Summary
A recent interview with Corinne Busche and Matthew Rhodes reveals BioWare’s ambitious vision for Minrathous, the primary city inDragon Age: The Veilguard, and the capital of the Tevinter Imperium. When it comes to fictional cities, BioWare excelled with classics such as Baldur’s Gateand Athkatla, but never quite hit its mark in the world of Thedas. While Kirkwall was arguably BioWare’s best attempt at creating a living, breathing city in theDragon Ageuniverse, the rushed production of the second title in the franchise never allowed it to reach its full potential. By contrast,Dragon Age: The Veilguardhas had the luxury of time to depict Minrathous as the sprawling metropolis it’s said to be.
Built upon a rocky island off the shores of Tevinter, Minrathous is one of the oldest human settlements in theDragon Ageworld, and a symbol of power for the Tevinter Imperium. Ever sinceOrigins,Dragon Agefans have been hoping to see Minrathous firsthand, and thegameplay preview ofThe Veilguardhas revealed that not only is the city as vast as it’s been described in the past, but it also marks the beginning of a journey across Northern Thedas.
Corinne Busche and Matthew Rhodessat down with Edge Magazine, a sister publication to GamesRadar+, to discuss how one line from acompanion inDragon Age: Inquisitiondictated their direction for Minrathous. Banter between Dorian and Blackwall sees the two characters comparing cities in Thedas, and though Val Royeaux and Denerim have their charms, Dorian makes a bold claim: “Visit Tevinter one day. Minrathous will put your southern cities in perspective.”
BioWare Is Shooting For The Moon With Minrathous In Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Busche explains that Dorian’s comment inspired the team’s design forMinrathous inDragon Age: The Veilguard. Compared to Val Royeaux inDragon Age: Inquisition, Minrathous is meant to evoke a far grander sense of scale and majesty. As befits an ancient metropolis, Minrathous will have plenty of verticality to its design, and Rhodes points out that it was one of the challenges that BioWare faced during development. When walking through its sprawling streets, Minrathous will guide Rook using architectural landmarks and unique props, both as a way to orient the player, and to also remind them of how packed the city is.
“Visit Tevinter one day. Minrathous will put your southern cities in perspective.” – Dorian Pavus
Some companions, such as Neve Gallus, operate within Minrathous, and one of theplayable origins inDragon Age: The Veilguardenvisions Rook as a citizen of Tevinter’s capital. Though the Lighthouse is meant to be the base of operations for the player character, Minrathous will almost certainly play a big role inThe Veilguard, both from a gameplay and story perspective. Compared to the Citadel and Kirkwall, Minrathous could very well be BioWare’s biggest city to date. Players can expect to explore it on their own in Fall 2024.
