Back in 2009, BioWare released Dragon Age: Origins, which was born out of the success of the studio's Mass Effect franchise. However, one of the primary reasons that made Dragon Age: Origins an instant hit is its embodiment of Mass Effect's best features applied in a fantasy setting. Soon after, Dragon Age became one of BioWare's most important franchises, and its games rivaled similar titles such as Skyrim and The Witcher 3.
Currently, the Dragon Age franchise has three main games, and while all of them have their own strengths and weaknesses, most fans would probably agree that Dragon Age: Origins is the best out of all of them. Of course, given the current trend among video game developers of remaking their most successful games, Dragon Age fans are probably wondering whether it is at all possible for BioWare to remake the first Dragon Age game.
Why BioWare Should Remake Dragon Age: Origins
One of the best features that most Dragon Age fans loved about Origins is its perfect execution of introducing players to the world of Thedas. At the start of the game, players are given six origin stories: Dalish Elf, City Elf, Dwarf Commoner, Dwarf Noble, Mage, and Human Noble to choose from, allowing them to experience the game from different perspectives. Additionally, these origin stories also give Dragon Age: Origins high replayability value, given that embarking on each of them would have an effect on the game's overall plot and the way other characters interact with the player.
Of course, Dragon Age: Origins is not without flaws. Despite its immersive story, the game featured a clunky combat system and its graphics did not really age well. Given this, BioWare could target these weaknesses in a remake by reworking Origins' combat and visuals and combine these improvements with the game's excellent story. If executed flawlessly, Dragon Age: Origins remake would surely elevate the franchise into a whole new level, and could even introduce the series to a new generation of gamers.
What Are the Chances of Dragon Age: Origins Getting a Remake?
At the moment, there are rumors surfacing online that BioWare will be releasing a remaster of the Mass Effect Trilogy for current-generation consoles. If this remaster of the Mass Effect Trilogy turns out to be true, then it is a step in the right direction for a Dragon Age: Origins remake given that this would mean that BioWare is interested in reworking its back catalog, even if it's just a remaster and not a full-fledged remake.
Despite this, it appears that a remake of Dragon Age: Origins remains unlikely given that the studio is currently pre-occupied with the development of Dragon Age 4, which was first announced back in 2018 at The Game Awards. However, if BioWare does decide to remake Dragon Age: Origins, then players shouldn't expect to see the title any time soon, at least while Dragon Age 4 is still in development. At the moment, BioWare hasn't given Dragon Age 4 a release date, but many predict that it may fall somewhere in 2021 at the earliest, but given that the studio hasn't shown anything concrete about the upcoming game, its development may even take longer than expected.
It is important to remember that the performance of Dragon Age 4, once it's released, would play a vital role on whether fans would ever see a remake of the first game. If Dragon Age 4 turns out to be a success, then BioWare would have the will and motivation to please its fans by reintroducing Dragon Age: Origins via a remake. However, should Dragon Age 4 flop, then the studio may be forced to bury Dragon Age for good, and it could even mean the end of the road for BioWare itself.
Dragon Age: Origins is available now for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.