Dragon Age: The Veilguard features returning faces from Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition, and they're not alone
Lace Harding and Varric will make a long-awaited return in Dragon Age 4 this Fall
Dragon Age: The Veilguard was unveiled today at the Xbox Games Showcase 2024, and some faces on the character roster might be familiar to long-time BioWare fans.
Our first look at The Veilguard is a sight to behold, giving us a taste of what to expect in the next Dragon Age game when it launches this Fall. In it, splashy title cards introduce us to each of the main companions we can expect to run into: including Dragon Age 2's Varric and Dragon Age: Inquisition's Lace Harding.
According to Xbox Wire, "you and your companions are the true heart and soul of this new game" where we will "challenge and take a stand against a pair of corrupt ancient gods who have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world." Recently renamed from Dread Wolf to The Veilguard, it seems the change was made to emphasize the importance of working with our companions to save the day in Thedas.
As for who we'll be teaming up with, the cast looks like a colorful one. "Amongst these new companions that join the fray," says brand marketing senuior manager Jon Bailey, "we will recruit allies such as the Veil Jumper Bellara, the intriguing necromancer Emmrich, and the private detective Neve – all coming from iconic factions in Dragon Age lore, and each possessing individual skill trees and specialized gear for advanced team progression. Dragon Age fans will spot some familiar faces, too, such as the archer Lace Harding who returns to the series as a full time companion."
Lace is accompanied by Varric, though his name is not included on the official list of the seven companions, as posted on Xbox Wire:
- Harding: The Scout
- Neve: The Detective
- Emmrich: The Necromancer
- Taash: The Dragon Hunter
- Davrin: The Warden
- Bellara: The Veil Jumper
- Lucanis: The Mage Killer
We don't have a firm release date outside of the Fall 2024 window. It does seem that Dragon Age: The Veilguard will not be coming to Game Pass on day one, but as an EA game, who knows if it'll make it to EA Play (and therefore, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers) eventually? We'll have to wait for BioWare's June 11 reveal for more.
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Jasmine is a staff writer at GamesRadar+. Raised in Hong Kong and having graduated with an English Literature degree from Queen Mary, University of London in 2017, her passion for entertainment writing has taken her from reviewing underground concerts to blogging about the intersection between horror movies and browser games. Having made the career jump from TV broadcast operations to video games journalism during the pandemic, she cut her teeth as a freelance writer with TheGamer, Gamezo, and Tech Radar Gaming before accepting a full-time role here at GamesRadar. Whether Jasmine is researching the latest in gaming litigation for a news piece, writing how-to guides for The Sims 4, or extolling the necessity of a Resident Evil: CODE Veronica remake, you'll probably find her listening to metalcore at the same time.