Dragon Age: The Veilguard is off to a good start according to data from Steam where reported player counts have set a new record. The latest franchise installment has managed to surpass all of BioWare’s previous games on Steam by a significant margin with its peak concurrent player count. Dragon Age: The Veilguard launched for PC and consoles on October 31 and within 24 hours it reached a max total of 77,465 players. That total dipped down to around 30,000 but has since been climbing up again, currently climbing towards 63,000.
BioWare’s previous record was held by Mass Effect Legendary Edition which had a peak count of 59,817 players. VGC also notes how Dragon Age: The Veilguard has managed to best EA’s Star Wars games while coming up short of other popular EA titles such as Need for Speed Heat with its 86,196 and The Sims 4 at 96,328 player counts. Currently, it holds a mostly positive rating from over 7,5000 players on Steam with over 77% recommending it.
Media outlet reviews show a similar trend with many giving praise but they also emphasize a good, not great, game. All things considered, this may not be the worst of it if players are the ones giving their money, and positive reviews. The majority of praise seems to revolve around the game’s combat and story. Destructoid has a review roundup which can be found here. Gary McKay, BioWare Studio General Manager and Executive Producer of the new game posted a letter to fans on its launch day giving thanks to fans and the developers.
Per Gary McKay (via launch letter):
- “It’s been nearly a decade since the release of Dragon Age: Inquisition. The Dread Wolf’s ritual nears its apex and, with the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, we’re thrilled to once again welcome you back to Thedas. It’s been a journey – and one whose every step was only possible because of the support of you, our fans. We cannot wait for you all to experience this latest chapter in the Dragon Age series.”
- “Characters you love in stories worth telling – that’s what BioWare does best. And you’ll find no shortage of either in The Veilguard. What an adventure it’s been getting here, with every single person who touched this game putting their heart and soul into making this game something special. So welcome back to Thedas, and from the bottom of our hearts – thank you.”