Dragon Age: The Veilguard has made a strong debut on Steam, becoming Electronic Arts' biggest single-player game on the platform. The game achieved a peak concurrent player count of 70,414, surpassing the previous record held by Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which had an all-time peak of 67,855 players.
This impressive launch has several notable aspects:
1. Record-breaking performance: The Veilguard has set a new record for EA's single-player games on Steam, demonstrating strong initial interest from players.
2. Quick success: The game reached this milestone within hours of its release, indicating high anticipation and early adoption by fans.
3. Positive reception: The game has received mostly positive reviews, with 77% of players recommending it. Praised aspects include fluid combat, stunning visuals, and impressive hair physics.
4. Market position: At one point, The Veilguard ranked 9th on Steam's most-played games chart, narrowly outperforming Grand Theft Auto V.
5. EA's expectations: During a recent earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson expressed confidence in the game's "breakout potential," citing the strength of the Dragon Age IP and limited competition in the market.
However, it's worth noting that some players have reported technical issues, such as crashes during shader compilation and compatibility problems with the Steam Deck. Additionally, some critics feel the game may deviate from core elements of previous Dragon Age titles in terms of character design, story, and dialogue.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard's strong start on Steam suggests a successful launch for BioWare and EA, though it remains to be seen how the game will perform in the long term and across other platforms.
