Unveiling Dragon Age: The Veilguard: A Decade in the Making with Record-Breaking Dialogue

Dragon Age: The Veilguard has set a new standard for dialogue-rich experiences in gaming. BioWare, the studio behind this title, has confirmed that this new installment features a staggering 140,000 lines of dialogue, surpassing its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition. This ambitious project has taken a decade to develop, driven in part by the sheer volume of dialogue to be recorded and integrated.

In an interview with GamesRadar, creative director John Elper and creative performance director Ashley Barlow talked about the lengthy development process. One major factor was the monumental amount of dialogue. Elper emphasized that BioWare had multiple projects going on, but ensuring that The Veilguard was created to the highest standard was a priority. He confidently stated that this iteration is the best version of the game could possibly be.

Barlow shared insights from her five-year journey working with the main cast, unveiling that the game includes a remarkable 140,000 lines of dialogue. For comparison, Dragon Age: Inquisition held the previous record with 88,000 lines. The task of recording dialogue for 700 characters, which includes either 80,000 or 140,000 lines with all the Rooks, significantly contributed to the project's duration.

In addition to the dialogue, BioWare recently introduced the cast for The Veilguard’s seven companions and the four voices for the playable hero, Rook. They also showcased new game footage at San Diego Comic Con (SDCC), highlighting how player relationships and connections will develop through BioWare’s advanced conversation system.

While there isn’t a specific release date yet, BioWare has announced that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is slated for a Fall 2024 release on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. Following its official reveal last month, details about the game remain limited. However, it has been confirmed that the story takes place 10 years after the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition and will offer four difficulty options as different playstyles.