The leaks were real: you can’t play as different characters in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

A decade after Dragon Age: Inquisition, BioWare has finally spoken up about the fourth Dragon Age game and fans are going through a lot of ups and downs following the latest announcements. Based on the gameplay reveal that BioWare posted on its Dragon Age YouTube channel on June 11, 2024, it seems that there is no option to switch to other companions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

In Dragon Age: Inquisition, players ventured forth with a party of four - their Inquisitor, and three other party members selected from the available companions. This set-up was also the same in Dragon Age: II and Dragon Age: Origins.

Although you still get three companions to accompany you in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, it doesn't look like there is any option to switch between characters as you play. The entire 20-minute gameplay reveal was played out as Rook, who is the main character for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. At no point did the player switch to another companion and there's no hot-button on the screen to suggest that they can.

Players won't lose complete control over their entire party. As well as being able to fully control Rook, players will be able to use the Ability Wheel to issue commands to their companions.

If this is indeed the case, it's disappointing news, especially after knowing that BioWare was experimenting with a multiplayer concept at some point during the production of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. I'm not saying that I want a multiplayer Dragon Age game - actually, I don't think it needs to be a multiplayer game series at all. It's perfect the way it is, allowing players to dive into the story by themselves and scream at each other over forums about the decisions that each of them makes.

However, switching between companions to use different skill sets is a feature that Dragon Age has always had. I don't understand the point of taking away this vital area of the gameplay. All it means is that players have to be so much more cautious about how they spec out their main character, because they're stuck playing them for the entire game. Which, based on Dragon Age: Inquisition, could easily be 50 to 100+ hours.

Despite this decision, there is plenty to look forward to in the upcoming Dragon Age game; including character customization, voiceover options, and tactical combat for players to enjoy.

Want to read more about Dragon Age: The Veilguard at Pro Game Guides? Check out Bioware promises a return to the classics with renamed Dragon Age: The Veilguard or I take back what was said: first Veilguard gameplay shows Dragon Age is back.