Dragon Age: The Veilguard Developers Discuss Darkspawn's New Look

In a bold shift from previous titles, Dragon Age: The Veilguard introduces a stylized visual approach that reimagines familiar foes like demons and Darkspawn. This change is more than just aesthetic—there's a deeper lore-based explanation behind it. The transformation of these enemies is tied to the weakening of the Veil and the influence of the newly introduced Blighted Elven Gods, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain.

BioWare recently showcased 22 minutes of gameplay from Dragon Age: The Veilguard via IGN, highlighting a Mage Rook and a personal quest involving Davrin, the Grey Warden Companion. During this demo, creative director John Epler and game director Corinne Busche discussed the significant changes to Darkspawn, attributing these alterations to Ghilan'nain, the God of Monsters.

Ghilan'nain, a figure shrouded in complex lore, is known for her intricate relationship with Andruil and her history of conducting numerous experiments. It’s theorized that she was behind the creation of the Qunari through experiments on the Kossith and Dragons, as well as other abominations. Epler explained that Ghilan'nain has previously experimented with the Blight, and her manipulation has led to the distinctive new appearance of Darkspawn in The Veilguard. Busche elaborated that Ghilan'nain uses the Blight as a conduit to warp these creatures, adding an unsettling twist to Thedas’s lore.

The gameplay footage also reveals that the Blight in The Veilguard behaves in a more organic and sentient manner compared to previous installments. The Grey Wardens in the game have observed that the Blight is acting in unexpected ways, suggesting that the connection between the Blight and these Elven Gods will unveil more surprises as the story progresses.

With the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard slated for October 31, fans have a couple of months to anticipate further reveals. BioWare is expected to continue sharing additional gameplay, features, and intriguing updates about the world of Thedas in the lead-up to the game's launch.