Summary
Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s lead developers have explained why it’s no longer called Dreadwolf, noting that it’s not “a game about Solas” and is more about your companions.
We’ve been waiting what feels like an incredibly long time for the next Dragon Ageto finally be released after Inquisition came out all the way back in 2014. For most of that time,one of the most substantial things we’ve known about the next Dragon Age is that it was going to be named Dreadwolf, which suggested that Solas, who is nicknamed Dread Wolf, would play a key role in it.
This was supported by all of the teasers that we received for Dreadwolf over the years, which had Solas front and centre throughout most of them. Then, a funny thing happened, andDreadwolf was revealed to have had its name changed to Dragon Age: The Veilguard, something that has confused a lot of fans.
Here’s Why Dragon Age 4 Is No Longer Named Dreadwolf
Since The Veilguard was officially re-revealed this month, one of the biggest points of conversation (aside from that goofy reveal trailer) has been about the name being changed.BioWarehas talked a little about it when first re-revealing The Veilguard and said it was to reflect “what was really the heartbeat” of the game, but it turns out there’s a little more to it than that.
Game Informer recently had the chance to preview The Veilguard, which included interviewing some of the lead developers on the game. One of the things the leads were asked about was the name change, and there are a range of answers that go a bit deeper. The first comes from game director Corinne Busche, who repeated the same phrase about the game’s companions being its “absolute beating heart”.
Busche went a little further by noting that one of the reasons that the title was changed was because The Veilguard is “not a game about Solas”, as Dreadwolf would have implied. Solas is confirmed to be in the game and play an important role, but it’s not a story that’s solely focused on him like you might think from the previous title.
Now, I want to be clear: I adore Solas [and] he plays an important role in the game, but this is not a game about Solas. So in all things we do, trying to capture that authentic experience, we felt the title really needed to change."
This thought was echoed by creative director John Epler, who said that “Solas is still a central figure” in the game and a “significant character”, but that the focus of the adventure has shifted towards the entire team. It’s more “about the people you recruit”, Epler said, comparing the title change to the last Dragon Age being called Inquisition and focusing on a group instead of an individual.
