Dragon Age is a video game series created by BioWare. The games have been released on many platforms, including Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The series takes place on a fictional continent called Thedas, where the lives and stories of its people are explored.

The first game, Dragon Age: Origins, follows a new member of a group of warriors called the Grey Wardens. Their mission is to protect the kingdom of Ferelden from Darkspawn, dangerous creatures that live underground and attack the surface world every few hundred years during events called Blights. A Blight begins when Darkspawn find and awaken an Archdemon, a powerful dragon that controls the Darkspawn. The sequel, Dragon Age II, follows the eldest child of the Hawke family, who is a Blight refugee. They move to their mother’s city, Kirkwall, in The Free Marches. Over seven years, they rise from being a criminal to becoming the Champion of Kirkwall. In this role, they help shape decisions that affect all of Thedas during times of crisis and political conflict.

The third game, Dragon Age: Inquisition, focuses on the Inquisition, an organization formed to restore peace to Thedas after years of war and a demonic invasion. The Herald of Andraste, who later becomes the Inquisitor, is the only person who can close the magical rifts that allow demons to enter Thedas. They carry a mysterious mark on their hand and work to bring peace to the region’s politics. The fourth game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard (formerly Dragon Age: Dreadwolf), was released on October 31, 2024. It follows Rook, who is recruited by Varric Tethras to stop Solas, also known as Fen'Harel, an elven trickster god. During a mission to stop Solas, Rook accidentally releases two imprisoned elven gods, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain. These gods cause chaos across Thedas with the help of the Blight, aiming to conquer the world. Rook, along with allies and groups, works to stop the gods from achieving their goals.

The games have been successful and praised for their stories, world-building, character development, voice acting, and choices players can make. The first three main games have also had expansions and downloadable content (DLC) added. The franchise has expanded to other media, such as spin-off games, books, graphic novels, comic books, a web series, an animated film, an animated TV show, and other licensed products.

Premise

The Dragon Age franchise takes place in the world of Thedas, a term that stands for "The Dragon Age Setting." Most events in the main series games happen in the southern parts of this world. Thedas is the only continent in the known world and is home to many clans, nations, and states where different groups of humanoid people live. Over nine centuries, several kingdoms and countries have formed, based on a calendar that starts with the founding of The Chantry, a major religious group in the series. Each century is called a different "Age."

Three human nations are especially important in the series: Ferelden, a kingdom in the southeast of Thedas, which is organized similarly to the English system of nobility; the Orlesian Empire, located west of Ferelden, where nobles often compete for power through secret actions; and the Tevinter Imperium, a powerful northern region ruled by magisters (magic-wielding leaders) under an Imperial Archon. Other important civilizations include the Free Marches, a group of independent human regions north of Ferelden, and the Kingdom of Orzammar, a dwarven city state located in the Deep Roads, an underground highway system built by dwarves long ago.

In Thedas, a person's race, class, and heritage influence their social standing and political roles. A common theme in the series is the conflict between different groups and within them. In Tevinter, slavery is practiced, but it is banned in other human societies. Human nobles are respected across Thedas, while elves are often treated as lower-class citizens, living in overcrowded areas called alienages or enslaved in Tevinter. Many elves identify as Dalish, named after the Dales region in Orlais, where an ancient elven empire once existed. They live nomadically to preserve their culture, which was lost when the elven empire of Elvhenan collapsed long ago. Dwarves follow a strict caste system and worship ancestors. They do not use magic themselves but mine lyrium, a mineral that powers magic, which they trade with surface societies. Some dwarves live on the surface and are called "casteless," but they are often not welcome in dwarven communities.

A fourth intelligent race in Thedas is the Qunari, meaning "People of the Qun" in their language. The Qunari are tall, large humanoids from northern Thedas, including the islands of Par Vollen and Seheron. They follow a strict religious system called "The Qun," which governs their society. Their government is led by three leaders who represent the military, religion, and trade. People born outside Qunari society are called Vashoth, and those who leave the Qun are called Tal-Vashoth, seen as enemies. Qunari are strong warriors with unique physical traits, such as metallic skin and unusual eye colors. They use war paint instead of tattoos or helmets. They are in constant conflict with Tevinter and try to expand their influence through secret actions or military attacks.

Mages are people born with the ability to use magic. They are trained in special facilities called Circles of Magi by The Chantry, a religion that believes magic should serve humans. The Chantry worships a god named the Maker and honors Andraste, a former slave who led a rebellion against Tevinter. The Chantry is led by a female leader called the Divine, who has great influence across Thedas. Mages who are not under the Chantry's control, such as Dalish leaders called Keepers, are seen as dangerous by many. The Chantry has a military group called the Templar Order, which hunts down mages who break rules. In Tevinter, mages are not controlled by the Chantry and instead follow the Imperial Chantry, which uses magisters and Templars as law enforcement. The Qunari physically restrain their mages, called Saarebas, due to their fear of magic.

The biggest threat to Thedas is the Darkspawn and their attacks called Blights. Dwarves have a group called the Legion of the Dead to fight Darkspawn, but their civilization has weakened from constant battles. Other parts of Thedas rely on the Grey Wardens, a group that kills Archdemons (corrupted gods from Tevinter) to stop Blights. The first game in the series, Dragon Age: Origins, begins with…

Media

Dragon Age: Origins is the first game in the series. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in November 2009, and for Mac OS X in December 2009. The game takes place in the kingdom of Ferelden during a time of conflict. Players choose to play as a warrior, mage, or rogue from an elven, human, or dwarven background. The player character joins the Grey Wardens, an ancient group that fights monsters called the Darkspawn. The goal is to defeat the Archdemon, who controls the Darkspawn, and stop their invasion. BioWare called Origins a spiritual successor to their earlier games, Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights. Since its release, Origins has been praised for its characters, story, voice acting, and traditional RPG gameplay.

Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening is an expansion for Dragon Age: Origins. It adds a new story that takes place after the events of Origins. Awakening was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on March 16, 2010, in North America, March 18 in Europe, and March 19 in the United Kingdom. It was also released for Mac OS X on August 31, 2010. Later, Awakening was combined with Origins and other downloadable content as Dragon Age: Origins – Ultimate Edition, released on October 26, 2010.

Dragon Age II is the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in North America and Europe on March 8, 2011, and March 11, 2011, respectively. BioWare’s Edmonton office started working on Dragon Age II while making Awakening. In the game, players take the role of Hawke, a human mage, rogue, or warrior who arrives in Kirkwall, a city in the Free Marches, as a refugee. Over ten years of political and social challenges, Hawke becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. Hawke is supported by companions who play important roles in the story and gameplay. These companions may see Hawke as a friend or a rival, depending on the player’s choices and dialogue.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is the sequel to Dragon Age II. It was released worldwide in November 2014 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Players take the role of the Inquisitor, a warrior, mage, or rogue from an elven, human, dwarven, or Qunari background. The Inquisitor survives a major disaster that creates a mysterious tear in the sky called the "Breach," which releases dangerous demons. Some believe the Inquisitor is "chosen" because they have a "Mark" on their hand that can close the Breach. The Inquisitor eventually leads the Inquisition to stop Corypheus, an ancient Darkspawn who opened the Breach to conquer Thedas and become a god. Since its release, Inquisition has been praised for its story, voice acting, music, environments, and combat. It won over 150 awards and was nominated for many others, including Game of the Year and Best Role-Playing Game.

The fourth Dragon Age game began development in 2015 under the name "Joplin." However, the project was canceled in October 2017. It was restarted in 2018 under the name "Morrison." In June 2022, the game’s title was announced as Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. In June 2024, the title was changed to Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The game was released on October 31, 2024.

Dragon Age Journeys was a 2009 Flash-based browser game made by EA2D. It was connected to Dragon Age: Origins. Players could earn achievements in Journeys that unlocked content in Origins. The game was planned to have three chapters. The first chapter, called "The Deep Roads," was released for free in October 2009. The second and third chapters were never released, and the project was canceled.

Dragon Age Legends was a 2011 Flash game made by EA2D for Facebook and Google+. It combined strategy and role-playing elements. It was connected to Dragon Age II by unlocking extra content. It was set in the Free Marches. A version called "Remix 01" was released in May 2011 and hosted by IGN. The servers for Legends were shut down on June 18, 2012, but an offline version was later released for free.

In 2013, EA released Heroes of Dragon Age, a free-to-play mobile game. It is a battle game featuring 3D models of characters from the Dragon Age universe. Instead of introducing new stories, it explores "what if?" scenarios from existing games. The game ended in November 2022, with servers closing on January 23, 2024.

Dragon Age: The Last Court was a free-to-play browser game released in November 2014. It focused on card-based gameplay and managing resources. It was set between the events of Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition. Players took the role of the Marquis of Serault, a region in Orlais. The game was previously available on Dragon Age Keep but was taken offline in November 2020. Fans worked to preserve the game’s content, and in 2025, a fan recreated it as a playable version.

The Dragon Age franchise includes many other media, such as novels, comics, graphic novels, and licensed products like a tabletop game, action figures, and statues.

• Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume I was released in April 2013. It provides detailed information about the world of Thedas, including geography, races, and magic.
• The Art of Dragon Age Inquisition was released in November 2014. It includes concept art from the third game in the series.
• Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume II was released in May 2015. It expands on Volume I, covering characters, a version of a religious text called The New Cumberland Chant of Light, a collection of stories for children, and a mini cookbook.
• Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights is an anthology of short stories released on March 10, 2020.
• Dragon Age: Hard in Hightown is a 72-page novella written by Mary Kirby under the name Varric Tethras. It was released on July 3

Gameplay

The Dragon Age video game series includes different types of gameplay. The first game, Origins, is a traditional role-playing game (RPG), while later games focus more on action and story. In each main game, players control one main character and customize them by choosing their gender, race (only humans in Dragon Age II), appearance, and one of three classes: warrior, rogue, or mage. Later in the game, players can select specializations based on these classes. As players complete quests or defeat enemies, they earn experience points, which help them level up by reaching certain values.

Most games are played from a third-person perspective, where players use a menu to move characters, assign actions, check quest details, manage inventory, and arrange party members. Each game has a main story with choices that lead to different paths and side missions. The main character changes in each game, and players can recruit secondary characters as companions. Up to three companions can join the player during gameplay, and players can control them during battles.

In Origins, players create their character from scratch, choosing traits like appearance, name, race, and class. The PC version allows switching to a top-down view, where enemies and allies are shown in different colors. Companions have a "approval" rating that changes based on dialogue choices, actions, or gifts. Higher approval can unlock new quests or romance options, while low approval might cause companions to leave or act against the player.

In Dragon Age II and Inquisition, players interact with non-player characters through a "Dialogue Wheel," which shows choices in a circular menu. These choices influence the story and gameplay. Dragon Age II uses a fixed third-person camera, while Inquisition lets players switch to a top-down view to assign orders to party members.

Dragon Age Keep, launched in 2014, is an online tool that saves major choices from games. If a player’s device is connected to the internet, these choices can be used in future games, affecting story events and characters. Players can also customize saved choices and unlock special items from earlier games.

Throughout the series, players can form romantic relationships with characters, including same-sex and inter-species pairings. These relationships require meeting certain conditions, like matching gender or race, and earning high approval through actions or dialogue. Romance storylines are optional and appear as side missions, not affecting the main story.

Development

Canadian video game developer David Gaider created much of the background stories for the Dragon Age series and was the lead writer until 2015. The name "Thedas" was a short way to refer to "The Dragon Age Setting." Thedas is a world inspired by European folklore and stories from medieval Europe. Real-world examples are used to create parts of the game's world. For instance, the countries of Ferelden and Orlais are based on medieval England and Renaissance France, respectively. The Qunari's role in the game is similar to the historical Viking expansion. During the development of the first game, Dragon Age: Origins, Gaider included many story details that might not be used in the final game. This allowed future stories or locations not used in Origins to be explored in other media, such as the novel Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne and later games.

Although Dragon Age is often called a dark fantasy setting, it uses common fantasy themes, such as quests, magic, elves, and dwarves, as well as conflicts between heroes and evil forces. The series also takes ideas from A Song of Ice and Fire, a fantasy book series by George R. R. Martin, especially in showing a world where characters face difficult choices with no clear right answers. The betrayal by Ferelden's lord, Loghain Mac Tir, which caused the failure at the Battle of Ostagar and his eventual fate, is similar to the complex political struggles in A Song of Ice and Fire. The Grey Wardens, a group of warriors who watch for threats, are similar to the Night's Watch, a group from the books who guard against dangerous invaders.

The art style for the series changed greatly starting with Dragon Age II, as the original style for Origins was considered too simple. The Darkspawn, creatures in the game, were redesigned to look more unified and sickly, unlike their earlier version, which resembled the orcs from J.R.R. Tolkien's works. The Qunari were first shown without horns in Origins, but the developers had originally planned for them to have horns. Later games explained that most Qunari do have horns, and hornlessness is a rare trait in some individuals.

Reception

The main Dragon Age games have generally been praised by critics and players. Dragon Age: Origins is often regarded as one of the best video games ever made. Sam Roberts from GamesRadar described Origins as a very detailed RPG with complex combat and many ways to customize the player's group. However, he noted that the game's storytelling and characters only appeared occasionally. Roberts also mentioned that Origins laid the foundation for the Dragon Age world, allowing later games to explore new aspects of it. Richard Cobbett from Eurogamer said Origins was a middle ground between older, more complex RPGs and newer, simpler styles, with a focus on the older style. The expansion pack, Origins – Awakening, was also well-received by critics and players across all platforms.

Dragon Age II received mostly positive reviews from media outlets but had mixed reactions from players. Critics often criticized the game's repetitive environments, lack of origin choices, and wave-based enemy attacks. Some praised its faster combat and companions, while others had mixed opinions about the dialogue system and storytelling. The game’s use of a single setting with reused assets also drew some criticism.

Dragon Age: Inquisition received many "Game of the Year" awards and nominations in 2014. It also won a "Special Recognition Award" at the 26th GLAAD Media Awards for its portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters. Roberts noted that Inquisition’s focus on open-world side quests was very different from the earlier games in the series.

Sam Roberts from GamesRadar stated that, unlike the Mass Effect series, BioWare has not yet created a truly great Dragon Age game. He observed that each main series game has some flaws, but BioWare keeps changing the formula while maintaining certain elements of combat and the story. He believes this approach might eventually lead to a great RPG.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard faced many challenges during its long development period. Critics gave the game "generally favorable" reviews for its Windows, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 versions. It won the "Outstanding Video Game" award at the 36th GLAAD Media Awards for its LGBTQ+ content. Hayes Madsen of Rolling Stone called Veilguard a "fresh start" for the series, comparing it to a "soft reset." Matt Purslow from IGN said the game was "at war with itself," as it avoided exploring the series’ past despite being a direct sequel. He also criticized the exclusion of major characters like Solas and Varric. Andy Bickerton of NPR called Veilguard a well-made action RPG but noted the lack of player narrative choices was disappointing. The game’s troubled production led to tonal inconsistencies and unmet sales expectations, with EA reporting around 1.5 million players, far below its goals.

Dragon Age: Origins reached the top of Steam’s sales chart on November 10, 2009. The Digital Deluxe version was first, and the standard edition was second. The Xbox 360 version sold about 362,100 copies in the US. John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, said the company was pleased with Origins’ sales, as over 1 million DLC packs were sold by the end of 2009. By February 2010, over 3.2 million copies of the game had been sold.

Dragon Age II sold over 1 million copies in less than two weeks after its March 8, 2011, release. By May 2011, it had sold over 2 million copies.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is the most successful launch in BioWare’s history, selling over 12 million copies by September 2024. It debuted at No. 5 in the UK’s first week of release. Retail data suggests its actual sales were higher than reported due to significant digital downloads.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard topped Steam’s charts and set a new record for concurrent players on BioWare games. However, it underperformed compared to EA’s expectations, leading to lowered forecasts for future quarters.

According to Richard Cobbett, Origins helped bring western RPGs into the spotlight by proving that older-style, complex games could still attract a large audience. He compared its impact to the original Baldur’s Gate from 1998. US Gamer’s Van Allen noted that BioWare’s character-driven RPGs, like Dragon Age, inspired other games such as GreedFall.

The characters in the series, especially the player’s companions, have been widely praised. They are often compared to characters from the Mass Effect series and are considered some of the most memorable in video game history.