As of this November, Dragon Age: Inquisition will be seven years old. That’s a long time to wait between titles, and rumors of Dragon Age 4 have been floating around for years even though we’ve only gotten solid proof of the game being in the works recently. The game is still in early development and no release date is known yet, though many are speculating we’ll have to wait until 2022 at the earliest. We did get some news within the last few months when Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah left Bioware. Both men have been working on the Dragon Age series for decades now, and their departure means disaster for some, though not all hope is lost yet. Good news surfaced when Jason Schreier announced on Twitter that EA has decided to shift Dragon Age to a single-player experience following the flop of Anthem and the success of Jedi Fallen Order. This move has excited many fans, including myself, who see Dragon Age at its best when it’s focused on its single-player story and characters.
News on Dragon Age 4 is still scarce, but fan theories have been swimming around the net for years. From character creation to story points, fans love to voice what they would want in the new game, and here, for your convenience, I’ve compiled the top ten most common things fans want out of Dragon Age 4.
10. A smaller world
It’s a small world after all!
The expanded world of Inquisition was a nice change after the small, monochrome world of Kirkwall, but fans have lamented the more structured levels in recent years. Origins’ world design had semi-open worlds with strict area progression, and the limitations seemed to work best for the series. Inquisition’s sprawling open plains felt empty when it was filled to the brim with short missions and fetch quests, and having a smaller world to deal with would let Bioware focus on more important aspects of the game.
9. More race/class dialogue options
“I don’t want you to just be another scary mage.”
Dragon Age is known for its immersive gameplay, and that includes dialogue trees. All three games have had specific dialogue options only available for certain classes, and with Origins and Inquisition race-specific dialogue was implemented as well. Fans have adored these small details and would like more of them, and I can’t help but agree. Hearing companions mention something directly related to my character’s abilities or background adds an extra layer of immersion and makes replaying with different races or classes that much more fun.
8. Different playable races
Better brush up on your Qunlat
Speaking of races, Inquisition re-implemented the ability to play as multiple different races, much to the fan’s delight. Though the camera for the dwarf or Qunari Inquisitor left much to be desired, it’s unsurprising that fans would like to keep the trend of being able to play as multiple different races in DA4. It adds extra customization and dimension to the gameplay and fits in the most with Dragon Age’s “everyone can be a hero” themes. Perhaps an escaped elven slave or loyal Qunari warrior would fit in with the new Tevinter setting?
7. Return of creation magic
What better way to support your friends?
The Spirit mage was plenty fun in Inquisition, but many can agree that a handful of potion bottles just isn’t the same as being able to resurrect all of your followers with a wave of your hands. The Spirit Healer is the best utility class in Dragon Age and has a hefty amount of abilities, and many fans would see its return. The extra statistics would make the combat more diverse and feel more dangerous, rather than just being able to help your friends up every time they fall.
6. Return of blood magic
Merrill from Dragon Age 2 wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty… or bloody
Ah, the forbidden school of magic. Despite nearly every character in the series condemning it, fans miss being able to play the rebel and choose the Bloodmage subclass for mages. The discussion around blood magic has been a topic ever since the first game, and many were surprised that it was removed in Inquisition. Fans hope that the Tevinter setting would be a perfect excuse to bring it back, and with it a greater conversation on the morality of the power in general.
5. A reasonable villain
Ar lath ma, vhenan.
Solas is heavily implied to be the bigbad for Dragon Age 4, either by stopping him from destroying the Veil or dealing with the repercussions of his success. Whichever way Bioware pulls it, all fans want is for Solas to stay exactly as he is. The more romantic players may want an ending where the Dread Wolf sweeps them off their feet, but the rest of us just want the polite, cunning mage to keep his personality and not for him to become a mustache twisting villain or a tear-jerking soft boy. We want a complex, interesting villain, and Solas has all of that set up for him. We just hope EA can pull it off right.
4. Return of origins
A more interesting answer to “so, where are you from?”
It’s a big ask, but something the fans have been begging for ever since day one is the return of custom prologues for their protagonists. We’re aware of how much work would have to go into doing so, especially with the new Qunari race, but having the origins return in greater detail than Inquisition would be a fantastic welcome back to our favorite franchise. They were one of the most interesting parts of Origins and left every character feeling unique in their own way, and that extra layer of depth is exactly why I and others play the Dragon Age series in the first place.
3. A tranquil companion
The Brand is many mages greatest fear, and for good reason
Tranquility is one of the most horrifying aspects of the Dragon Age universe. Mages being severed from their magic and thus their connection to humanity and emotions seems terrible already, but in several games, we’ve seen characters being briefly brought back to reality, and they almost always beg for death instead of being returned to Tranquility. Having a companion with the brand (or even being able to play as one) would be a fascinating journey in Dragon Age 4, especially since a portion of Inquisition allowed us to explore a possible cure for it.
2. The return of your Warden
In peace, vigilance…
Ever since Origins, players have begged for more than a mention of their Hero of Ferelden in the newer games. Porting the character seamlessly would be difficult given the lack of voiced lines in Origins, but even so, fans have been yearning for the return of their first player character alongside the Inquisitor and Champion. Perhaps the vision of all three together, capes blowing in the breeze, is too good to pass up?
1. The return of the Inquisitor
The dawn has come again.
Finally, one of the most asked for requests for Dragon Age 4 is the return of the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor has the greatest tie to Solas, who many believe the next game will revolve around, and taking down the Dread Wolf wouldn’t feel the same without our old PC around to see it. Some theorize that the Inquisitor will return as the series’ protagonist, while others simply want them as an advisor or major NPC to help our new character on the journey. Whichever role Bioware decides to place them into, the opportunity to see our beloved Inky taking down Solas shouldn’t be something to waste.
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