After its initial teaser back in 2018, Dragon Age 4 went dark. Many hoped it would be at event after event, but its appearances were far and few between. As time moved on, the frequency increased, and while a proper marketing campaign may be some time away still, more and more has come out and painted a pretty picture of the game. The most intriguing releases thus far or at least more immediately, though, have been the most recent tidbits of Dragon Age 4 concept art.
Some of this, of course, seems rather straightforward in what it is showing, but the most recent dripfeed of art has forced many to ask what this art is meant to represent. Is it just a showcase of style for Dragon Age 4? Are these characters meant to be companions in the game? Depictions of factions? Are these potential and selectable backgrounds for the Dragon Age 4 protagonist? Only time holds those answers, but picking apart those which have been shown so far by creative director Matthew Goldman and executive producer Christian Dailey online paints a unique image nonetheless.
Dragon Age 4: An Elven Faction Perhaps?
This is not the first time a mysterious magic archer has been shown for Dragon Age 4, yet beyond the inclination for seemingly earth-related magic and conjured arrows, nothing is known about this faction. It may not even be a faction for what it's worth, but given the typical faction approach of much of Thedas, it makes sense that this could be something fans already know or have heard of. On the one hand, it could be interesting if this is a playable background as a Specialization of sorts for a Mage or a Ranger, but again, that's not really known. On the other hand, with how they've been showcased so far, it would be interesting if this were another faction of Sentinel Elves.
In Dragon Age: Inquisition, players encounter some Elves from the time of Arlathan's fall in Mythal's temple, and it's clear there's not a lot of them left. However, Leliana knows some may be active in the Tirashan forest, and it would make sense if they came to Tevinter in support of/in combat with Solas, the Dread Wolf. It wouldn't even necessarily need to be that complicated: the remnants of Arlathan Forest are in Tevinter, meaning Dragon Age 4 could show a new or Sentinel Elven faction there with such inclinations. This is just speculation, of course, but this faction undeniably has a huge wow factor.
Dragon Age 4: The Hats and Fashion of Tevinter
There's no denying that the fashion in Tevinter is fantastic. The robes, the fancy hat, the staff—all of this has fans hoping that this is a depiction of a potential protagonist background, or at least, a show of fashion said protagonist can wear. It might also just be to show off the fashion and particularly dark yet magical undertones of Tevinter's capital, Minrathous. Overall, this particular image may be more conceptual than others (though all are obviously to a high degree), as this could mean almost anything in regards to Tevinter Magisters. Only time will tell, but protagonist, ally, fashion show-off, or just general vibe, it makes the wait for Dragon Age 4 much harder.
Dragon Age 4: Redemption of the Grey Wardens
The most recently revealed image has a lot of implications. It's no surprise that Dragon Age 4 will have Grey Wardens in it somehow (everything from The Last Flight to their status at the end of Inquisition and the seeming connection between Solas/The Elves/The Old Gods/Archdemons/etc. suggest it to be so). Hopefully, the sheer emphasis on Griffons here means the next game will show off what happens after Dragon Age: Last Flight, but regardless, they are there and they have some redeeming to do after Inquisition.
Interestingly, it's doubtful that a Grey Warden background is a choice here. After all, the working idea behind the Dragon Age 4 protagonist is someone who doesn't have power, and as showed by the first game, even a lowly Grey Warden has some special qualities. This could be in reference to a companion, though, as eagle-eyed fans have seemingly spotted two Dragon Age 4 companions in showcases so far, one of whom seems to be a Grey Warden named Davrin. Perhaps more importantly, though, it seems fans can expect some added spiff to their depiction, and that's certainly welcome.
Overall, there's a lot more coming to the game. That's obvious by everything else shown so far, but concept art is meant to show, pre-final product, the overall vision, idea, and mood for a video game. And thus far, it seems BioWare is hitting that right on the head with its Dragon Age 4 concept art.
Dragon Age 4 is currently in development.