Dragon Age is a media franchise that includes a series of fantasy role-playing video games created by BioWare. These games have been released on multiple platforms, including the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The franchise is set on the fictional continent of Thedas, where the stories of its inhabitants are explored.

The first game, Dragon Age: Origins, follows a new recruit to the Grey Wardens, a legendary group of warriors. Their mission is to save the kingdom of Ferelden from the Darkspawn, a monstrous race of underground creatures that attack the surface world every few hundred years during events called Blights. A Blight begins when the 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, a Blight refugee who moves their family to Kirkwall, a city in The Free Marches. Over seven years, they start as a criminal and rise to become the Champion of Kirkwall. In this role, they help shape decisions that affect the entire continent 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 from another world. 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 also work to resolve conflicts among political groups.

A fourth game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard (formerly Dragon Age: Dreadwolf), was released on October 31, 2024. It follows Rook, who joins Varric Tethras to stop Solas, also known as Fen'Harel, an elven trickster god, from destroying the Veil. During a mission to stop Solas, Rook accidentally frees two imprisoned elven gods—Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain—who cause chaos across Thedas with the help of the Blight. Rook, supported by allies and different groups, works to stop these gods from achieving their goals.

The games have been commercially successful and received praise for their storytelling, world-building, character development, voice acting, and focus on player choices. The first three main games have also been expanded with additional content, such as expansions and downloadable content (DLC). The franchise has also grown into other media, including spin-off games, novels, graphic novels, comic books, a web series, an animated film, an animated television series, and licensed merchandise.

Premise

The Dragon Age franchise takes place in the world of Thedas, which is short for The Dragon Age Setting. Most of the main game events happen in the southern parts of Thedas. Thedas is the only continent in the known world and is home to many different groups, including clans, nations, and states. These groups are made up of various human-like people. Over nine centuries, several kingdoms and countries have formed, based on a calendar system that starts with the founding of The Chantry, the main religious group in the Dragon Age series. Each century is called a different "Age."

Three human nations are especially important in the series. Ferelden is a kingdom in the southeast of Thedas and is organized like the English system of noble titles. To the west of Ferelden is the Orlesian Empire, where nobles often compete for power through secret actions and favor with their ruler. In the north of Thedas is the Tevinter Imperium, a powerful society ruled by magicians called magisters, who are led by an Imperial Archon. Other important places include the Free Marches, a group of human regions in the north of Ferelden, and the Kingdom of Orzammar, a dwarven city deep underground in the Deep Roads, which are ancient tunnels built by dwarves.

In Thedas, a person's race, class, and background determine their social position and political influence. A common theme in the series is the conflict between different groups. In Tevinter, slavery is practiced, but it is banned in other human societies. Human nobles are respected everywhere, while elves are often treated unfairly, living in crowded areas called alienages or being enslaved in Tevinter. Many elves identify as Dalish, named after the Dales region in Orlais, where their ancestors once lived. They live a nomadic life to protect their culture, which was lost when their ancient empire, Elvhenan, collapsed long ago. Dwarves are organized around a strict social system and worship their ancestors. They do not use magic themselves but mine lyrium, a mineral that powers magic, which they trade with others. Some dwarves live on the surface, but they are often not accepted by other dwarves.

A fourth intelligent race in Thedas is the Qunari, meaning "People of the Qun" in their language. The Qunari are tall, strong humanoids from the far north of 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 controlled by three leaders who represent their military, religious, and economic groups. People not born into Qunari society are called Vashoth, and those who leave the Qun are called Tal-Vashoth, who are seen as enemies. Qunari warriors are known for their strength and unique appearance, including metallic skin, white hair, and unusual eye colors. They do not wear helmets or tattoos but use ceremonial war paint called Vitaar. The Qunari are in constant conflict with Tevinter and try to expand their influence through secret actions or military attacks.

Mages, people who can use magic, are born with a special ability that is discovered early in life. They can access the Fade, a mysterious world connected to the physical world where spirits live. The Fade is usually only reachable through dreams, but mages can enter it directly. If a mage is not careful, they might be taken over by demons from the Fade. Lyrium, a blue mineral, is essential for using magic, though a dangerous red variety appears in Dragon Age II. Some mages use forbidden magic called blood magic, which uses the blood of living beings, or summon demons to help them.

In southern Thedas, mages are trained in places called Circles of Magi by The Chantry, a religion that believes in one god, 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 over Thedas. Mages not controlled by the Chantry, like the Dalish Keepers, are seen as dangerous. The Chantry has a military group, the Templars, who hunt down mages who break the rules. In Tevinter, mages are not controlled by the Chantry, and instead, the Imperial Chantry, a separate group, uses magisters and Templars to enforce laws. The Qunari, however, physically restrain their mages, called Saarebas, because they distrust magic.

The biggest threat to Thedas is the Darkspawn and their attacks called Blights. Dwarves have a group of warriors called the Legion of the Dead to fight Darkspawn, though their society has suffered greatly from constant battles. Other parts of Thedas rely on the Grey Wardens, a group that fights Darkspawn during Blights by killing Archdemons, which are corrupted gods from Tevinter. 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 take the role of a warrior, mage, or rogue from an elven, human, or dwarven background. The player joins the Grey Wardens, a group that fights monsters called Darkspawn. Their mission is to defeat the Archdemon leading 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 role-playing game features.

Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening is an expansion for Dragon Age: Origins. It adds a new story set after the events of Origins. It 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, it was bundled with Origins and additional 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 on March 8, 2011, and in Europe on March 11, 2011. BioWare’s Edmonton office started working on Dragon Age II while developing Origins – Awakening. 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 a decade 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 based 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 survived a major event that caused a mysterious tear in the sky called the "Breach," which is letting dangerous demons into the world. Some believe the Inquisitor is the "chosen one" because of a mark on their hand that can close the Breach. The Inquisitor leads the Inquisition to stop Corypheus, an ancient Darkspawn who opened the Breach in an attempt to conquer Thedas and become a god. Since its release, Dragon Age: Inquisition has been praised for its story, voice acting, soundtrack, 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 was started in 2015 under the name "Joplin." However, development was stopped in October 2017. The project was restarted in 2018 under the name "Morrison." In June 2022, the game was named Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. In June 2024, the title was changed to Dragon Age: The Veilguard. It 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 the game that unlocked content in Origins. The game was planned to have three chapters. The first chapter, The Deep Roads, was released as a free download in October 2009. The second and third chapters were never released, and the project was cancelled.

Dragon Age Legends was a 2011 Flash game made by EA2D for Facebook and Google+. It combined strategy and role-playing elements. It was linked to Dragon Age II by unlocking extra content. It was set in the Free Marches. A version called Dragon Age: Legends: Remix 01, which had action gameplay, was released in May 2011 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 was a battle game featuring 3D figures of characters from the Dragon Age universe. Instead of introducing new stories, it used "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 drawing and resource management. Set between Dragon Age II and Inquisition, players played as the Marquis of Serault, a region in Orlais. It was previously available on Dragon Age Keep but was taken offline in November 2020. Fans preserved its content, and in 2025, a fan recreated it as a free playable version.

The Dragon Age franchise includes other media and merchandise besides video games. These include 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 for the third game in the series.
• Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume II was released in May 2015. It expands on Volume I with details about characters, a version of a religious text called The New Cumberland Chant of Light, a collection of children’s stories called The Seer's Yarn, and a cookbook called The Whole Nug Culinary Treasures of Thedas.
• Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, an anthology of short stories by different writers, was released on March 10, 2020.
• Dragon Age: Hard in Hightown, a 72-page novella written by Mary Kirby under the name Varric Tethras, was released on July 31, 2018.

There are currently five novels set in the Dragon Age universe:

• *Dragon Age: The St

Gameplay

The Dragon Age video game series includes different ways to play. The first game, Origins, is a traditional role-playing game (RPG), while later games focus more on the story and action. In each main series game, the player controls one main character and customizes them based on gender, race (only humans in Dragon Age II), physical appearance, and one of three character classes (warrior, rogue, or mage). Later in the game, players can choose specializations related to these classes. As the player completes quests or defeats enemies, they gain experience points, which help them level up by reaching a set number. Most games are played from a third-person perspective, using a user interface to move characters, give them actions, check quest progress, manage inventory, and organize the party. Each game has a main story with branching paths and side missions, and the main character changes in each entry. Players can recruit secondary characters as companions, and they can take up to three companions with them during the game. Players can control these companions, especially during combat.

In Origins, the player creates their character from scratch, choosing traits like appearance, race, name, and class. The PC version allows switching to a top-down view, where friendly and enemy units are shown in different colors. A companion’s approval of the player is shown on a slider, which can change based on dialogue choices, actions, or gifts given. The player’s approval level affects available dialogue options and may unlock new quests. Unlike some games, companions in Origins always notice the player’s decisions, and their approval changes over time. High approval might lead to a romance, while low approval could cause a companion to leave or even die.

In Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition, players interact with non-player characters through dialogue choices. These choices are shown in a "Dialogue Wheel," with options displayed around a circle on the screen. Most choices are simple questions, but some influence the story or result from earlier decisions. In Dragon Age II, the camera stays in a third-person view, while Inquisition allows a "Tactical View" that pauses the game and shifts to a top-down view, letting players assign orders to party members.

Dragon Age Keep, launched in 2014, is an online tool that saves major in-game choices in a "world state." If connected to the internet, players can import these choices into new games, affecting events and characters, especially in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The platform also lets players customize outcomes for choices and unlock special items from earlier games.

Throughout the series, players can form romantic relationships with certain characters, including same-sex and inter-species relationships, if conditions like gender, race, and high approval are met. These relationships often appear as optional side missions and do not show inappropriate content for the game’s rating.

Development

Canadian video game developer David Gaider created much of the background story for the Dragon Age franchise and was the lead writer until 2015. The name "Thedas" was a short way to say "The Dragon Age Setting." Thedas is a world inspired by European folklore and stories from medieval Europe. Some parts of the world, like the nations of Ferelden and Orlais, are based on medieval England and Renaissance France, respectively. The Qunari, a group in the story, are similar to the Viking expansion in history. During the development of the game Origins, Gaider included many details about the world, even though he did not know if they would be used in the final game. This allowed later stories, such as the novel Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne and other games, to explore new ideas and locations not used in Origins.

Although Dragon Age is often called a dark fantasy setting, it uses common fantasy themes, such as quests, magic, elves, and dwarves, and a main conflict between heroes and evil forces. The series also takes inspiration 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 and moral challenges. For example, the betrayal by Ferelden’s lord Loghain Mac Tir, which caused the Battle of Ostagar to fail, is similar to the political struggles in A Song of Ice and Fire. The Grey Wardens, a group in the story, are like the Night's Watch from A Song of Ice and Fire, as both are groups that watch for dangers and face difficult challenges.

The art style of the series changed greatly under the direction of Matt Goldman, starting with Dragon Age II. The original art style for Origins was considered "generic," or too simple. The Darkspawn, creatures in the story, were redesigned to look more unified and sickened, unlike their earlier appearance in Origins, which resembled the orcs from J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. The Qunari were first shown without horns in Origins, but the developers had planned for them to have horns. Later games explained that most Qunari do have horns, and hornlessness is rare in some individuals.

Reception

The main Dragon Age games have generally received positive reviews from players and critics. Dragon Age: Origins is often regarded as one of the greatest video games ever made. Sam Roberts from GamesRadar described it as a "very detailed role-playing game" with complex combat and many ways to customize the player's team. However, he noted that the story and characters were only shown in rare moments. Roberts also said that Origins laid the foundation for the Dragon Age world, allowing later games to explore new ideas. Richard Cobbett from Eurogamer called Origins a middle ground between older, more complex RPGs and newer, simpler styles, with a focus on the older style. Its expansion pack, Origins – Awakening, was also well received by critics and fans on all platforms.

Dragon Age II received mostly favorable reviews from media outlets but had mixed reactions from players. Critics often praised its faster combat and the characters that joined the player’s team, but some criticized the game’s repeated environments, lack of origin choices, and the way the story was told. The game’s dialogue system and use of a single setting with reused assets also drew some complaints.

Dragon Age: Inquisition won many "game of the year" awards in 2014 and received a "Special Recognition Award" at the 26th GLAAD Media Awards for its portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters. Roberts noted that Inquisition focused heavily on side quests in an open world, which was a different direction from earlier games in the series.

Sam Roberts from GamesRadar said 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, even though BioWare keeps changing the gameplay while staying true to the story.

The development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard faced many challenges over the decade between its predecessor and its release. Critics gave the game "generally favorable" reviews for its versions on Windows, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5. It won the "Outstanding Video Game" award at the 36th GLAAD Media Awards for its LGBTQ+ content. Some critics, like Hayes Madsen of Rolling Stone, called Veilguard a "fresh start" for the series, while others, like Matt Purslow of IGN, said the game was "at war with itself" for not exploring the series’ past or giving enough attention to key characters like Solas and Varric. Andy Bickerton of NPR praised the game’s action RPG elements but noted that the lack of player choices from previous games was disappointing.

Dragon Age: Origins reached the top of Steam’s sales chart on November 10, 2009. The Digital Deluxe version sold the most, followed by the standard edition. The Xbox 360 version was the ninth-best-selling game in the U.S. in 2009, with about 362,100 copies sold. Electronic Arts, the game’s publisher, reported that over 1 million downloadable content (DLC) packs were sold by the end of 2009. By February 2010, over 3.2 million copies of the game had been sold globally.

Dragon Age II sold more than 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 game launch in BioWare’s history, with over 12 million copies sold by September 2024. It debuted at No. 5 on the UK charts in its first week. Retail data suggests that direct digital sales, which are not always included in reported numbers, likely increased the total sales.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard topped Steam’s charts and set a new record for simultaneous players on BioWare games. However, Electronic Arts reported that the game reached about 1.5 million players, which was below the company’s expectations and led to lowered financial forecasts for future quarters.

According to Richard Cobbett, Dragon Age: Origins helped bring western RPGs into the mainstream, proving that older-style games could still attract a large audience. He compared its impact to the original Baldur’s Gate in 1998. US Gamer’s Van Allen said that BioWare’s work in character-driven RPGs inspired other games, such as GreedFall, which share similar ideas.

The characters in the Dragon Age 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.