It’s been 10 years since Dragon Age: Inquisition launched in 2014. Despite waiting a decade for a new game in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, fans haven’t been without stories within the fantasy world of Thedas in the years since. There have been novels, comics, anime, and even an audio drama showcasing each of the party members in The Veilguard. But if you haven’t been keeping up with the series over the years and now find yourself wondering what you should check out before the new game launches on October 31, I asked creative director John Epler that very question at a hands-on demo event earlier this month. Here are the three major Dragon Age extended universe projects BioWare says you may want to catch up on before The Veilguard.
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Two of these are pretty much direct prologues to The Veilguard, the first of which is The Missing. This four-issue comic series was released in the first half of 2023 and follows returning characters Varric Tethras and Lace Harding as they try to track down Solas, the Inquisition party-member-turned-antagonist in The Veilguard. The comic shows the two dwarves traveling around the world of Thedas, eventually meeting a few people who appear in The Veilguard, including new mage party member Neve Gallus. It’s one of the more direct precursors to the new game, and is available both as a physical book and as a digital comic.
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Vows and Vengeance is not complete as of this writing, but will be by the time The Veilguard launches on October 31. This audio drama follows Nadia Carcosa, an elf searching for a way to save her partner Elio after he’s trapped in the spiritual world of the Fade. As she travels through the world of Thedas, she meets all of The Veilguard’s party members, each of whom helps her on the way. Episodes are rolling out every Thursday until October 17. You can find all published episodes wherever you listen to podcasts, including the official Dragon Age YouTube channel.
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Epler’s last recommendation is Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights. This short story anthology was released in 2020 and features several stories about different characters throughout the universe, including some Veilguard companions like Neve and Lucanis. Epler says not every story will have a direct tie to The Veilguard, but some will. Having read the book back in 2020, I had a good time with most of the stories, especially ones that let me catch up with old favorites like Inquisition party member (and my lover) Dorian Pavus.
If you’re reading this article and you were looking for what Dragon Age games and content you should play before The Veilguard, we broke that down, too. The short answer: play Inquisition, at least. Click here for the long answer.
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