Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has a title — but no release date

Dragon Age Deadwolf
(Image credit: BioWare)

We don’t know a ton about Dragon Age: Dreadwolf yet, but at least we know what to call the game. Up until today (June 2), fans had simply been calling the next game in the series “Dragon Age 4.” However, after Dragon Age: Inquisition, it was fair to guess that the new installment would probably get a subtitle rather than a number.

For fans who have been following the series since the beginning, “Dreadwolf” is a name ripe with possibilities.

BioWare shared Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s official name in the company blog. The post is short and sweet, with a “Dragon Age: Dreadwolf” graphic, a little information on who the Dread Wolf is, and a paragraph promising “more Dragon Age: Dreadwolf later this year.”

We first learned about Dragon Age 4 — or Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, we should say — in a 2018 announcement trailer, but by all accounts, it’s had something of a troubled production so far. What we know about the game’s current iteration is still pretty sparse: a short trailer, some concept art, and the occasional update from the development team.

Story-wise, however, we can say a few concrete things about the next Dragon Age installment. The game will supposedly focus on former party member Solas, who betrayed the group and struck off on his own at the end of Dragon Age: Inquisition. In Inquisition’s final DLC pack, Trespasser, Solas revealed that he had been hiding his identity as the Dread Wolf: an ancient, powerful elf revered as a god. To quote BioWare’s blog post:

“His motives are inscrutable and his methods sometimes questionable, earning him a reputation as something of a trickster deity — a player of dark and dangerous games,” the developers wrote. “Rest assured, Solas is placing his pieces on the board as we speak.”

Those who played the Trespasser DLC may also remember that the game ended with a ready-made excuse to recruit a whole new party of adventurers in the sequel. Solas simply knows the existing heroes too well, and he’d likely thwart any attempt they make to stop his plans.

As for what those plans are, we’ll have to wait a while to find out. In the blog post, the developers explained that while the game has a name, it doesn’t have a release date. In fact, the game definitely won’t come out this year. 2023 seems like a possibility, however, as the post assures players that “we’re growing closer to that next adventure.”

Tom’s Guide will have more info on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf in the coming months, as BioWare has promised at least one more update between now and the end of the year.

Marshall Honorof

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.