BioWare Unsure How ‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ Will Use Kinect

If there’s one studio that this generation of consoles managed to take from a beloved studio to an acclaimed juggernaut – and deal with the problems that a rise to fame often brings – it is BioWare. After making their name in the mainstream, the company is at work on their next-gen Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Although fans are eager to see how the developers will be improving on their existing formula, and just what next-gen tech can make possible in theDragon Age universe, BioWare isn’t placing any bets on what new forms of input or secondary game experiences – Kinect, SmartGlass, PlayStation Move – preferring instead to see what changes are met with approval from gamers.

Speaking with OXM, Dragon Age: Inquisition producer Cameron Lee pointed out that as the fantasy series (and BioWare as a whole) enters into the next generation, not being one of the first major titles lets them pick and choose how new gameplay and functionality will be integrated into their titles:

“We’ve looked at it, the SmartGlass stuff, Kinect, PS4′s Move and all that… One of the advantages of shipping a year after everyone else is that we get to see how everybody responds to these things, during the new generation.

“We want to take the time to look at how they work, and how players react. Because it may not be what players want, it may not be a good experience. We have the luxury of time, to see how people respond and craft something where if we want to do that, it’s the right thing to do.”

Patience usually pays off when it comes to experimenting with new technology, and since the line between motion controls and gimmicks, or social integration and clumsy connectivity seems thinner than ever, we don’t blame BioWare for playing it safe. The good news is that the company has some history with Kinect, specifically with Mass Effect. The decision to use the Kinect’s voice control for things like quick saving, commanding squadmates or even selecting dialogue options were all far more promising than less-inspired attempts at shoehorning motion controls into controller-based games.

As yet another sign of just how much the Dragon Age and Mass Effect teams will be sharing the leap into next-gen, Lee explains that Mass Effect‘s successes (and shortcomings) with the device may inform their design as well:

“It was an interesting experience with Kinect on Mass Effect, and we’ve got a lot of the telemetry from Mass Effect 3 about how players used it… So we’ve certainly investigated quite deeply the difference between options.”

With the growing emphasis in the RPG genre on bigger, more highly-detailed game worlds, the ability to use physical gestures, voice commands, or mobile devices is mostly an afterthought. And if a majority of gamers continue to feel that way, hopefully BioWare will take note, and not focus too highly on those technologies during the final stages of production on Inquisition.

Besides, if BioWare can deliver a game as open-ended and impacted by player choice as they claim (not to mention visually stunning) then inventing a new form of Kinect or SmartGlass functionality won’t be something they’ll need to worry about.

Do you think there’s potential for developers to do something truly groundbreaking with these types of next-gen integration and technology? Or are you hoping the fad will have run its course by the time Inquisition is released? Sound off in the comments.

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‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ Gameplay Video, Screenshots Show Off Frostbite 3

Those worried that Dragon Age: Inquisition wouldn’t be raising the bar for the series from a technical perspective can apparently rest easy. The first Inquisition gameplay video showing the game in motion is testament to just how impressive Frostbite Engine 3 could be on next-gen hardware, with particle effects, simulated fire and frame rates sure to make any RPG fan happy.

If that weren’t enough, BioWare has also released a brand new gallery of gameplay screenshots and concept artwork showing the Inquisitor himself/herself, as well as a new party member, new enemy types, and a wide variety of concept artwork hinting at the new locales and monuments being added to the wide world of Thedas.

Although the first Inquisition screenshots released seemed to fall in line with the visuals of Dragon Age 2, fans will be happy to see just how much of a difference between the two games there could be. Aside from the graphics visible in the gameplay video (a far cry from the pre-alpha clips already revealed), the in-game special effects and animations seem to be as smooth as possible.

With the gameplay video from PAX comes a sizable gallery of concept artwork and in-game images giving fans a sense of the development team’s aims for expanding on the world of the franchise, and what to expect from the results. Take a look:

Besides showing a closer look at the creatures, the environments, and the new party member Vivienne, the images prove that the overall aesthetic and style of Inquisition may be taking a slight step closer to realism than prior games. Not to say that fantasy and magic won’t be playing a role, but the higher quality attacks and attention to detail is a strong sign of what the next generation will bring for the series (and Mass Effect).

Of course, those still unwilling to get on board with the third Dragon Age game aren’t likely to cite graphics as their main concern. A highly-polished and visually impressive Dragon Age adventure won’t win back fans who felt that player choice and customization were sacrificed in the name of streamlining. It’s because of that that BioWare is bringing back multiple playable races, approaching romance from a whole new perspective, and creating what sounds like the biggest game in the series to date.

The developers have offered glimpses in the past of how their game’s environment would be brought to life around the player, but after seeing the quality of the graphics in action, we’re far more inclined to believe that BioWare may follow through on their previous claims.

What do you think of the footage and images? Do they have you convinced thatInquisition is a must-play for BioWare fans, or does the concept art simply leave you longing for a next-gen Dragon’s Lair?

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‘Dragon Age Keep’ Puts History in Your Hands

BioWare has a longstanding reputation of forcing players to make tough decisions. From which love interests to pursue to whose life to save, the developer of Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Dragon Age has an undeniable knack for making gamers feel invested in the lives of their characters. BioWare plans to keep that tradition alive and well from the first moments of Dragon Age: Inquisition with the help of a new online tool.

The “Dragon Age Keep” is an online tool that players will use to determine the starting world state before jumping into their Inquisition games. The Keep will give users the opportunity to experience the stories from Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 through the application. Consumers preparing to play Inquisitionwill use the tool to determine their party members, romantic interests (whichInquisition will be taking a new approach to), and other major plot decisions from the first two games.

Mark Darrah, executive producer of Inquisition, announced Dragon Age Keep on the BioWare blog. Darrah explained that the online solution to transferring choices made on current-generation systems to PS4 and Xbox One will “allow players to take their unique world state into any platform (present or future) and even other media.”

The Inquisition team has been hunting down the best approach for transferring save files to the project formerly known as Dragon Age 3 since the company announced plans to release the game on next-gen consoles. According to Darrah, the move to the cloud-based system will help to eliminate the potential logical inconsistencies that could occur.

“An additional benefit offered by moving to the cloud is being able to fix issues in plot logic, which historically we have not been able to do because of client side complexity or platform holder limits. Under the hood, the Keep has a logic validator which ensures you’ll always have a valid world state free from errors and conflicts.”

No answers were offered as to how players will be able to import previous games directly to “Dragon Age Keep.” The team is definitely aware that this is a feature fans want to see. Darrah’s statement explained that the team is still investigating ways in which save files from previous games could be used to populate the initial world state. If the trailer is any sign, once player’s find themselves in the world state they helped created, they should have much more freedom than the previous games permitted.

BioWare is attempting to find a balance between the combat systems of the first two Dragon Age games by mixing action with tactical strategy. The Tactical View, which debuted in the PC version of Origins, will be returning in Inquisition. The tool gives players a top-down view to plan their attacks. Players will also have the ability to switch between characters while paused. This feature is intended to allow for smooth transitions between different types of attacks.

Interested parties can register for the “Dragon Age Keep” beta program now. The full service is expected to launch next year, a few months before the game’s release.

Dragon Age: Inquisition releases in autumn 2014 for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

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‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ To Feature a New Take on Romance

Whether justified or not, the idea of romantic entanglements in video games and BioWare have become nearly synonymous. With romance and courting gaining special attention in both Mass Effect and Dragon Age, the studio’s writers know that the shift to next-gen means every aspect of game design will have to raise the bar: romance included.

With Dragon Age: Inquisition getting even more time in the oven than first expected, the development team is placing more emphasis than ever on player freedom. Love interests are certainly included, but as the lead writer and director make clear, Inquisition will be a new chance for the team to get relationships right, and make something truly groundbreaking out of what some feel is a disguised (and occasionally offensive) game mechanic.

Diehard fans of fantasy role-playing may have accepted Dragon Age: Origins‘ system of wooing lovers by saying what they wanted to hear and giving them gifts – adorable, hairless pig-rabbits as they may be – but those looking for true immersion had to suspend disbelief. That’s something that the team hopes to change with their first next-gen release.

So, first things first: how do the developers decide which characters will be potential love interests for the player? Lead writer David Gaider explains the challenge to Game Informer:

“We’ll talk about what the romantic arc is and what that character’s story can tell as a romance… Because there’s more than insert coin, get sex, right? There are different types of romantic tales and romantic archetypes. I know people can water it down and say they’re all the same, [but] no they’re not, there’s a different story that can be told.”

Gaider was quick to clarify that the team of writers doesn’t lay out large romantic arcs, scenes, and love interests ahead of time. The top priority is building each character to stand on their own; when they’re interesting enough to do that, pairing them up can lead to some surprises, as one particular character in Dragon Age: Origins proved:

“Trying to figure out what the romance is…sometimes it requires you to sit back and think about the character a slightly different way because you’ve always thought about them [one way]… Morrigan initially was not supposed to be a romance. I had to change the way I thought about her… [I saw her] as her having built up this sort of armor around herself — that there was a different person underneath. One that she purposely had to squelch because she thought that [it] was weak, because that was what she had been taught. Suddenly when I thought about that, it was, ‘Oh, that’s an interesting place to go.’

“You could almost sleep with Morrigan immediately — before you even got to know her at all — and that was part of her thing… She expected that and right afterwards it’d be over, but you could then scratch beneath the surface and break through her armor.”

Gaider is right to point out BioWare’s attempts at making sexuality a healthy part of certain character’s lifestyles – not uniformly positioning a romantic encounter as an end ‘objective.’ In truth, the decision to introduce characters who view romance, friendship, and apparently revealing clothing in vastly different ways was an interesting one. Fans of Dragon Age: Origins would likely say that same mentality is what led the developers to give player’s the choice of their own race and class (a choice that’s returning in Dragon Age: Inquisition).

Modern game designers may be approaching photo-realistic graphics, but simulating real human behavior remains a challenge. Instead of trying to portray a love story in the midst of an epic action-oriented game, Gaider claims that the hardest part of his job is making romantic relationships seem natural; not only for those who choose to engage in them, but making sure players who don’t pursue romance aren’t cheated of content:

“Our romances tend to grow out of a friendship, out of necessity, almost more than anything else… We want a player who isn’t romancing a character to still get a sense of who that character is and feel like they have a relationship. You’re going to walk the same path, but then at some point, you’re going to grow into the romance, and that’s going to be separate content.

“We still want the heart of that character to be available to anyone… So for us, it’s, ‘How do we make that seamless?’ And if it’s seamless, the player isn’t going to be able to distinguish between those two paths necessarily.”

It’s that goal which seems to be bringing the most changes to Inquisition‘s follower relationships: in both Origins and Dragon Age 2, characters whom the player had made little effort to grow fond of had their respective content locked off. Since the sliding scale of approval often lumped romance and friendship together into the same blurred system, the results were… less than natural.

The team’s solution is a clever one, but an incredibly large challenge. By building content to be “event-driven” instead of approval-driven, the writers allow approval to merely inform the tone of the conversation that would take place regardless. Creative director Mike Laidlaw explains:

“They’re like, ‘Yes, you’ve chosen a thing that I disagree with, but we’re good friends… So that’s going to change the color and tone of [those interactions], so [they're] more nuanced. I think that’s going to take them beyond what’s been done in the past.

“In my ideal scenario, your interaction with the character isn’t just about having interacted with them; it’s about your interaction with them in relation to the whole game that you’ve chosen to play. So if you make really sweeping decisions in other parts of the game, that may actually change the nature of those interactions.”

As if Inquisition didn’t have enough riding on its success already – as BioWare’s first next-gen entry, setting the framework for other studio franchises, and looking to earn back fans who were disappointed in Dragon Age 2 – the developers seem eager to add serious character development to the list as well.

Do you think they’ve got a handle on the most nagging issues? Or do you think the romance system is working fine the way it is? Share your own thoughts in the comments.

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‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ Screenshots Confirm Nugs, Baby Dragons

There’s plenty to look forward to with the impending release of Dragon Age: Inquisition – seeing what the developers have learned from the mixed reactions to Dragon Age 2, the chance to once again build an epic story around a Dwarven hero, and a brand new chapter in the story of Thedas.

But even if BioWare has made its name on compelling story of late, there’s more to Inquisition than scripted cut-scenes. Plot-driven campaign aside, the developers seem most excited about the opportunity to emphasize player choices and consequences. Whether they can deliver on handling both open-world gameplay and scripted story remains to be seen, but the living, breathing world continues to be emphasized in released assets.

After BioWare decided to feature a massive dragon in their first full unveiling, players have been left to wonder if the boss creatures would actually be featured more prominently in the game. New screenshots have surfaced on NeoGAF, hinting that the creatures may be found in more than just dungeons.

BioWare’s cinematic director confirmed that the dragon seen in the above image is only a baby, with the previous gameplay trailer showing not just its full-grown relative, but the mixture of both predator and prey in one of the game’s larger desert environments. It’s still hard to tell whether that footage was only meant to show the potential of next-gen hardware, or is an accurate reflection of what players can expect.

Luckily, one other screenshot showed that it won’t just be dragons moving aboutInquisition‘s world. The nugs are back, Dragon Age fans, and they’re better looking than ever.

For those unfamiliar with the odd combination of a pig and rabbit, nugs – or ‘mudsplashers’ – are most often found in the underground caverns populated by Dwarves. Due to their near-blindness, they can often be found either acting as pets or dinner in the world of Dragon Age. It’s hard to say how long it could survive in the sun-drenched deserts seen in the images – or next to such a deadly creature – but if the developers are rendering an in-joke with this much care, it may spell good things for the rest of the game.

What are your impressions from the images? Do you think that BioWare has truly crafted an open, living world, populated with these types of creatures, or is that hoping for too much? The developers have certainly promised as much being made possible by a new generation of hardware, so hopefully more examples will be given soon.

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Dragon Age: Inquisition is expected to release in 2014 for the Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

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‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ Trailer is All About Player Freedom

The developers at BioWare may have made their name thanks to a commitment to storytelling, but with the next-gen fast approaching, the team is intent on heightening all aspects of their design philosophy. The latest trailer for Dragon Age: Inquisition gives another look at the first release which will represent BioWare’s goals for next-gen gaming.

With an emphasis on a fully-realized world, cutting-edge graphics and a storyline that any fan of Dragon Age, or fantasy in general can appreciate, the developers of Inquisition maintain that this time around, “it’s all about player freedom.”

The developers have already spoken at length about the story that will be driving the events of Inquisition, but for those who may have missed out, the latest developer diary – dubbed ‘A World Unveiled’ – offers a quick refresher. As the Inquisitor, it falls to the player to handle the investigation and defense of the sudden tear between the world of the living and that of the dead. Loyal to no one and nothing by default, the player must decide how to handle the situation, and if need be, who to leave behind.

It’s no surprise that a greater emphasis on customization is one of the main selling points of Inquisition thus far; the race of the Inquisitor can once again be human, dwarf or elf, and without any loyalty to either the Mages or Templars, much of the game’s content depends on the decisions made by the player early on. In addition, as is pointed out in the video, this game marks the first time in the history of Dragon Age that the player is granted power and authority from the get-go, not forced to assemble a ragtag team of underdogs, and work uphill against a stagnant establishment.

Those elements will certainly still exist within Thedas, but with the developers claiming that they’re putting more power into the hands of the player than ever before, the basic plot of the game seems to back them up. also hinted at in the video is Inqusition‘s Assassin’s Creed-like system of agents – operative who can be used to carry out the player’s will. That remains just one of the additions we’re curious to see in greater detail, but the gameplay video shown in the trailer should placate fans for now.

We’ll keep you updated on Dragon Age: Inquisition – and how it may impact the next Mass Effect – as the launch approaches, but have you decided your stance? Does the series still hold a place in your heart, or has the increase in next-gen competition gotten you looking elsewhere? Sound off in the comments.

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‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ Video Talks Return of Playable Races

If there was one issue that fans of the original Dragon Age: Origins tookBioWare to task over omitting in their much-hailed follow-up, it was the complete lack of multiple playable races, and a significantly reduced amount of choice in their character’s origin story. Where fans had previously been able to choose between human, dwarf and elf heroes (of varying classes), Dragon Age 2 took those choices away, and fans made their frustrations known.

Now, it seems that a lack of playable races is a mistake that Dragon Age: Inquisition won’t be repeating. While it had previously been claimed by creative director Mike Laidlaw that the hero of Inquisition would still be human, the latest peek behind the scenes of development claim that’s not the case, and players will once again be able to play as non-human characters.

While the lengthy series of delays that have kept Dragon Age 3 – explanation of the name change can be read here – are bad news for fans, this seems to be the one bright spot. As the development team explains to Game Informer, the decision to push release back until after the launch of next-gen consoles gave the team the time required to add elves and dwarves back into the mix. The decision meant much more work for the team, but as Laidlaw notes, he believes it will be “money well spent” – we’re inclined to agree.

Have a look at the character models featured in the video below:

Although Laidlaw admits that the inclusion of playable races was completely a response to fan demand (apparently they really were valuing player feedback), he claims that there were plenty on the team who had also hoped to make the extra choice a reality. It’s not surprising to hear optimism from the developers that their additions will be appreciated, but Laidlaw seems to realize which aspects of varying hero races were most important to players of Origins.

It was more than just shiny sets of armor in all shapes and sizes – and the earlyInquisition gameplay footage promises they’ll be even shinier – but a completely different way to interact with the game’s world. The few examples given in the video – elves being viewed differently in Orlais, dwarves seen as outcasts anywhere above ground – promise unique dialogue while hearkening back toOrigins‘ strongest story lines.

Given the task before the Inquisitor, the selection of race may have serious repercussions when it comes to recruiting specific factions. If you have yet to see the video detailing the story, check it out below.

Are you convinced that BioWare has heard the fans loud and clear, and are taking the necessary time to right the previous game’s wrongs? Or do you remain skeptical until more is shown? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is expected to release in 2014 for the Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

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Morrigan Not a Party Member in ‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’

Dragon Age mage Morrigan is about as close to an iconic character as the series has yet achieved. A darkly seductive sorceress and shape shifter, the outlaw ‘apostate’ appeared at this year’s E3 festivities, to announce her return to the chaotic realm of Dragon Age: Inquisition.

As spellbindingly beautiful as she is deadly, Morrigan’s mysterious comeback follows the conjurer’s creative attempts to conceive a child back in 2009′s Dragon Age: Origins. Whether players chose to indulge her wishes or not, Morrigan would eventually find her way into a nameless dark realm, effectively disappearing from Fereldan in order to pursue greater, god-like power.

Following Thursday’s extensive Inquisition detail drop, Mike Laidlaw, creative director of Dragon Age: Inquisition has been sitting down to discuss Morrigan’s magnificent return. Speaking to Game Informer on Monday, he explained:

“[Morrigan] will not be a party member […] that’s going to disappoint some people, but I think it’s important for us to be upfront about that […] It’s not a cameo. She plays a significant role.”

Is it possible that Morrigan could reappear here as an arch-villain? Origin players will certainly recall the character’s feisty temperament, callous attitude and at times, utter indifference toward NPC suffering. A role in narration could also await the mighty mage, as the character’s voice-over work has already appeared in conjunction with the game’s E3 trailer.

Laidlaw goes to on hint at the sheer scope and centrality of Morrigan’s role, stating –

“The story of Inquisition is [Morrigan's] moment […] She has a human role in this plot, which I think may surprise some people because they might only think of her as a plot device […] I’m taking her to a human place.”

Given Morrigan’s well-known mother issues – the character was raised by an aging witch [spoiler ahoy!] intent on possessing her youth – she could certainly make for a very ‘human,’ even sympathetic villainess. Depending on Bioware’s chosen canon, the character may also have a particularly large axe to grind, as Laidlaw confirmed that many of the decisions taken in DA:O would carry over here.

“[There are] various states that Morrigan can be in […] whether or not they [reflect previous choices pleasingly] depends on the person. But we do recognize them and it does play a role of varying degrees depending on the surroundings.”

Are you excited for Dragon Age: Inquisition? What role do you think Morrigan will play? Are there any other characters you would like to see reappear here?

Dragon Age: Inquisition will return order to the realm, when it releases sometime in the third quarter of 2014. The game is scheduled to appear on Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 & PC platforms.

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New Dragon Age: Inquisition Details Emerge

Fans of the expansive role-playing series Dragon Age were granted plus-10 excitement back in September, with the news that a third major installment, titled Dragon Age: Inquisition, was well under way at developer BioWare. Keen to avoid a repeat of DA: 2‘s much maligned ‘Mass Effect worship,’ the studio has since set about ditching its sequel’s painfully linear questing, in favor of a more open-ended approach to adventure.

Scheduled for release at the tail end of 2014, precious little is yet known about the epic scale dragon slasher, aside from the one or two interesting tidbits gleaned from the games’ first development diary on Tuesday. With new information scarcer than the series’ winged lizards, one enterprising NeoGAF user has emerged to blow BioWare’s overstocked stash of secrets right out into the open.

Going by the handle Sn4ke_911, the user, collecting write-ups from a number of forum contributors, revealed a whole host of tweaks, improvements and unexpected additions, allegedly obtained from the latest issue of Game Informermagazine. They include –
Playable Male and Female Humans, Dwarves, Elves & quite possibly Qunari (a large humanoid species sporting ram’s horns).
Return to 3 playable classes – ‘Warrior,’ ‘Rogue’ & ‘Mage’ – Your character will be fully voiced but named by the player. Specialization trees appear to be locked.
Warrior Class utilizes a Kratos-style chain to bring adversaries into melee range.
A new central feature similar to Assassin’s Creed‘s ‘Brotherhood’ mechanic. As the player’s influence expands, their army grows – the larger the army, the easier it becomes to curry favor, bully enemies and/or capture their settlements via sieges.
Strongly suggested multiplayer elements – this is EA we’re talking about.
The overworld is divided into multiple regions, with progress – and entry into these expansive zones – linked to the size of your Inquisition.
An emphasis on ‘playing your way’ – there are many methods to success i.e expanding your army, so no one should be stuck doing something they dislike in order to progress.
More questing & environmental variety. Much more emphasis on exploration in general.
Each region is bigger than anything the studio has worked on previously – if this is true, the world map could be huge.
The world is stocked full of random enemy encounters, though the player has the choice to get around on horseback. (No word on any fast-travel mechanics, as of yet).
The environment will react to player spells and incantations. New secrets can be revealed just by starting a hailstorm, raining down fire, etc. Likewise certain weather types can negatively impact the player, muddying up the ground or blasting adventurers with sandstorms.
New context-sensitive environmental actions, including the repair of dilapidated building for use by the Inquisition.
PC controls will revert back to a more traditional scheme, similar to the original Dragon Age: Origins system.
Individual and party-based battle tactics have renewed importance. DA2‘s frantic scraps are a thing of the past, though the game still retains 1:1 strikes over queued attack bars.
Allies can be given behavioral instructions – similar to Final Fantasy 12‘s ‘Gambit’ system.
No more mindless, swarming enemies – opponents now do a better job of forcing players to swap up their tactics on the fly
The majority of enemies do not level with the player, some will be too hard to fight at first
Confirmed party members include Vivienne the mage, Varric & Cassandra – Morrigan is neither party member nor a cameo, meaning she could well turn out to be a villain this time around.
Crafting is enhanced, customization forms a bigger part of the experience.
Greater communication options to flesh out conversations.
Inquisition may utilize player choices from previous titles, as Mass Effect did between games.
Game is set 10 years after ‘The Blight.’ A new evil has bridged the world with the demonic ‘Fade’ plain, allowing demons to spread throughout Thedas at will. The player must split with the ruling religious order of The Chantry, reform the independent Inquisition movement and tackle the threat personally.

Recall: In 2011 there were rumors that EA was developing a multiplayer component for the next Dragon Age and several insiders heard as much back then as well. Mass Effect 3 added multiplayer as a way to make more money via microstransactions and it was a success for a good few months before he appeal ran out.

In essence, many of these improvements are simply returning the franchise to its celebrated Origins. EA acted rather rashly in ordering up Dragon Age 2, following the success of the first game – and even greater success of stablemate series Mass Effect (a game it ended up sharing a number of simplified mechanics with) – with the end result that both the game’s continuity and progress suffered.

It’s ironic that a game centered on rebuilding a respected order should have so much rebuilding work of its own to do. Whether the game can mount a serious challenge to the likes of Skyrim, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or The Elder Scrolls Online remains to be seen, though its eventual success may just depend on how much good faith the series retains from its earliest outing.

Are you excited for Dragon Age: Inquisition? On which platform will you be playing the game? How will fan favorite Morrigan return to the mix? Have your say in the comments below.

Dragon Age: Inquisition looks to breathe flaming life back into the franchise when the title arrives sometime in the third quarter of 2014. The game will be available on Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 & PC platforms.

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‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ Game Informer Cover Revealed; First Look at Gameplay

The launch of a new generation of consoles just wouldn’t be the same without a major BioWare RPG, but while the march towards the PS4 and Xbox One continues, news regarding Dragon Age: Inquisition has been hard to come by. That may be about to change, as Game Informer has revealed the third entry in the medieval-fantasy epic as the star of its September issue.

Along with new details in the magazine’s coverage itself, the reveal trailer features some of the most well-known faces from within BioWare discussing their hopes for Dragon Age on next-gen, and provides some of the first looks at (pre-Alpha) gameplay. Story hints, references to Baldur’s Gate and the new Frostbite engine in motion are better than still images, so have at them.

As is usually the case with RPGs as large as BioWare tends to make, the exact plot and characters of Inquisition are still a bit of a mystery; the E3 2013 teaser trailer showed some returning faces (and the usual claim that only the player can save the world from destruction), and the first batch of screenshots failed to feature the protagonist which players will embody.

That veil of secrecy has yet to be lifted (or…torn?), but the magazine’s cover proves that the game will live up to its name, featuring a prehistoric-looking dragon doing battle with Dragon Age 2‘s Varric and Cassandra. Take a look:

If it wasn’t clear before, it should be now: players will be facing some truly grueling challenges in the game’s open-ended environments. While the main character’s appearance may be a mystery, their task is not: by accepting the role of Inquisitor,the player must lead a new Inquisition – an investigation into the barriers between the world of the living and The Fade being torn.

Beginning as an official branch of the Chantry – the group tasked with policing all magical activities on the continent of Thedas – the video reveals that players will need to forge their own path, not march to the beat of a higher authority’s drum. If that claim can truly be realized in the game, it may offer a level of choice and decision-making rarely seen in the series to date, not to mention support their claims of removing the ’3′ from the name to signal a brand new chapter in the franchise.

It’s no surprise to see the architect of the Mass Effect series, Casey Hudon on hand in the video, since BioWare has made it clear that the foundations lain by theDragon Age team will be shared by the next Mass Effect. But in case that raises any suspicions about the target audience of Inquisition, the development team is quick to mention Baldur’s Gate – the company’s most iconic RPG, and the original game to which Dragon Age was conceived as a spiritual successor.

Considering just how much that structure was abandoned with Dragon Age 2, it’s less than startling to see the game name-dropped in the first in-depth video. Only time will tell of the allusions amount to anything more than clever marketing, but BioWare has been seeking input from fans for some time now. Although the brief clips of pre-Alpha gameplay seen in the video won’t put those fears to rest, they do show that from a technical standpoint. Inquisition holds serious promise.

One of the main reasons so little has been revealed about the story of Inquisitionthus far is the development team’s focus on “the raw capabilities” of Frostbite 3, and what the new engine makes possible on Xbox One and PS4. Every in-game asset glimpsed in the footage seems highly polished, and with the Frostbite 3 engine allowing the team to focus on the art design and not the technical limitations, the only limits may be the developers’ own creativity.

There is sure to be more news coming regarding Dragon Age: Inquisition as the magazine’s coverage kicks off, but which part of the game are you most interested to see highlighted? The story, or the gameplay? Sound off in the comments.

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Dragon Age: Inquisition is expected to release in 2014 for the Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

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News Wrap Up: Dragon Age Saves, Firefly Online, New Borderlands 2 DLC & More!

With Comic-Con 2013 (and the Assassin’s Creed IV party pirate ship!) now under our wings, it’s time to play catch-up on a few key news items. PS4′s PlanetSide 2 aims to offer the best PC gameplay; Joss Whedon’s Firefly finall gets a game; Borderlands 2 DLC goes beyond the season pass; Torchlight II & SimCity sell two million each; Dragon Age saves somehow carry to next-gen consoles (we think); Disney’s Toy Box gets showcased; Prince of Persia 2 returns; David Jaffe’s name doesn’t help one Kickstarter campaign, and more!

Read on for the details and more stories.

PlanetSide 2 on PS4

With large-scale shooters like Battlefield 3 taking a huge hit in performance and player counts in its console version vs. PC, Matt Higby, creative director ofPlanetSide 2, wants to let fans know that SOE’s massive shooter will not suffer from similar issues thanks to the power of the PlayStation 4.


“Our plan right now is to basically take the PC game with maximum settings and have that be running on the PS4… So there won’t be any limitations in terms of number of players, there won’t be any limitations on the map.”

Source: NowGamer

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Pay For More ‘Borderlands 2′ DLC

If you missed it, pre-paying for Borderlands 2 DLC doesn’t actually give all of the DLC. The last content add-on released was Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, and that’s all you get. Sorry, the Season’s Pass covers a limited “season” and Gearbox is releasing more campaign DLC that will be charged for separately. We have reached an era where there are literally layers of season’s passes, it’s DLCception. As if DLC prices weren’t already out of control, Randy Pitchford tells Nerdist:


“We did a season pass for Borderlands 2 and the season pass was like hey, if you buy the season pass we would be doing four campaign add-ons and you can buy all four of them for the price of three, if you buy upfront. So everyone was under the expectation that those would be the four DLCs and that’s it.”

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Browncoats Go Mobile!



Firefly is another one of those TV causalities, placed on a bad night and out of order by Fox, because at the time, someone didn’t trust Joss Whedon – the guy who’s now know for writing and directing the third biggest box office success of all time. Firefly is finally getting a game… but it’s a mobile title developed by Spark Plug Games described officially as a “social RPG.”
Assume the role of a ship captain – create a crew and customize a ship
Aim to misbehave in space and planet-side adventures
Cross-platform player experience across devices (pick-up and play from anywhere)
Unique social features connecting Firefly fans
Create a shiny ship and explore the Verse

Firefly Online releases next year, sign up and read more here.

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Don’t Need DRM

Diablo 3 is one of the best-selling PC games in years but it released to negative buzz and server issues thanks to its anti-consumer always-online requirement, something EA also suffered from in their decision to release SimCity with the same requirements (that it didn’t really need). Interestingly, Torchlight II – arguably the main competitor to Diablo 3 - didn’t have any type of DRM and in the end, it sold as much as SimCity did, at 2 million units each. Unfortunately, it’s a far cry from the long-anticipated third Diablo which has sold nearly seven times that and is on its way to selling more when it releases on consoles.

Sources: Destructoid, VentureBeat

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Dragon Age Save Files

Dragon Age players, your work in the previous games matters, even with Dragon Age: Inquisition coming to next-gen platforms. BioWare producer Cameron Lee wouldn’t say how, but at PAX Australia, Lee said ”We know what we want to do. It will absolutely come across – your decisions carry [and] will matter.” Whether that’s an online transfer somehow or an interactive sequence not unlike Mass Effect 2 featured, we don’t quite know.

Source: GameSpot

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Disney’s Toy Box



One of the most exciting features of Disney Infinity is the fact that players and mix and match characters and items from the many different Disney movie realms together in Toy Box mode. Know that down the road, Marvel and Star Wars will be a part of the formula as well only helps boost our anticipation. The above and below videos help demonstrate the unusual pairings of characters that players can enjoy, along with some of the limitless creations they can craft in Toy Box mode.


Kickstarter Fail

Not unlike the abysmal Kickstarter campaign for Shadow of the Eternals which didn’t come close to its initial funding goal, but was recently relaunched, the crowdfunding campaign for the David Jaffe supported MotorGun title was unable to achieve even 10% of its funding goal, with only 766 players backing it. It was also canceled and aims to relaunch in the future. The latest update reads:


Kickstarter is a harsh mistress. Lots of projects are pitched to the community and sometimes they resonate and sometimes they don’t. In this case, what we were pitching wasn’t exactly what you guys wanted. So, as a result we’re making the tough decision to not drag it out, and we’re going to cancel the campaign and start working to reformulate it.

Source: Kickstarter

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Prince of Persia Returns



After rumblings and rumors hinted that Ubisoft might be bringing back the Prince of Persia franchise with a new title, we instead have a remake of the original sequel, Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame. The game released 20 years ago and is now available for Andoid and iOS.

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First ‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ Screenshots Released

BioWare may be keeping their plans for the next generation of consoles under wraps for now, in regards to Mass Effect, Dragon Age and a still-unannounced franchise. Next up for the developer is Dragon Age: Inquisition – a brand new chapter in the series’ fiction that looks to be bigger than any which preceded it.

While fans (or former fans) of the series may be anxious to see the levels of customization or RPG systems in store for Inquisition, for now, a few screenshots will have to suffice. The images are as technically impressive as is to be expected, but does provide even more of a hint of which returning characters will play key roles in the game’s plot.

The images comes from BioWare directly, the first embedded within a blog post from studio programmer Matt Komsthoeft. It may not be as promising as some of the early concept art for Dragon Age 3 – before the number was dropped from the title for some interesting reasons – but seeing as it represents actual in-game assets, we’ll take it.

Feast your eyes on the first official Dragon Age: Inquisition screenshot:

An image of what appears to be a military war room is no surprise, given the leaked story details of a game world standing on the brink of total chaos. Unfortunately, eagle-eyed fans will notice that the screenshot is a direct pull fromthe E3 2013 cinematic trailer, albeit in higher definition. The central figure in the image is none other than Dragon Age 2‘s Cassandra Pentaghast; her presence in the trailer implied she would be a main character, and this being the first image released confirms our suspicions.

A few more grabs from the trailer have since appeared on BioWare’s Facebook page, so have a look in case these moments were too quick to catch:

Komsthoeft went on to explain his excitement over the current state of development on Inquisition, as the studio is making one of the first RPGs built on the Frostbite 3 game engine. It’s the same engine that will be powering the nextMass Effect game, so the raw potential for creating bigger and more detailed worlds is good news for all of the studio’s fans.

Of course, with Skyrim putting nearly all other open-world RPGs to shame on the previous generation, and games like The Witcher 3 raising the bar on next-gen systems, BioWare will have to truly excel to garner attention. Only a closer look at gameplay will put concerns to rest, so hopefully we’ll have more details and evidence sooner rather than later.

What do you think of Dragon Age: Inquisition so far? Will the story be what finally convinces you that it’s one to watch out for, or is there just too much competition in the next-gen RPG space to decide before launch?

Dragon Age: Inquisition is expected to release in 2014 for the Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

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‘Dragon Age 3′ Name Change, Shift to Next-Gen Explained

Fans of fantasy RPG’s likely had their hopes buoyed by the cinematic E3 2013trailer for Dragon Age: Inquisition (viewable above), bringing back old characters for a brand new chapter in the series. Yet savvy viewers likely picked up on something else in the footage: that BioWare had severed ties to the title Dragon Age 3, and the presumed connections the game would have to the series’ last numbered entry.

With next-gen on the horizon and marketing as strategic as ever, plenty of reasons for the name change were proposed: poor fan reception to Dragon Age 2, saving the numbered sequel for next-gen, and more. Now EA has offered an official explanation, claiming that the decision isn’t meant to fool anyone, but make the message clear to fans and newcomers: Dragon Age: Inquisition will be telling a story completely separate from either game that came before it.

It wasn’t long ago that BioWare finally announced Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, releasing little more than a continued pledge to put fan complaints to rest with the third entry in the franchise, and a logo treatment. After that announcement was made (before Xbox One and PS4 were publicly confirmed), evidence began to suggest that BioWare wasn’t quite locked into any portion of their development.

Screenshots and concept art were uncovered depicting worlds far bigger and more elaborate than the series had enjoyed on consoles, and employee resumes hinted that a next-gen release was being targetted. Then came the E3 trailer confirming that not only would the game be coming to next-gen systems, it would do so under an adjusted name.

Speaking with IGN, EA Labels president Frank Gibeau explains the decision to swap number for simply subtitle, citing a desire to focus players not on the games that came before, but the task of Inquisitor awaiting them:

“I think there’s always this debate over numbers versus no numbers, what works, what doesn’t work… We felt like we wanted to bring more attention to the word Inquisition, because that’s more the story arc of what it’s like. There’s a whole bunch of gameplay and features and big story choices related to how you go through this Inquisition that happens in the world.”

“It’s a tactical marketing decision… There wasn’t anything that strategic about it, to be blunt. We just wanted to draw more attention to the fact that Inquisition is an all-new chapter inside of the Dragon Age universe, as opposed to people expecting a follow-on to Dragon Age 1 and 2 in a literal, linear sense.”

It’s common these days to hear any sizable franchise seeking larger audiences to promise that “you don’t need to play the old games to enjoy this one,” and cynics maintain that while a third act may be fun, story and investment are essential to role-playing experiences. It’s too early to tell how much Inquisition will deliver on those claims – since Morrigan, the trailer’s narrator isn’t the only returning character – but there is more good news for consumers not yet convinced that next-gen consoles are for them (in their current states, at least).

The number being dropped to establish Inquisition as a standalone chapter makes sense (although causes us even more confusion over Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag), but what about the sudden enthusiasm for next-gen consoles as well as current? Gibeau points to motivation from the technical side, aided greatly by DICE’s work on the Frostbite engine:


“Just the raw capabilities of Frostbite 3 and gen 4 features… We’re going to have PS3 and Xbox 360 and PC versions of Dragon Age III, so there will be a very broad-based experience there, but the new platforms are giving us the opportunity to tell stories in much larger worlds with more features and more things. From our perspective, we didn’t want to launch a “current-gen” game in a next-gen market. We took the opportunity to add resources, add time, and we brought in new technology. Frankly, we’ve raised our expectations.”

There are few at BioWare or EA who haven’t come to realize the weight of audience expectations over the past few years, so it’s wise of Gibeau to explain that they’re at least attempting to become their harshest critics. BioWare general manager Aaryn Flynn has also spoken of his excitement over Frostbite 3, which impressed audiences for what it makes possible in games like Battlefield 4.

It remains to be seen what the engine can offer to the visuals and core mechanics of Dragon Age: Inquisition – mechanics it will be sharing with the next Mass Effect – but there’s no question the team is looking to impress with their first gameplay footage. If nothing else, expect plenty of discussion over split-gen releases like these in the coming months, since there are sure to be massive differences.

What do you think of the name change and next-gen releases? Are you optimistic about BioWare’s decision to step away from the story and characters of Dragon Age 2, or do you think the game was better than it was given credit for? Sound off in the comments.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is expected to release in 2014 for the Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

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