Summary
David Gaider, a former BioWare writer who worked onBaldur’s Gate 2and helped establish the setting of Thedas, shared his opinion on the romance system inDragon Age: The Veilguard. Though BioWare has famously pushed the envelope when it comes to inclusion in video game romances, some fans have seenDragon Age: The Veilguardas a step backwards. WhereasDragon Age: InquisitionandMass Effect: Andromedahad explicitly gay characters, the companions inThe Veilguardare all designed as romance options for the Rook, regardless of gender.
The argument against this approach claims that it makes the sexuality of the characters revolve around the player, butgames such asBaldur’s Gate 3or evenStardew Valleyhave proven that designing a romance system under the assumption that each available character is pansexual can work. However, David Gaider believes that in doing so, it limits the type of story a writer can tell.
Famous for his role as the lead writer for theDragon Agefranchise, David Gaider’s opinion on the world of Thedas is held in high esteem byDragon Agefans. Following the reveal ofhow romances would work inThe Veilguard, David Gaider offered up his thoughts on Twitter, this time as an outsider to the franchise he once shepherded to success. Gaider explained that making or not making every character pansexual is an approach that is diametrically opposed from a design standpoint.
The Romance Options in Dragon Age: The Veilguard Should Make Fans Happy
“The [Dragon Age] writers realized, eventually, that as soon as you make a character romanceable it limits the type of character they can be and the types of stories they can tell. They become beholden to their romance arc and their need to, ultimately, be appealing.” Gaider explained, citingVarric inDragon Age: Inquisitionas an example of a character that is stronger for not being romantically available.
While Gaider explains that he personally isn’t keen on the approach thatBaldur’s Gate 3andThe Veilguardhave when it comes to romance, he feels that it may end up being the correct choice – at least from a standpoint of making the fans happy. As the person responsible for writing Dorian Pavus, viewed as one of thebest companions in theDragon Agefranchise, Gaider’s stance makes a lot of sense. Dorian’s homosexuality plays a key role in defining who he is, both in terms of how he carries himself and how it affects his relationship with his father. However, what makes Dorian stand out is that even platonically inclined Inquisitors can have a very rewarding and meaningful friendship with the wayward magister of Tevinter.
“As soon as you make a character romanceable it limits the type of character they can be and the types of stories they can tell. They become beholden to their romance arc and their need to, ultimately, be appealing.” – David Gaider
Much likeDragon Age: Inquisitioncould potentially pair up Dorian with The Iron Bull,companions inDragon Age: The Veilguardwill be able to start their own romances irrespective of the player character. A Rook that shows no interest in Taash or Harding may see the pair end up together, which should eliminate the lack of follower agency that a fully pansexual cast often gets critiqued for.
