In a low-key kind of announcement/confirmation, BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah has penned a writeup confirming that the studio is working on a third Dragon Age installment, and that it is indeed entitled Dragon Age III: Inquisition. Word is:
We are going to do things a little differently today. Some of you may not know who I am so to start out, I´m going to tell you a little bit about myself.
I joined BioWare in May of 1997 making this year my 15th year with the Company (So, old…). I am a programmer by training and implemented the AI, scripting, and combat systems in Baldur´s Gate. After that, I moved into a lead programmer role on Tales of the Sword Coast, BG2, and Shadows of Amn. I kept my hands dirty during this time; you have me to blame for the wild mage.
After the Baldur´s Gate series, I was the lead programmer on Jade Empire, though I made a brief detour to implement the first version of the DM client in Neverwinter Nights.
Then through a weird series of un-relatable stories, I ended up on BioWare´s handheld title Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. I started out as Lead Programmer and finished in charge of the project. Along the way I managed to write a scripting language somehow WORSE than the one in BG, yet at the same time coded a stats system that I am VERY proud of. Fundamentally, the core achievement was that you could not die after you had already; it´s surprising how hard that can be to ensure, sometimes.
Finally I moved over to the Dragon Age franchise. I have been the Executive Producer since just before Dragon Age: Origins shipped.
I am part of an active D&D campaign, love collecting pen and paper stuff and like walks on the beach. Actually I don´t like walks on the beach, too smooshy.
Okay, enough about me, why have I called you all here today?
I am pleased to confirm that we are, in fact, working on the next Dragon Age game. Not a big surprise to most of you, I know. We have been working on it in some way for about two years now with the bulk of our efforts ramping up about 18 months ago.
Part of that effort has involved you, our fans, and the feedback you´ve provided for Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, and their DLC. We´ve visited message boards, read reviews, and we´ve gone to events to have direct face to face conversations with some of our most passionate fans. We´ve been listening, and we will continue to listen.
Recently, I said that we didn´t want to talk about Dragon Age III unless we had something to show. I´m trying to stick to that plan and won´t be revealing much today. That said, a lot of information and rumors have surfaced recently and we don´t want to hide from them. There are a BUNCH of things that I really want to share with you but I want to do this right, and doing it right requires some more time.
So here´s what I can confirm for now:
‘¢ The next game will be called Dragon Age III: Inquisition.
‘¢ We won´t be talking about the story of the game today. Though you can make some guesses from the title.
‘¢ This game is being made by a lot of the same team that has been working on Dragon Age since Dragon Age: Origins. It´s composed of both experienced BioWare veterans and talented new developers.
‘¢ We are working on a new engine which we believe will allow us to deliver a more expansive world, better visuals, more reactivity to player choices, and more customization. At PAX East, we talked about armour and followers… Yeah, that kind of customisation. We´ve started with Frostbite 2 from DICE as a foundation to accomplish this.
There´s much more to talk about, of course, but it will have to wait until it´s ready for the prime time.
We are going to be as open as we can. We will continue to have a dialogue with you and answer what questions we can. Keep providing us with your feedback. I´m excited about what we are working on and I hope that you will be too. I know this is going to be hard to believe, but it is just as hard for me not to tell you stuff as it is for you to wait.
And here’s the full press release:
BIOWARE ANNOUNCES DRAGON AGE 3: INQUISITION
The Return of Dragon Age will be Bigger, Deeper and Powered by Frostbite 2
EDMONTON, Alberta September 17, 2012 BioWare, a Label of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), today announced Dragon Ageâ„¢ 3: Inquisition, the next chapter in the award-winning role-playing game (RPG) franchise, is in development at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Montreal. Coming in late 2013, Dragon Age 3: Inquisition combines the storytelling legacy BioWare is known for, with deep RPG gameplay, all on a brand new RPG game engine underpinned by EA’s critically-acclaimed Frostbiteâ„¢ 2 technology.
(The Dragon Age team has been working on Dragon Age 3: Inquisition for almost two years now,) said Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Montreal. (We’ve been poring over player feedback from past games and connecting directly with our fans. They haven’t held back, so we’re not either. With Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, we want to give fans what they’re asking for a great story with choices that matter, a massive world to explore, deep customization and combat that is both tactical and visceral.)
Added Flynn, (At the same time, we know we need new technology to truly make this vision become fully realized. And we’ve been working with DICE to make Frostbite 2 the foundation for the engine that is going to power Dragon Age 3.)
The Dragon Age franchise has received over 80 awards from critics around the world, and has sold over 8 million copies to date*. Created by BioWare, the property has spawned many novels, an animated film, comic books, collectibles and more since Dragon Age: Origins launched in 2009.
For more information about Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, including updates from the development team and a letter to the fans from Executive Producer Mark Darrah, please visit the game’s official web site at http://dragonage.com. Dragon Age fans can also receive updates on Twitter® at http://twitter.com/dragonage, or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/dragonage.
*According to internal EA data.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 220 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.
In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Simsâ„¢, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speedâ„¢, Battlefieldâ„¢ and Mass Effectâ„¢. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.
