BioWare on Changes to Companion Control in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Joy or Sorrow for Dragon Age Fans?

A revelation that surprised many regarding the upcoming game Dragon Age: The Veilguard involves the decision to remove the ability for players to control other party members—a hallmark feature of the series' earlier installments. For a franchise deeply rooted in tactical, teamwork-based gameplay, this change has left fans both puzzled and intrigued. However, according to BioWare, this shift is aimed at enhancing the action dynamics in the latest installment.

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The Dragon Age series has gradually moved away from its original mechanics inspired by Dungeons & Dragons. The first game, while set in BioWare's unique universe, heavily borrowed from the studio’s earlier D&D-based projects, allowing players to control any party member and pause combat for micromanaging actions. As the series evolved, particularly with the development of Inquisition, the focus shifted more towards the protagonist’s actions, retaining party control but with less emphasis. Now, with The Veilguard, this evolution seems to have reached its peak.

In an interview with Edge magazine, Corinne Busch from BioWare elaborated on the decision, stating: "From an immersion standpoint, we wanted you to feel like you are Rook." Rook is the predetermined protagonist of The Veilguard, though players retain the freedom to customize their appearance. “You’re diving into this world, focusing on your own actions,” she continued. The game’s director added: “We wanted companions to feel like autonomous, fully realized characters. They make their own decisions, independent of the player’s control.”

But this isn’t the only reason behind the design choice. Busch also revealed that The Veilguard features a much faster pace of gameplay, with a heightened action style requiring more actions per minute. During testing, the development team found that player control over companions didn’t enhance the experience as intended. In fact, it sometimes distracted from the game’s overall dynamics.

Early gameplay previews indicate that The Veilguard adopts a more action-oriented, third-person perspective layered atop its RPG roots. This shift will undoubtedly require players to adapt as they relinquish direct control over their companions. Hopefully, the game’s AI will be robust enough to handle this change, ensuring that the loss of player control doesn’t negatively impact the gameplay dynamics.

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