Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
News, coverage and analysis tracking Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening across the outlets.
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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.
"Dragon Age: Origins wasn’t the most attractive game": BioWare's old series producer still thinks a DA remaster trilogy is worth it, but the knowhow isn't there
Former Dragon Age producer Mark Darrah believes a remaster trilogy of the original games would sell well, but acknowledges the technical challenges. He cites the proprietary Eclipse and Lycium engines used in the early titles, contrasting them with the more industry-standard Unreal Engine used for Mass Effect. Darrah also notes that expertise on these older BioWare engines is scarce within the company and externally, making such a project difficult to undertake.
BioWare Lost The Knowledge Needed To Remaster Dragon Age, Former Producer Says
Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah stated that a remaster of the Dragon Age trilogy is unlikely because the studio has lost the necessary institutional knowledge to work with the original games' engines. Unlike the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, which benefited from the common Unreal Engine 3, the Dragon Age games utilized proprietary engines for which few, if any, developers at BioWare remain knowledgeable. This comes amidst reports of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's poor commercial performance and potential future sale of BioWare by Electronic Arts.
Mark Darrah thinks that Dragon Age is dead. If it ever were to continue, it needs to be reset
Former BioWare developer Mark Darrah believes the Dragon Age franchise is likely finished due to Electronic Arts' mismanagement and lack of clear direction. Despite the commercial failure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the article argues that a reset or even letting the franchise go might be beneficial, drawing parallels to the success of Baldur's Gate 3 in proving the viability of long, deep RPGs.
EA is 'a hedge fund with a videogame hobby,' former Dragon Age boss says, and that's why he reckons the…
Former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah believes Electronic Arts' (EA) complicated relationship with shipping games makes a new Dragon Age title unlikely. He described EA as a "hedge fund with a videogame hobby" and noted that even if another studio pitched a new game, internal politics at EA would likely prevent it. Former lead writer David Gaider added that EA executives may not understand the franchise's appeal, deeming it non-essential.
The toughest choices in PC games
This article explores some of the most challenging moral and narrative choices presented to players in PC games, spanning titles from Ultima 4 to Frostpunk. It highlights how games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The Walking Dead, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt force players into difficult decisions with significant consequences.
2026's best RPG might look like Disco Elysium, but it was heavily inspired by Deus Ex, and its creator wants 'to do a first-person game at some point'
Developer Christoffer Bodegård discusses his journey into PC gaming, highlighting influential titles like Dragon Age: Origins and Deus Ex. His recently released CRPG, Esoteric Ebb, was inspired by tabletop RPGs and aims to replicate their unpredictability. Bodegård is exploring ideas for his next project, potentially a first-person game, and shares his current gaming habits, including extensive play of Paradox Interactive's grand strategy titles like Victoria 3 and Europa Universalis IV.
Dragon Age is "unlikely" to continue at EA, says former lead David Gaider, but if you gave him the keys to the RPG he'd take it somewhere "dark" and "do things that will make people upset"
Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider believes the series is unlikely to continue under Electronic Arts due to the company's historical dissatisfaction with its sales performance, despite generally positive reviews for recent titles like The Veilguard. Gaider expressed that if given the opportunity, he would steer the franchise in a darker, more provocative direction, focusing on the core appeal that resonated with fans.
Dragon Age's former lead writer thinks the series is probably dead, but he'd be happy to take it off EA's hands and 'go somewhere dark and dangerous' with it
Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider believes the series is likely dead under Electronic Arts, citing a consistent misunderstanding of the franchise's appeal and treatment compared to Mass Effect. Despite his past departure from the series, Gaider expressed interest in reviving Dragon Age if given the opportunity, provided it moves in a 'dark and dangerous' direction away from EA's current strategies.
