Though not much is yet officialy known about the anticipated project, we know BioWare has been working on a new Dragon Age game for at least three years at this point. Outside of a handful of a few small teases, fans haven’t had too much to grasp since that first big announcement back in 2018. However, it now looks like a key member of the Dragon Age 4 dev team is now officially departing the studio for good.

As per a recent report from Kotaku, longtime Dragon Age senior creative director Matt Goldman is confirmed to have left BioWare last week, with the dev said to have “mutually” parted ways in an internal statement from BioWare general manager Gary McKay. “I’m writing to inform you all that Matt Goldman is leaving BioWare,” McKay wrote. “We have mutually agreed to part ways, and his last day is today.”

“We understand that Matt’s departure has an impact on you, as well as the game’s development,” the GM explained. “Rest assured our commitment to a high-quality Dragon Age game has not waivered, and we will not ship a game that is not up to BioWare’s standards. We, including EA’s executive team, have absolute confidence in the leadership here at the studio and the people working on this game to carry forward our vision.”

Prior to his leaving, Matt Goldman had been part of the Dragon Age series since the first installment, also serving as an art lead for several classic BioWare titles like Jade Empire and Baldur’s Gate II. Goldman’s departure comes after inheriting lead duties from Mike Laidlaw, who left the company in 2017 under somewhat stressed circumstances. Other studio mainstays have followed in recent months, including GM Casey Hudson in a surprise exit last year.

While one might be tempted to draw some particular conclusions, publisher Electronic Arts echoed the BioWare GM’s message of hope, assuring Dragon Age 4 is still in “excellent hands” in a follow-up statement received by Kotaku. “Matt Goldman is no longer working at BioWare,” the EA statement read. “He leaves the next Dragon Age game in excellent hands, with the team here at the studio who will carry forward our vision for the game.”

​What do you think? Are you bummed to see another staple of BioWare leave the company, or do you still have hope that Dragon Age 4 might live up to expectations? Are more hopeful for the future of Mass Effect? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day!​

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