IGN CAUGHT Walking Back Their 9/10 Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review

It now identifies as a 7/10...

Don't you want to love me anyway?

As BioWare’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard drunkenly stumbles it's way into the spotlight, it’s becoming painfully clear that IGN’s initial glowing review of 9/10 that was criticized by myself and many other gamers out there was just as we suspected. More of a marketing ploy than any kind of honest assessment. As is often the case, IGN appeared eager to help boost the game with early praise, purposefully giving the game to their own reviewer who conveniently identifies as a trans 'person'...

AKA, a dude that dresses up and cosplays as a "woman" due to serious mental illness issues is being rewarded in society for being so stunning and brave...

(formerly T.J. Hafer - below)

...Now Leana Hafer (below).

Why do this? Access media, my friends! Out of sheer loyalty to their long-time partners at BioWare. But now, even IGN themselves can’t ignore the game’s glaring flaws, and they’re slowly beginning to shift their tone, not-so-subtly hinting that The Veilguard’s sales numbers are actually as abysmal... as the game itself.

IGN’s latest article by Matt Purslow, titled “Dragon Age: The Veilguard Is at War With Itself” reveals the serious cracks in the game’s foundation, that should NOT have been overlooked, while carefully avoiding the harsher criticisms fans have been shouting from the rooftops. Behind all the fluff, there’s a strong acknowledgment that The Veilguard is an awkward, conflicted game, one that’s torn between trying to please long-time fans and catering to a new audience with a... shallow action-based approach. As IGN tiptoes through the tulips around the game’s core issues, it’s evident that they’re preparing to distance themselves from the very game they once hyped as a potential GOTY candidate (and let's be honest - will still be considered or GOTY because... stunning and brave!).

A Vanity Project Gone Wrong

One of the most baffling decisions behind The Veilguard is the direction of the game itself, which seems more like a vanity project for the game's 'trans' director Corinne Busche (below) than a continuation of Dragon Age’s established lore. Yes, yet another person LARPing as a woman, but in reality, suffering from severe mental issues that society in general has unfortunately allowed to perpetuate. This is nothing to be excited about.

Many fans have noted that the narrative seems overly focused on highlighting ideological themes and pushing a trans narrative rather than delivering any kind of actual coherent story. Instead of following up on the storyline set by Inquisition and the Trespasser DLC, The Veilguard pushes aside many beloved characters and settings in favor of a... disconnected plot that feels, at best, like a soft reboot, and at worst, like a deliberate dismissal of the choices players made throughout the series.

IGN’s article focuses heavily on the absurdity of the name change, noting that not a single character in the game’s 100-hour runtime ever mentions the term “Veilguard.” That's just wild to me. It’s a last-minute branding pivot that directly reflects the game’s chaotic development cycle that lasted nearly a decade. Instead of naming the game after the antagonist, the Dread Wolf, or focusing on the rich story elements long-time fans were hoping for, BioWare opted for a vague, nonsensical title that epitomizes the game’s lack of focus. In retrospect, from a certain light - it's comical.

Alienating Long-Time Fans

Fans of the Dragon Age series have voiced their frustration with BioWare’s abandonment of core RPG mechanics, and The Veilguard only exacerbates that issue much further. BioWare, once revered for its deep storytelling and meaningful player choices (I know - it feels like forever ago), has now stripped away everything that made the franchise unique. There’s no option to import past choices, no way to influence the world based on your history with the series, and the complex character interactions have been replaced with what feels like scripted cutscenes devoid of true role-playing. This is an embarrassment tbh...

IGN's latest piece DOES acknowledge that some of these issues are present, but they carefully avoid attributing them to a larger problem that I've been focused on as of late within BioWare’s direction. It’s hard not to compare The Veilguard to the Mass Effect: Andromeda disaster. Just as that game’s lifeless animations and stilted dialogue led to widespread mockery, The Veilguard suffers from the same flaws—unconvincing voice acting, broken animations, and dialogue that feels like it’s trying too hard to be socially relevant rather than genuinely engaging.

IGN hints at the divide within the game itself, describing it as “awkwardly in conflict with itself, torn into pieces that reflect two very different intentions.” This is a game that’s confused about its own identity, and rather than listening to its fans, BioWare has doubled and now tripled down on decisions that alienate its core audience. The game’s storyline and settings feel shoehorned, more concerned with catering to a particular vision of inclusivity than with delivering a memorable, immersive RPG experience.

The Ghost of The Witcher 3 and the BioWare That Once Was

It’s impossible for me to ignore how The Witcher 3 exposed BioWare’s limitations back when Dragon Age: Inquisition launched. The Witcher 3 raised the bar for everyone in the narrative-driven RPG landscape with its intricate storylines, meaningful choices, and genuinely compelling characters. Yet, now - instead of learning from this success, BioWare has stubbornly continued down a path that ignores what fans want. The Veilguard doesn’t even attempt to compete with The Witcher 3’s level of narrative sophistication. Instead, it has seemingly settled for a hollow imitation of action-heavy RPGs like God of War, with a focus on flashy combat that sacrifices the depth fans expect.

IGN’s review dances around this massive failure, admitting that the “linear-ish level design” and “explosive cutscenes” prioritize action over dialogue and diplomacy, two pillars of classic BioWare RPGs. There’s a nod to the influence of Baldur’s Gate 3’s beloved characters, but The Veilguard falls short in establishing any kind of meaningful connections with its party members. Long-time favorite Varric, one of the most beloved characters in the series, is “imprisoned in his bedroom,” reduced to background dialogue that the player can’t even interact with meaningfully. Who tf thought that would be a good idea?? IGN subtly hints that BioWare’s attempt to chase AAA trends has cost the game its soul, but of course, stops short of outright calling it a failure.

IGN’s Damage Control and the Fallout

It’s painfully obvious that IGN is beginning to shift its stance on The Veilguard as the game’s poor reception becomes harder to ignore. Their recent article carefully critiques the game while glossing over its deeper flaws, as if hedging their bets to avoid fully endorsing a game that’s quickly shaping up to be a commercial flop. I mean, at this point, it's standard practice for IGN, which frequently scores games highly on release to maintain favorable relationships with publishers, only to recalibrate their opinions once public sentiment becomes undeniable. See my IGN 7 video for details on that approach...

IGN’s reluctance to address the overt ideological injections of The Veilguard is beyond telling. The dialogue often sounds like a strange blend of modern-day political rhetoric, mixed with dialogue that could come straight out of a children’s program. Yet, IGN frames the game’s issues as stemming from a misguided name choice and “development difficulties,” completely sidestepping any mention of how its content may be alienating a large portion of its audience. As The Veilguard fails to resonate with gamers, particularly the more conservative-leaning base that comprises much of the AAA gaming market, the truth about its poor sales will soon be impossible for IGN to ignore. There are rumors from insides sources that have discovered the game has struggled to even sell half a million copies two weeks after release. YIKES...

BioWare’s Downward Spiral

With The Veilguard, BioWare has now delivered three flops in a row, following the disasters that were Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem. At least with Anthem, BioWare could argue that they were experimenting with a new genre. The Veilguard, on the other hand, is supposed to be BioWare’s bread and butter—an RPG experience that should have built upon the series’ great legacy. Instead, now... it just feels like a shallow attempt at pandering to a niche ideological audience, sacrificing the meaningful storytelling and player agency along the way.

As IGN (and the gaming industry on the whole - see the above video of YouTuber Andy Cortez) attempts to adjust their narrative to reflect the game’s real-life commercial and critical failures, it’s becoming clear that BioWare’s downfall is a result of the choices they’ve made in recent years. The studio’s willingness to abandon core mechanics, ignore player feedback, and turn an RPG series into a hollow action game is baffling. Embracing trans propaganda at the expense of a fantasy RPG. Their decision to hire a team that prioritizes ideological representation over storytelling, mechanics, and respect for the franchise’s fanbase would be baffling, if we didn't already understand the issues with force-injecting DEI into gaming.

The Harsh Truth for Western Game Studios

IGN’s hesitance to call out The Veilguard for what it is—a deeply flawed game born of poor design choices and ideological compromises—reflects a much broader problem in Western game journalism. Reviewers feel compelled to protect each other and support games that champion certain ideological values, even at the cost of honest critique. But the truth is becoming impossible to avoid: the AAA gaming audience isn't interested in having far-left ideologies shoehorned into their entertainment. Studios like BioWare, which continue down this path, are learning the hard way that ignoring the interests of their core audience can lead to commercial failure. Don't say we didn't warn you.

If IGN’s latest article is any indication, the groundwork happening here is already being laid for an inevitable postmortem on The Veilguard’s disastrous sales. The studio and its media allies are likely scrambling to find excuses to explain away the failure, while defending their biased standpoints. Pointing to superficial reasons like the game’s title, instead of acknowledging the deeper disconnect between what they’re offering and what players actually want. And if BioWare’s downward spiral results in a shut-down after this third consecutive failure, it’ll be hard for any real gamer to muster much sympathy at all.

In the end, IGN’s attempt here to reframe the narrative is as transparent as it is unconvincing. The Veilguard’s reception should serve as a wake-up call—not just for BioWare but for any Western studio hoping to retain relevance. Gamers want immersive stories and meaningful gameplay, not ideological lectures thinly veiled as RPGs... I don't know how many times we need to teach you this lesson, old man.

~Smash