshots will have to do. That said, looking closely may yield more than what initially meets the eye.
For example, the presence of Red Lyrium here is huge. Not only has it had a role in every game since Dragon Age 2, but the Red Lyrium Idol appeared in the initial teaser trailer from Dragon Age 4, making it clear that the substance will likely have as big of a role, if not bigger, in the coming entry. While it may not be as noticeable, it seems likely that BioWare's spooky tree appeared here as well.
Dragon Age 4 Trailer
As seen standing behind the mage, there's a dark and twisted tree. It looks smaller here, but aesthetically, it makes sense that this tree and the new tree in the screenshot are one in the same. This trailer actually opens up with some disturbing shots of what appears to be Elven statues, perhaps physical prisons of the Evanuris in addition to their spiritual restraints, and ends on this screen being revealed. Now, this could just be Dragon Age 4 building upon similar imagery, or going into tinfoil hat territory, it could be hints as to how and where Solas will attempt to tear the Veil asunder.
That's a lot of information to try to infer from the tree, but this tree, the chapel, and the Red Lyrium are all likely to be involved. Solas comments on the Idol in Tevinter Nights, meaning he wants to use its power of thinning the veil and could be trying to gather enough for his plans. If the chapel is indeed located at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, there is enough underground there to once again open the breach and destroy the veil, but it is also heavily hinted that the game will take place in Tevinter. As such, it could just be another place similar in design but marked with this tree.
There's a lot to try to decipher from this mural, such as the Dread Wolf's embodiment, the statue associated with the trailer and the idol, and who the mage is exactly. It's not impossible that it is indeed Solas, but the hair doesn't really fit. It'll likely be some time before all of this comes together, but for now, fans can continue to tear apart these screenshots, study this spooky tree, and rant about Red Lyrium for the months and years to come before Dragon Age 4's release date rolls around.
Dragon Age 4 is in development for next-gen platforms.