Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is moving along slowly but surely as BioWare has revealed that it has completed its “alpha” milestone. General Manager Gary McKay explained the significance of Dreadwolf completing the alpha milestone in the latest Dragon Age blog post. Essentially, it means that BioWare has a working version of the game that can be played from beginning to end. There is still a lot of work left to do, but fans can rest easy knowing that development will focus on refining the experience going forward. McKay’s post is a detailed peek not only at Dragon Age: Dreadwolf but game development in general.
“First and foremost, we can now turn our sights toward bringing the visual fidelity to its final form and iterating on gameplay features,” said McKay. “The big question now is, ‘Where do we focus our efforts?’”
The BioWare team will turn to its Community Council, quality verification team, and internal playtesting to ensure that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is turned into a worthy fourth entry for the RPG series. Other elements looked into from here include pacing, player progression, and how in-game relationships unfold throughout the game. The game can be looked at as a whole package, allowing the story to be observed and refined. It will prominently feature the city of Minrathous in the Tevinter Imperium as its setting.
McKay added the following:
Now that we’re finally able to experience the entire game, for me, my favorite part is the characters. Whether followers, allies, or villains, they’re woven into the game in ways that take a concept that’s always been a part of the Dragon Age DNA—stories about people—and push it further than ever before. The characters help contextualize the world and the stakes, and I can’t wait until we’re able to start really discussing them in depth.
He further reiterated BioWare will remain transparent as it pushes forward. It’s a welcome confirmation that the team is still committed to making sure fans are aware of the timeline every step of the way. Meanwhile, reports have reinforced that BioWare feels positive about the direction Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is heading in, with journalist Jeff Grubb saying in February that it is on track to launch as early as late 2023.
