BioWare’s long-awaited return to Thedas finally happened. After a decade of waiting, Dragon Age: The Veilguard landed on shelves and hard drives in late 2024. People were ready. Or at least, they thought they were. What followed was a weird, messy, and fascinating awards season that felt more like a cultural tug-of-war than a simple celebration of a video game.
It’s been a wild ride. You've probably seen the headlines. Some call it a masterpiece that "saved" BioWare. Others claim it’s the final nail in the coffin for the studio’s classic RPG identity. Looking back at the Dragon Age The Veilguard awards and nominations, the reality is somewhere in the middle. The game didn't sweep the big shows like Inquisition did in 2014, but it didn't leave empty-handed either.
The Awards That Actually Mattered
When the dust settled at the 2025 Gayming Awards, The Veilguard walked away as the big winner. It took home Game of the Year. That’s a huge deal for a specific corner of the community. It also snagged Best LGBTQ+ Character for Rook and Best LGBTQ+ Voice Actor for Erika Ishii’s performance.
Honestly, it makes sense. BioWare leaned hard into representation this time. They didn't just include queer characters; they made identity a core part of the narrative and the character creator. But while it cleaned up at the Gayming Awards, the mainstream circuit was a bit more... reserved.
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At the 2024 Game Awards, it was mostly a quiet night for BioWare. It got a nod for Innovation in Accessibility, which is a testament to the game's massive suite of toggles and assists. But it was noticeably absent from the "Big Five" categories. No Game of the Year nomination from Geoff Keighley. No Best RPG nod.
A Rough Night at the D.I.C.E. Awards
Fast forward to February 2025. The 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards are usually where the "industry" votes on their own. It’s the peers-voting-for-peers show. The Veilguard managed a nomination for Role-Playing Game of the Year, but it was up against giants like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Metaphor: ReFantazio.
It didn't win.
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) tends to favor technical polish and mechanical depth. While The Veilguard looked stunning, many voters felt the shift to action-heavy combat left the "RPG" side of the house feeling a little thin.
The "Success" Debate and the GLAAD Win
Early 2025 was a confusing time to be an EA shareholder. In January, reports started leaking that sales weren't hitting the marks. We're talking 1.5 million players total. In the world of AAA gaming, where budgets balloon into the hundreds of millions, those aren't exactly "victory lap" numbers.
Yet, the awards kept trickling in.
The 36th GLAAD Media Awards handed The Veilguard the trophy for Outstanding Video Game. For BioWare, this was a validation of their creative direction. They wanted to make a game where everyone felt seen. The critics mostly agreed—the game sits at a solid 84 on Metacritic. That’s "critically acclaimed" by any standard.
But you can't pay developers with trophies.
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By the time the game hit PlayStation Plus and Game Pass in early 2025, the conversation had shifted from "Is it good?" to "Was it worth it?" The Dragon Age The Veilguard awards run shows a game that succeeded at its specific goals (representation, accessibility, modernizing combat) but failed to capture the zeitgeist the way Baldur's Gate 3 did just a year prior.
Breaking Down the Major Nominations
If you're looking for a quick list of where the game stood, here’s the breakdown of the major 2024-2025 cycle:
- Gayming Awards 2025: Won Game of the Year, Best LGBTQ+ Character (Rook), Best LGBTQ+ Voice Actor (Erika Ishii).
- GLAAD Media Awards: Won Outstanding Video Game.
- D.I.C.E. Awards 2025: Nominated for Role-Playing Game of the Year.
- The Game Awards 2024: Nominated for Innovation in Accessibility.
- BAFTA Games Awards 2025: Nominated for Narrative (Shortlisted for Animation and Music).
- Golden Joystick Awards 2024: Nominated for Ultimate Game of the Year.
- Hugo Awards 2025: Finalist for Best Game or Interactive Work.
It's a respectable list. It really is. Most studios would kill for a Hugo nomination or a BAFTA nod. But for a franchise as storied as Dragon Age, "respectable" felt like a step down to some long-time fans.
Why the Disconnect?
So, why did a game with an 84 Metacritic score struggle to win the big "mainstream" GOTY trophies?
Basically, it's the "BioWare Magic" problem. For years, fans expected BioWare to define the genre. With The Veilguard, they delivered a very polished, very fun action-adventure game with RPG elements. But it didn't redefine anything.
The combat is flashy. It’s snappy. It feels great on a controller. But it lacks the tactical depth of Origins or the sprawling political intrigue of Inquisition. The awards committee members—often critics and developers—noticed. They saw a game that was safe.
Then there’s the dialogue. Some critics loved the earnest, hopeful tone. Others found it a bit "Disney-fied" compared to the gritty, blood-soaked roots of the series. This division is exactly why you see the game winning big at specialized shows (GLAAD, Gayming) while being a runner-up at the technical shows (D.I.C.E., Game Developers Choice).
Actionable Insights for Fans and Players
If you’re still on the fence about whether to dive into the world of Thedas in 2026, don’t let the awards (or lack thereof) make the choice for you. Here is the reality of the experience:
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- Play it for the Companions: Regardless of the "Best Character" awards, the companion arcs in The Veilguard are some of BioWare's most polished work. Lucanis and Neve, in particular, have stories that actually land.
- Adjust Your Expectations on Combat: This isn't a strategy game. It’s an action game. If you go in expecting Dragon Age: Origins 2, you’ll be disappointed. If you go in expecting God of War with more talking, you’ll have a blast.
- Check the Accessibility Options: The nomination for Innovation in Accessibility wasn't a fluke. Whether you have trouble with fast-paced combat or just want to skip the "stressful" bits, the game lets you customize almost everything.
- Look for Sales: Since the game has hit subscription services like PS Plus, you can often find physical copies for under $30. At that price, it’s an absolute steal for 60+ hours of content.
The story of Dragon Age: The Veilguard isn't over. With game director Corinne Busche moving on to new projects and BioWare shifting focus entirely to the next Mass Effect, this game stands as a unique, colorful, and controversial chapter in gaming history. It won the hearts of many, even if it didn't win every trophy on the shelf.
To get the most out of your playthrough, focus on completing the "Companion Quests" early; these aren't just side content—they are the only way to unlock the game's "true" ending and see the narrative depth that earned those BAFTA and Hugo nominations.