BioWare reports that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf passes its Alpha milestone, is playable from start to finish

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, the upcoming fourth installment in BioWare’s esteemed fantasy RPG series, had remained in the production phase at least since February. But according to a recent blog post by BioWare General Manager Gary McKay, the game has finally entered a new stage of development. BioWare has announced that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf passed its “Alpha milestone,” a state where the team can play the entire adventure from start to finish.

McKay went on to state that while the team still have a long way to go. However, the completion of the production phase means that BioWare can focus on polishing up the visuals and building upon the gameplay ideas established. The developers will take feedback from the company’s Community Council, quality verification team, and thorough playtesting sessions to ensure the game can turn out as refined as possible. The developers will also focus on elements like player progression, narrative cohesion, and gameplay pacing. Fortunately, the ability to play through a completed draft of the game will make the process of addressing these aspects significantly easier.

“Hitting Alpha was the culmination of so much effort from the entire team and we used this milestone as an opportunity to come together and celebrate,” McKay writes. “We held a hybrid-style event with people onsite while others joined remotely and the team showcased their work to everyone at BioWare.”

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is playable, but here’s what’s next

Additionally, McKay briefly mentioned certain features that the developers will share more details about once Dragon Age: Dreadwolf moves beyond Alpha. In particular, he brought up the characters, which make up what he considers his favorite aspect of the game so far. Specifically, he states that the developers have pushed the game’s character stories further than they have in any previous Dragon Age installment. He also briefly notes that players will get to visit regions that were alluded to in prior games but never made explorable until now, such as Minrathous, the Tevinter Empire’s capital.

McKay ensured fans that the developers will continue sharing development updates on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf in the near future. In addition, he noted that BioWare is actively brainstorming ideas for a new Mass Effect game in the meantime.