Hey everyone, can you believe it? As we're nearing the end of 2025, I'm still thinking about how rough 2024 ended up being for Electronic Arts. Remember when we were all hyped for Dragon Age: The Veilguard and EA Sports FC 25? I was counting down the days until their releases, but wow, things definitely didn't go as planned for EA – or for us players, honestly.
📉 The Financial Reality Check
When EA dropped their quarterly earnings report, the numbers were... well, let's just say they weren't pretty. Instead of hitting their forecasted $2.4 to $2.55 billion in bookings, they only managed to pull in about $2.22 billion for the quarter ending December 31, 2024. That's a massive miss!
What went wrong, you ask? Apparently, both of their big holiday titles underperformed dramatically. I mean, we're talking about two franchises that should have been absolute slam dunks – Dragon Age making its long-awaited return and the latest EA Sports FC installment. But instead of hitting home runs, they both struck out.
⚽ EA Sports FC 25: The Biggest Disappointment
According to the reports, EA Sports FC 25 was the main culprit behind these disappointing numbers. And honestly, can we really be surprised? The game was widely criticized by both critics and fans as being just another incremental update rather than a meaningful evolution of the series.
Think about it – how many times can we pay full price for what essentially feels like updated rosters and minor gameplay tweaks? The community sentiment has been shifting for a while, and it seems like 2024 was the year where players finally said "enough is enough."
Dragon Age: The Veilguard's 50% Player Shortfall
This one really hurts as a Dragon Age fan. The game only managed to attract 1.5 million players across all platforms during its launch quarter – that's a whopping 50% below EA's expectations! 😱
What makes this even more surprising is that pre-order numbers looked really strong. I remember seeing all the hype building up before release, with fans (including me) eagerly awaiting our return to Thedas. But then the game launched and... well, let's just say it became pretty controversial among both critics and longtime fans.
Why Did The Veilguard Struggle?
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Tough Competition: October 2024 was absolutely packed with major releases
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Critical Reception: The game divided the fanbase with its new direction
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Release Timing: Squeezed between heavy hitters like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Silent Hill 2
🎮 The October Release Bloodbath
Speaking of competition, let's talk about that October 2024 lineup – it was absolutely brutal! Dragon Age: The Veilguard had to compete with:
| Game Title | Release Date | Hype Level |
|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | October 2024 | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
| Metaphor: ReFantazio | October 2024 | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
| Silent Hill 2 | October 2024 | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
| Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered | October 2024 | 🔥🔥🔥 |
| Red Dead Redemption PC Port | October 2024 | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
That's some seriously tough competition! No wonder Dragon Age struggled to stand out in such a crowded marketplace.
💔 BioWare's Troubled Track Record
As a longtime BioWare fan, this situation feels particularly concerning. After Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem both disappointed, Dragon Age: The Veilguard really needed to be a comeback hit for the studio. Instead, it's become another entry in what's starting to look like a worrying pattern.
Can you imagine the pressure on Mass Effect 5 now? With three consecutive underperformers, the next Mass Effect installment is carrying the weight of an entire studio's reputation on its shoulders.
🔮 Looking Ahead to 2025
As we move further into 2025, I can't help but wonder what lessons EA and BioWare will take from this experience. Will they return to what made their franchises great? Or will they continue down paths that seem to alienate their core fanbases?
One thing's for sure – the gaming landscape has changed dramatically. Players are becoming more discerning, and simply slapping a famous franchise name on a game isn't enough anymore. Quality, innovation, and respect for the source material matter more than ever.
What do you think about all this? Were you disappointed with Dragon Age: The Veilguard or EA Sports FC 25? Let me know in the comments – I'm genuinely curious to hear other perspectives on this situation!
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