EA will be hosting an all-digital event in just a few days that will showcase some of the games that fans can expect from the video game publisher. Of course, given that EA did not attend this year's E3, fans of EA's many franchises are looking forward to the upcoming event in hopes of seeing a new game or updates on titles currently in development.
At the moment, the exact games that will be showcased at E3 remains a mystery. While fans should expect to see updates on games such as Battlefield 2042, FIFA 22, The Sims 4, and Apex Legends, EA has been open on the many games that will not be shown at the event. It appear that the publisher is setting the expectations of fans low for its upcoming event due to two huge reasons.
BioWare Will Not Be Present at EA Play
Earlier this month, developer BioWare confirmed that it would not be attending EA Play this year. Given that BioWare games remain one of the most popular mainstays under the EA umbrella, its absence is a huge disappointment to fans of the studio. Of course, BioWare's absence at EA Play means that players shouldn't expect to hear anything from its video game franchises, namely Dragon Age and Mass Effect. As for the reason why BioWare won't be attending EA Play, the developer did reassure fans that it is working hard on the next Dragon Age and Mass Effect games.
Ever since the release of Mass Effect Andromeda in 2017, fans have seemingly lost some faith in BioWare. It is no secret that the downfall of Mass Effect: Andromeda could be attributed to the long list of bugs and glitches that were present in the game at launch, which resulted in massive criticism from players and critics. However, things started to look bright for the Mass Effect franchise with the announcement of a new Mass Effect game, and the release of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, which bundles together improved versions of the Mass Effect Trilogy.
It is worth remembering that the new Mass Effect game in development was only revealed at The Game Awards last year, which is why it would have been unlikely for it to be present at EA Play, even if BioWare was in attendance at the event. However, the same may not be said for BioWare's Dragon Age 4, which has been in development for several years now. First revealed at The Game Awards 2018, Dragon Age 4Â may be further away than expected.
While BioWare did unveil a tease here and there, it wasn't able to show anything concrete to Dragon Age fans, which is concerning given that it has been almost three years since the game's announcement. At last year's The Game Awards, BioWare did release another teaser trailer for Dragon Age 4, but the preview only contained concept art, and no gameplay or other details have been revealed. Of course, with BioWare confirming that it is not attending EA Play, there is reason to believe that the studio is still not confident in showing something concrete for Dragon Age 4, which of course, raises concerns from fans on the actual state of its development.
No New Star Wars Game at EA Play
Of course, BioWare's absence at the upcoming EA Play event means that fans shouldn't expect to see anything about SW:TOR at the event. Thankfully, EA has other Star Wars games that are not associated with BioWare. Unfortunately, EA also confirmed several days ago that fans shouldn't expect to see any Star Wars games at all in the upcoming event. However, in its tweet, the publisher did confirm that while Star Wars will be a no-show at EA Play, more will be revealed next year.
Although EA has several Star Wars games under its belt, it is no doubt that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the most popular. While many were reluctant prior to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order's release, concerns quickly turned into praises as the game received solid reviews from both fans and critics. The success of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was unexpected, and at the height of the game's popularity, EA confirmed that Fallen Order is the first game in a new franchise.
The announcement did suggest that a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is in EA's future plans, and many expected that the publisher would officially announce Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 at EA Play. Of course, given the success that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has achieved, it appears that EA's decision not to feature it, or any Star Wars games for that matter, is a mistake. While EA has some exciting games that it could feature at EA Play, it is no secret that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 is one of the most-anticipated, which is why its absence at the event is a disappointment.
While Disappointing, EA Managing Fan Expectations is Actually a Good Thing
In the end, it is disappointing to hear that games such as Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and the rumored sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order won't be appearing at EA's upcoming event. However, one good thing that EA is doing is to manage expectations on what players shouldn't expect to see at EA Play, which is genuinely better than leaving fans in the dark.
Of course, while the absence of some of its biggest games may have taken away the excitement of some, it is worth noting that EA still has tons of video game franchises under its belt, which is why players should still see something interesting at the event. Hopefully, EA will share what players should actually watch out for in the days leading to the event. EA Play will be broadcasting live on its YouTube and Twitch pages on July 22, 2021, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.