Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
News, coverage and analysis tracking Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening across the outlets.
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Warlock is "fundamentally a linear story," Wizards of the Coast says
Wizards of the Coast and Invoke have stated that their upcoming Dungeons and Dragons title, Warlock, will feature a fundamentally linear story, contrasting with the player agency seen in games like Baldur's Gate 3. While set in an open world, the narrative will focus on a pre-written campaign for the character Kaatri, with no branching paths or morality system. This approach is intended to deliver a strong narrative experience, with Invoke's VP Dominic Guay emphasizing that the core campaign outcomes are set.
Diablo 5's narrative lead is a BioWare vet who says the new caravan system gives the ARPG the "best elements of traditional RPGs" like Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate
Diablo 5 will feature a new caravan system instead of traditional towns, inspired by BioWare veteran Jennifer Hepler's experience with games like Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate. Hepler, Diablo 5's narrative director, stated this system brings traditional RPG elements to the ARPG formula, allowing interaction with followers who have personalities.
Dragon Age Origins is a broken mess. Thankfully, six devs are trying to change that
Dragon Age: Origins, a beloved fantasy RPG, suffers from significant performance issues on PC, making it difficult for new players to enjoy. A dedicated team of six developers is working to decompile its source code for modernization and improved modding support, aiming for a community-managed release without direct profit motive.
30,000 games are either Steam Deck verified or at least 'playable' on Valve's handheld
Valve's Steam Deck now boasts 30,000 games that are either 'Verified' or 'Playable,' a significant increase since its launch. While 'Verified' titles run flawlessly, 'Playable' games may require minor adjustments. Some games, like For Honor, are being removed from Linux platforms, impacting Steam Deck availability.
Former Dragon Age lead says Baldur's Gate 3 studio Larian is taking a "risk" by making Divinity right after its 2023 RPG hit, but he applauds the devs for it
Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah believes Larian Studios is taking a calculated risk by focusing on a new Divinity game immediately after the success of Baldur's Gate 3. He applauds Larian's strategy of focusing on one project at a time, contrasting it with BioWare's past issues of juggling multiple series.
Report: 13TB of Steam data leaked after users access 'publicly accessible endpoint'
A significant data leak, dubbed 'Steam2 leak,' has reportedly exposed 13TB of data from Valve's Steam platform, primarily containing files uploaded between 2003 and 2013. The leaked data includes early versions and assets of Valve games like Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2, as well as beta builds of third-party titles such as Dragon Age: Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum. The information was allegedly accessed via a publicly accessible endpoint, raising security concerns for Valve and other exposed companies.
Massive Valve leak unearths 12TB of unreleased builds for games like Portal 2, alongside a whiff of Half-Life 2: Episode…
A massive 12TB leak of internal Valve game builds and assets from 2003 to 2013 has surfaced online, including unreleased versions of Portal 2, Left 4 Dead, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, as well as materials potentially related to Half-Life 2: Episode Three and the unreleased game F-Stop. The leak is attributed to Valve's outdated content-delivery system rather than a hacking incident.
Panic refunds tariff fees, 1047 Games pivots from Splitgate, and Gamescom Dev grows - Patch Notes #67
This week's gaming news covers the prevalence of generative AI at Gamescom, Panic's refund of tariff fees for the Playdate handheld, and Rockstar Games' response to the Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks. Additionally, 1047 Games is ending development on Splitgate Arena Reloaded and Empulse, CAA launched an indie game fund, and actor Tim Curry passed away. Gamescom Dev saw growth, and No More Room in Hell 2 surpassed one million players.
Brütal Legend is available free in honor of Tim Curry
Double Fine is offering Brütal Legend for free for a limited time to honor the late actor Tim Curry, who voiced the villain Doviculus. Curry also had roles in Gabriel Knight, Red Alert 3, and Dragon Age: Origins. This follows a similar free giveaway in tribute to Ozzy Osbourne.
Tim Curry, Red Alert 3 star and camp icon of stage and screen, dies aged 80
English actor Tim Curry, known for his iconic roles in film, stage, and television, has died at the age of 80. Curry also lent his talents to video games, notably voicing Premier Anatoly Cherdenko in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 and starring in the Gabriel Knight series.
Obituary: Actor Tim Curry, celebrated for his work in games, has passed at age 80
Actor Tim Curry, celebrated for his extensive work in video games and other media, has passed away at the age of 80. Curry's notable game roles include Dragon Age: Origins, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, Brütal Legend, and Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3. His career in interactive entertainment spanned from the early 1990s until 2009, with his final performance in Dragon Age: Origins.
BioWare veteran says Baldur's Gate 3 was such a great sequel because it didn't try to be too much like…
BioWare veteran Mark Darrah believes Baldur's Gate 3 succeeded because Larian Studios embraced its own identity while drawing inspiration from the original games and the evolution of CRPGs. He suggests that instead of trying to replicate the past, Larian's unique approach, blending elements of Divinity: Original Sin, made Baldur's Gate 3 a standout sequel that overshadowed its predecessors.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a "great sequel" because it's so different from the original RPGs, says…
Former Baldur's Gate and Dragon Age developer Mark Darrah believes Baldur's Gate 3 is a great sequel precisely because it deviates significantly from the original games. He highlights Larian Studios' ability to blend their own CRPG influences with the Baldur's Gate legacy, creating a modern experience rather than a literal imitation.
Dragon Age was always "too niche, too backwards, too old-school" in EA's eyes, former BioWare lead argues
Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah argues that Electronic Arts never truly understood the Dragon Age franchise, viewing it as "too niche, too backwards, too old-school" compared to Mass Effect. This alleged misunderstanding led to reported corporate intervention and development shifts, including the eventual reboot of Dragon Age 4 into what became Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which reportedly did not meet sales expectations.
An All-Digital Future Isn’t The Only Threat To Video Game Preservation
Dragon Age creator Mark Darrah explains that remasters of the first three Dragon Age games are unlikely due to a lack of developers familiar with BioWare's proprietary Aurora engine. This contrasts with the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which benefited from using the more common Unreal Engine. Darrah also reveals his past plans for a "Champion's Edition" trilogy, which were hampered by studio layoffs and internal disagreements at BioWare.
If you bounced off Baldur's Gate 3: now is the time to try again
This article discusses the author's initial negative experience with Baldur's Gate 3, citing its complexity and D&D jargon. After a second playthrough, influenced by watching cast members play D&D, the author found a deeper appreciation for the game's freedom, character depth, and its impact on popular culture and video game acting.
The great RPG debate: Do RPGs really need romanceable companions?
This opinion piece debates whether romanceable companions are a necessary feature in role-playing games. While BioWare's legacy has popularized the trope, the article argues that its inclusion can sometimes lead to formulaic design and wish fulfillment, contrasting it with more nuanced approaches seen in games like Baldur's Gate 3.
Dragon Age's former producer had envisioned a 'Champions Edition' equivalent to Mass Effect's Legendary Edition, but he doesn't think it will happen anymore: 'There are basically no companies that could help you'
Former Dragon Age producer Mark Darrah believes a "Champion's Edition" remaster for the Dragon Age series is unlikely due to technical challenges. Unlike the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which benefited from using the consistent Unreal Engine, the Dragon Age games were built on different, now poorly understood, proprietary engines. Darrah suggests that EA's reluctance to form new teams for such projects further diminishes the possibility of a remaster.
Another BioWare veteran steps forth to say a Dragon Age remaster isn't impossible, but that doesn't mean it will happen: "In no means a trivial exercise"
BioWare co-founder Trent Oster believes that remastering the original Dragon Age games is possible, though it would be a complex undertaking. However, Mark Darrah, who co-directed Dragon Age: Origins, expressed skepticism, citing a lack of current BioWare staff familiar with the old engine and publisher Electronic Arts' tendency to keep IPs dormant.
A Dragon Age Trilogy remaster probably won't happen as no one still employed at BioWare knows how the engine works, claims producer
Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah stated that a remaster of the original Dragon Age trilogy is unlikely because current employees lack knowledge of the proprietary Aurora engine used for Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2. Unlike the Mass Effect trilogy, which used Unreal Engine and was successfully remastered, Dragon Age's older engine makes such a project technically challenging and costly for Electronic Arts. Despite these hurdles, Darrah believes a remaster would still sell well.
