“There’s no canon”: Dragon Age leads say The Veilguard’s story and world are “a very personal thing,” dependent on “what your world of Thedas is”
While fans prepare for the decade-long wait for Dragon Age: The Veilguard to end this fall, BioWare sheds light on how the concept of a “canon” doesn’t fit into the upcoming RPG.
Speaking in an interview with The Gamer, creative director John Epler explains why the new Dragon Age doesn’t have one true “canon” storyline or world – instead, the canon is whatever players make it out to be. “We get asked that a lot,” he responds when questioned on whether The Veilguard has a “canon” path, “especially because when we start doing products like comics, shows – people want to know what’s canon.”
Epler continues: “We have to decide one that is for that media canon, but I don’t think there really is a canon state of the world.” The lead does, however, personally believe that there are “some more interesting” paths fans can take in The Veilguard: “I’m always a fan of the most chaotic and strange paths through the game.” Despite Epler’s own preferences, though, the creative director stresses that “no, there’s no canon.”
Each playthrough carries its unique version of a “canon,” dependent on “what your world of Thedas is [and] what your people have done.” As Epler says, the story and world are “your own canon,” as it’s all “a very personal thing in Dragon Age.” Creative performance director Ashley Barlow agrees, chiming in that “it should be” as that’s what BioWare wanted – to let players take the lead in The Veilguard.
“Choose your own path, choose your own adventure, and choose your own consequences,” says Barlow. “I’m excited to see what people do.”
As a Dragon Age stan myself, I can’t wait to discover just how malleable The Veilguard’s canon is – especially as it isn’t following in Inquisition’s footsteps with open-world gameplay, described instead as “mission-based” to offer “the best narrative experience” possible.