BioWare’s art lead, Matt Rhodes, continues to unveil intriguing insights into the development of the Dragon Age series. Recently, he shared a series of concept artworks for the Trespasser DLC of Dragon Age: Inquisition, revealing an alternate, darker narrative that could have significantly altered the game’s conclusion. According to Rhodes, an earlier iteration of the story featured the character Sten arriving to arrest players for their magical meddling, only to find that Dagna had ingeniously reverse-engineered explosives. This twist would have set the stage for a dramatic trap, ultimately sacrificing Skyhold in the process.
Concept Art Insights
Rhodes elaborated on Twitter, presenting a captivating series of four concept pieces that illustrate this alternate storyline. The artwork showcases a burned and partially disfigured Sten, a character whose fate could have been more impactful had he appeared in the throne room of Skyhold, rather than being relegated to comics and codex entries. The potential for such a heart-wrenching moment adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, especially considering the implications of Sten’s possible demise in the Dragon Age Keep world state.
While the idea of killing off beloved characters like the Warden from Origins or Hawke from Dragon Age 2 may have seemed enticing, Rhodes acknowledged the challenges this would have posed for the development team. With Inquisition being BioWare’s best-selling title, many new players would lack the context needed to appreciate such a significant character arc. This realization likely influenced the decision to steer the narrative in a different direction.
Rhodes has been actively sharing a wealth of development stories and concept art related to the Dragon Age franchise across social media platforms. His recent posts include a substantial collection of Trespasser concepts on ArtStation, alongside previously shared early designs for The Veilguard and rejected multiplayer character concepts from Inquisition. This ongoing dialogue not only enriches the lore of Dragon Age but also provides fans with a deeper understanding of the creative process behind one of gaming’s most beloved franchises.
