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Dragon Age Remasters Face Funding Hurdles

BioWare cites internal budgets and engine differences as barriers to remasters of Origins, 2, and Inquisition.

August 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
blur EA Refuses to Fund the Dragon Age Remasters You Crave

BioWare cites internal budgeting and engine differences as the main barriers to remasters of Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, and Dragon Age Inquisition.

Dragon Age Remasters Hit Funding Hurdles Across Engines

BioWare and other EA studios say they do not have the funds to greenlight a Dragon Age remaster. The team is already juggling other projects, and EA’s internal budgeting process appears to constrain major cosplay-like remakes. A key hurdle is technical: Origins and its Awakening expansion used the Eclipse Engine, Dragon Age 2 ran on an updated Lycium Engine, and Inquisition shifted to Frostbite. Those different engines make a single, polished bundle difficult to assemble.

EA has released remakes before, such as Mass Effect Legendary Edition in 2021 and a Dead Space remake in 2023, showing a selective appetite for the format. Yet some insiders describe EA as resistant to remasters in general, preferring existing budgets to be redirected toward current titles. The technical and financial realities together create a high barrier for reviving the three Dragon Age games in a single package, even as fans keep asking for it.

Key Takeaways

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Engine divergence heightens remaster costs and complexity
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EA appears cautious about funding external remasters
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Fan demand for a Dragon Age collection remains strong
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Remasters exist within a broader strategy of IP revival
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Internal budgets will influence development pacing
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A staged remaster approach could reduce risk and test demand
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Three engines complicate a single cohesive remaster release

"Go ahead and do it, but do it with the money you already have"

Direct quote on the funding stance for remasters

"It’s strange for a publicly traded company to basically be against free money"

Darrah on EA’s overall attitude toward remasters

"We can’t do it with the money that we already have because we’re doing all these other things"

Darrah explaining internal budget constraints

"Remastering the three games and bundling them into one collection would be difficult"

John Epler on technical challenges

The situation highlights a familiar tension in the game industry: nostalgia drives demand, but budgets shape what actually happens. Remasters promise easy returns by repackaging loved titles, yet they demand careful planning, not quick asset swaps. The Dragon Age engines tell a story about risk, since bundling three very different tech stacks into one product raises both cost and schedule risks. For EA and BioWare, the outcome may hinge on a clear plan that links a potential remaster to a broader Dragon Age strategy.

If the publisher wants to protect its financial picture, a staged approach could work. That might mean starting with a smaller, engine-tuned package or bundling content as part of a larger revival plan rather than a standalone remaster. In either case, the debate signals that the Dragon Age brand needs more than fan desire; it needs a credible funding path and a realistic technical road map.

Highlights

  • Fans want a remaster but the vault isn't open yet
  • Budget talks bite back at nostalgia
  • Engine differences are the real boss here
  • Patience is the true remaster in this case

Funding and engine challenges raise risk for Dragon Age remasters

Internal budgeting and the need to integrate three different game engines create a real hurdle for a Dragon Age remaster. If funding remains constrained, fan expectations could collide with investor concerns about the costs and returns on such a project.

The next move will reveal how much the Dragon Age brand is worth to a parent company that weighs long-term value against short-term gains.

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