A few of the most recent releases from BioWare, like the underperforming Mass Effect: Andromeda and the slightly disappointing Anthem, may not have done as well as it might have hoped, but there is still plenty to look forward to. BioWare helped to reignite the love among the gaming community for its incredibly successful Mass Effect series with the launch of the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition last year, but it's the next installment in the franchise that fans are really holding out for. Another of BioWare's long-running series, Dragon Age, also has another entry on the horizon with Dragon Age: Dreadwolf currently in development. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf's release date is unknown, but its contents are getting clearer.
Fans of both franchises are hoping that the developer can really deliver on the upcoming games, but even though both titles are from different series, revolve around their own unique characters and settings, and have completely contrasting genres, they do have a slightly strange and similar relationship when it comes to their development. Both Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and Mass Effect 4 have a lot on their plate for their respective franchises – as well as BioWare's slightly damaged reputation – but this isn't their only connection.
BioWare's Early Announcements
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Given the previous success and popularity of Dragon Age: Inquisition, another game in the Dragon Age franchise seemed like a given. Mass Effect's future wasn't quite so secure, however, after the release of Mass Effect: Andromeda. The game had its merits, but thanks to a buggy launch and the mixed reaction from players to the new protagonist Ryder, among other aspects, it failed to achieve the same kind of status as its three predecessors. For a while, it seemed like BioWare might be taking a step back from the series, but thankfully the developer confirmed that another Mass Effect installment was in development in December 2020.
The next Dragon Age game was announced earlier, way back in 2018, but despite years of development, it only recently received an official title. BioWare seems to be following in the footsteps of other studios like Bethesda when it comes to recent game announcements, seeming to let the cat out of the bag during early development so that players are forced to wait years for any substantial news of the upcoming releases. While it's always exciting to hear about new games, especially installments in beloved franchises, sometimes players can get frustrated with a lack of updates and grow tired during the long wait in between the announcement and the release.
A Secretive Development
BioWare has also been pretty tight-lipped when it comes to both games, revealing only a smattering of details over the years since they were each announced. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf may have been officially confirmed two years before Mass Effect 4, but it feels like players have seen more of the latter game than the former. It took the first game four years just to get a new title, which seems like a long time to wait for such an important piece of information. However, the recent announcement has cleared up a few lingering mysteries about Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, like the confirmation of Solas as the main antagonist and a possible clue to the game's outcome thanks to an anagram hidden in "Dreadwolf."
Mass Effect 4 is still waiting for its own official title and is even (confusingly) also referred to as Mass Effect 5 by some fans thanks to Mass Effect: Andromeda abandoning the previous numerical naming conventions. Even though Dragon Age: Dreadwolf's official naming seems to indicate that it's further along than its sci-fi counterpart, many players feel like they have a better idea of what Mass Effect 4 will entail thanks to the marketing materials released so far. Mass Effect 4 has had a teaser trailer and plenty of official artwork, giving players a good look at the upcoming game and lots of information to dig through to help formulate their theories.
It's true that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has also revealed some of its concept art and character designs, as well as a teaser trailer narrated by the fan-favorite roguish dwarf Varric, but it still feels relatively mysterious. This is especially strange given how long ago it was since the game was officially confirmed, although trouble within the development team and some high-profile staffing changes in the Dragon Age team could explain this lack of new information.
The Future Of Mass Effect and Dragon Age
Both Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and Mass Effect 4 still have their fair share of secrets, like the possibility of familiar faces making a return, or the length of in-game time that will have passed since each of their previous entries. Developers like to keep a little mystery around games before they release, since the deluge of information prior to launch may put players off or spoil certain aspects that they'd like to discover for themselves. Getting the balance right between teasing just enough but holding back the juiciest details isn't always achieved, and can lead to trouble down the road once a game is actually out.
It's undeniable that Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf are both highly-anticipated games, and fans will be keeping a close eye on updates from BioWare regarding each title. Neither game currently has a release date, and it's difficult to try and estimate just when players might be able to get their hands on them, given the relative secrecy still surrounding each title's development. It's likely that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will release first, but it's still unclear when that will be. Mass Effect 4, still without an official name, definitely feels further away, and it could even be years yet before gamers will see it out in the wild.
BioWare has given fans a few brief looks at both games, but there will undoubtedly be more to come in the future. With November being the traditional month for Mass Effect announcements thanks to N7 Day, it might be that more details will be revealed later this year, and thanks to the recent news about Dragon Age: Dreadwolf it seems like BioWare might finally be ready to start ramping up that game's marketing and release more frequent updates. It's hard for fans to stay patient, but hopefully their questions will start getting answers as the still unknown release dates for Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf grow closer.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is in development.