Trans-inclusive RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard becomes EA’s most popular single-player game

New trans-inclusive BioWare game Dragon Age: The Veilguard is breaking records after becoming Electronic Arts’ (EA) best-selling single-player game.

The fantasy role-playing game has quickly become a favourite, according to analytics on PC gaming platform Steam, and has also won praise over the fact it allows gamers to play as a transgender character.

One option shows the protagonist, Rook, staring themselves down in the mirror, saying: “Take a long hard look in it, kid. It’ll always show the face of a hero who can get it done.”

If the player chooses the dialogue option “I’m getting there,” it will establish the protagonist as a trans person and unlock more choices for future conversations.

The latest in the franchise was released to positive reviews on Thursday (31 October) and quickly rose to become one of the top concurrently played games on Steam.

According to community aggregator, Steam Charts, the title had a 24-hour peak of 70,414 on its first day, with more than 44,900 people playing at the time of reporting.

As well as allowing you to make your character transgender, the game also allows additional customisation options such as adding top surgery scars.

EA chief executive Andrew Wilson predicted the success during an earnings call on Tuesday (29 October), saying the developer had “returned to its strengths”, and adding: “BioWare has rallied around what made BioWare a fan-favourite studio and a fan-favourite brand.”

He praised the developer’s “incredibly rich worlds, incredibly nuanced characters, really powerful and compelling stories with camaraderie and friendships and relationships, and decisions that matter in the context of game-play.”

EA’s previous record-breaking single-player title was Jedi Survivor, which managed an all-time peak of 67,855 in 2023.

BioWare’s game director, Corinne Busche, thanked fans for the title’s success, saying it was the “culmination of the team’s love for the franchise and our shared vision for the game.”

She went on to say: “Just as each of you has inspired us to do our best work, we now hope to inspire you through the journey you take within Thedas. We cannot wait to see the deeply personalised characters you’ll create, the inventive ways you’ll combat your foes and the decisions you’ll make that shape your adventure.”

Creative director John Epler said working on Dragon Age: The Veilguard had been “the most incredible project” of his 17-year career.

“These characters, this story, is going to make you laugh and cry, just as we did when we were making it, and it’s been a tremendous privilege to be part of this team,” he added.

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