Mark Darrah, a veteran of BioWare, voiced concerns over EA’s historical difficulty in recognizing the potential of ‘super nerdy’ games such as Dragon Age: Origins in the mainstream market. This perspective, he argues, is why the Dragon Age series has consistently grappled with defining its identity.

“It has historically been hard for corporate people, people who come from the sports side of the organization, to look at a game like Dragon Age: Origins, which is super nerdy, not very attractive-looking, and say, ‘Oh, this is a mainstream game.’ They don’t see it. They look at Mass Effect, they can see it.”

Darrah, who joined BioWare in 1997 and helped shape the company’s direction, indicated that EA’s focus on mainstream success made it challenging for titles like Dragon Age to secure backing and to evolve in a direction that matches its true potential. He highlighted this lack of backing as a principal factor in the ongoing identity struggles faced by the series.

Details regarding the production dynamics were also shared, stating how EA executives tended to prioritize projects that mirrored the success of Mass Effect over those of Dragon Age. This was especially evident in a recent report detailing internal disagreements over resources allocated for Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2025.

Overall, Darrah’s insights shed light on the broader industry challenges faced by niche genres in gaining acceptance and backing within mainstream gaming culture.