Dragon Age Star 'Devastated' by Backlash, Claims BioWare's Critics Wanted Failure

Dragon Age star Alix Wilton Regan has shared her personal reaction to the backlash surrounding last year's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, attributing the "mixed responses" to individuals who "hoped the game would fail, or wanted to see [BioWare] stumble."

The actor, who voiced the Female Inquisitor in both Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, told IGN she felt "absolutely heartbroken" that BioWare's latest title failed to attract a wider audience, despite receiving largely favorable reviews from critics.

Speaking in a new interview about her numerous iconic video game roles—including her part in Microsoft's upcoming Perfect Dark reboot—Wilton Regan expressed how much she cherished her time as BioWare's Inquisitor, though she believes the character is unlikely to make a return.

"I feel absolutely devastated for BioWare as a studio that the game received such mixed reactions," Wilton Regan said of The Veilguard's reception. "From my perspective, it was a very solid game. It felt like classic BioWare staying true to its roots.

"I also believe many people were hoping it would fail or wanted to see [BioWare] fail—either because they're just unpleasant individuals online, of which there are unfortunately many, as we’ve come to realize."

At launch, The Veilguard was subjected to review bombing. Much of the critique labeling the game "woke" stemmed from its inclusion of a non-binary companion and the option for players to choose a transgender identity. On Steam, Dragon Age: The Veilguard now holds a 'Mixed' rating from players, with user-generated tags highlighting "LGBTQ+" and "politics."

"People were attacking the game even before its release," Wilton Regan continued. "It's absurd. How can anyone judge a game, a book, a film, or a TV series before it's actually out? You simply can't. It’s an illogical position to take."

In January, publisher EA stated that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had "underperformed" by approximately 50% compared to its projections, shortly after the game’s director, Corrine Busche, confirmed her departure from the company. Around the same time, other BioWare employees involved in the project were laid off.

That same month, BioWare indicated it had rolled out its final update for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, with no further content announced or anticipated.

"I always want to see the team at BioWare succeed because I adore them," Wilton Regan concluded. "Whatever they pursue next, I’m confident their talent will be richly rewarded. We're fortunate to know that more brilliance from them lies ahead."

A streamlined BioWare is currently developing Mass Effect 5, which has no release date at this time.