Much like the Elder Scrolls Online, a Dragon Age MMO should also focus on an independent timeline for the best experience.

The Dragon Age franchise is in a very precarious state right now – especially after the huge disappointment that was Dragon Age: The Veilguard. After reportedly missing Electronic Arts’ sales expectations, Veilguard had most of its dev team laid off, and BioWare remains a shell of what it used to be.

Electronic Arts has however, mentioned that Dragon Age needs live-service elements to be successful, which is true to a degree, when we look into the success of other single-player titles turned live service RPGs such as Final Fantasy XIV and the Elder Scrolls Online.

Assuming that EA does not give up on the franchise and let it rot in limbo, they could still attempt a comeback by releasing an MMO spin off of the Dragon Age series.

A Dragon Age MMO could work, but it needs to be unique and free from the shackles of its existing backdrop

A Dragon Age MMO could work, but only if EA puts in the effort | Image Credit: BioWare

Given EA’s inclination toward live-service titles, a Dragon Age MMO could be a good candidate for the otherwise failing franchise. The title would have to incorporate much of the mainline series’ charm and world building, with a focus on cooperative multiplayer and RPG elements.

However, one fatal mistake to avoid in this case would be to directly add the MMO as part of the ongoing overall lore and world of the the Dragon Age series – and instead choosing to release the game as a standalone adventure, very loosely associated with the events of the mainline titles.

TES Online takes place in a gray part of the overall Elder Scrolls timeline | Image Credit: Bethesda Studios

This would be very similar to what the Elder Scrolls Online does. Instead of sticking to (and possibly botching up) an already well established timeline, Elder Scrolls Online has players explore the period of the Interregnum, which is locked in constant turmoil with barely any records, posing as a blank slate of sorts.

This allowed Zenimax Online Studios to craft a unique world all of its own, without being bound to the shackles of the already pre-existing Elder Scrolls universe. This also gives writers more freedom to dictate the story on their terms, without trampling on beloved characters and already established events, which could prove to be quite disastrous.

Regardless, regaining player trust will prove to be quite difficult

EA and BioWare need to earn back player trust | Image Credit: BioWare

No matter how good a Dragon Age MMO may turn out to be, it still must complete one major trial – regaining the trust of its player base. After all, Dragon Age: The Veilguard was an utter disappointment and financial failure, and was shunned by a vast majority of its players – including long-time Dragon Age fans who came back expecting a return to form.

BioWare (or whatever is left of it) and Electronic Arts need to cater to the player base and listen to player feedback carefully before undertaking a project of this magnitude. Naturally, this would involve going back to the drawing board, and figuring out what makes Dragon Age click, and removing any unnecessary additions that detract from the true, vanilla experience.

This will most certainly be a difficult process, but assuming that EA remains transparent about the whole matter, and genuinely invested in delivering a proper Dragon Age game – with no ridiculous sales targets to go along with it, it could very likely work.

If anything, a Dragon Age MMO would be a breath of fresh air for the franchise, and might just be what it really needs to reinvigorate itself.