Elder Scrolls 6 and Avowed Possess a Key Strength Missing from Dragon Age: Veilguard

After nearly ten years in development, BioWare finally launched Dragon Age: The Veilguard last year. As the newest installment in the long-standing Dragon Age series, it sparked significant debate in 2024. BioWare had previously stumbled with titles like Anthem and Mass Effect: Andromeda, leaving fans hopeful that Dragon Age: The Veilguard would mark a grand return to form in the RPG realm. While critics gave it more favorable reviews compared to BioWare’s recent entries, player responses were lukewarm.

On Steam, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has garnered a 69% Mixed rating from users, which falls short compared to previous Dragon Age entries. EA, the game’s publisher, shared that it sold roughly 1.5 million copies, which is only half of what they expected. Criticisms of the game cover a range of areas, from restricted player choices to subpar writing quality. However, one of the major setbacks is its lack of accessibility for newcomers—a drawback not seen in other RPGs like Avowed and The Elder Scrolls 6.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Avowed, and The Elder Scrolls 6 all represent new chapters in once long-quiet franchises. Dragon Age: The Veilguard made its comeback almost ten years after Dragon Age: Inquisition. Avowed emerged on Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC, seven years after Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, within the same universe. Meanwhile, The Elder Scrolls 6 is still on the horizon, expected years after The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.

New installments in dormant series often grapple with being unwelcoming to new players, especially those rich in narrative. Yet Avowed and the anticipated The Elder Scrolls 6 manage to sidestep this hurdle. Avowed, set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, doesn’t directly connect to those games’ narratives. It functions as a standalone experience, with its own glossary for newcomers unfamiliar with the lore, accessible during any dialogue.

Though little is known about The Elder Scrolls 6, it is expected to follow Avowed’s lead in being friendly to new players. Historically, the Elder Scrolls games are renowned for their independent stories, not reliant on preceding entries. The expectation is that The Elder Scrolls 6 will maintain that trend, ensuring it can be approached afresh whenever it comes out.

Unlike Avowed and The Elder Scrolls 6, Dragon Age: The Veilguard relies heavily on its predecessors. BioWare’s latest RPG picks up directly from Dragon Age: Inquisition, set a decade later. While it’s possible to experience The Veilguard without playing the earlier titles, the story resonates more with those familiar with Inquisition. The lack of an in-game glossary like Avowed’s and the absence of a fully standalone experience akin to The Elder Scrolls meant that new players were somewhat excluded by The Veilguard’s storyline, perhaps affecting its overall success.

Enter Thedas—a land of untamed wilderness, perilous dungeons, and dazzling cities, shrouded in conflict and secret magic. Now, two corrupt ancient gods have broken free with destructive intent. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero, and lead a team of seven companions, each with a rich story to explore, to stop these gods and become The Veilguard. Released October 31, 2024, by Electronic Arts, The Veilguard bears an M for Mature rating, due to its depiction of blood, nudity, sexual themes, strong language, and violence.