It currently feels like gaming is in a bit of a golden era for single-player RPGs, and that is great news for fans of the genre. Cyberpunk 2077 is preparing for a massive relaunch with Phantom Liberty, Baldur's Gate 3 has redefined what it means to be an RPG, and Starfield is just around the corner. There seems to be a stellar RPG wherever players look, and the future of the genre has never looked brighter. However, this success has also put games like Dragon Age: Dreadwolf in a tough spot.

There is a lot riding on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf as the release date nears. Not only does the game have to show RPG fans that BioWare is still capable of delivering fantastic adventures, but it also has to break free from the shadow of titans like Baldur's Gate 3. While the studio should be able to accomplish that, it feels like it is stuck in an impossible situation. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will have to do a lot if it wants any chance at exciting RPG audiences right now, and these next couple of months will be its chance to do just that.

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Dreadwolf Has Already Been Overshadowed by Baldur's Gate 3

BioWare has been in a bit of a tough spot since the release of Dragon Age: Inquisition. While the game was one of the studio's most successful titles, it was also criticized for being a bit rough around the edges and failing to match its predecessors. It would then go on to release the largely underwhelming Mass Effect: Andromeda and the critically panned Anthem. Both games seemed to push the studio's fans further away, and it has not really had a chance to win any of them back since.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will hopefully be the studio's chance to do that, but that remains to be seen. Not much has been revealed about the project since its announcement in 2019, and various behind-the-scenes issues have put its success in doubt. It has been delayed multiple times and there seems to be high staff turnover within the studio, with the most recent being the elimination of 50 jobs earlier this week. All of this has made RPG audiences doubt BioWare's future.

While Baldur's Gate 3 may have taken RPGs to new heights, the franchise would not exist without BioWare. The studio was responsible for developing the first two games in the series alongside Interplay Entertainment. Both games were incredible RPGs that would be met with critical acclaim, and BioWare would go on to expand upon them with exciting DLC expansions. They would help put the studio on the map and cement it as a kingpin within the RPG genre.

Neverwinter Nights ended up being the last Dungeons and Dragons game that BioWare would develop before it moved onto the likes of Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Baldur's Gate 3 would mark the grand return of this franchise after 23 years, and Larian Studios seems to have done it right. Everything about the game is fantastic, and it has redefined what a modern CRPG can be. It has helped make Larian Studios a premier RPG studio, and fans of the genre cannot wait to see what the studio does next.

While BioWare struggles to gain a foothold in the market it once dominated, Baldur's Gate seems to be in the healthiest position it has ever been. This success puts even more pressure on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf to deliver because BioWare needs to show its audience that it still has what it takes. Its recent track record puts that ability in doubt, but hopefully it will be able to break through. Only time will tell if that is possible, and EA may want to speed up the marketing campaign if it wants any chance at doing so.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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