Dragon Age: The Veilguard release date — Launch times, countdown, preload, and when it’s coming out

As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming under my belt, let me tell you, the days when we could simply pop a game into our console and start playing are long gone. Nowadays, we need to plan ahead, ensure our hard drives have enough space, and sometimes even preload games days before they’re released!


2024 is nearly drawing to a close, but one of the year’s standout games is yet to be released – none other than Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the latest installment in BioWare and Electronic Arts’ iconic RPG franchise, which hasn’t seen a mainline entry since 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition. Fans have been eagerly awaiting “Dragon Age 4” for quite some time now, but with its release just around the corner, anticipation for the game is growing rapidly.

As the RPG draws closer within a few weeks, eager players looking forward to a fresh fantasy escapade are curious about when exactly they can begin their new Dragon Age expedition. Fortunately, the creators have disclosed the game’s official launch date along with specific details regarding the release time. You can find all of this information, including preload details and storage requirements, in the sections provided below.

What is Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

Dragon Age: Veilguard – An Immersive Single-Player Action Role-Playing Game

Essentially, the main storyline of The Veilguard, which includes choices made by players, has largely been kept secret by EA and BioWare. However, we do have some insights into the overall narrative of the game. Solas, a recurring character from Inquisition, poses a threat to Thedas with a ritual that is rumored to restore elven immortality but also tear apart the Veil – a barrier separating our world from the Fade, a realm inhabited by demons. You and your team of Veilguard companions manage to stop him, but this action leads to the appearance of two elven gods who aim to annihilate the world. In the aftermath, you and your allies are given the mission to unite and eliminate these two deadly deities.

The game will have seven different companions you can recruit, travel, and fight alongside, with deep backstories and romances to engage with if you’re so inclined. Also, several characters from previous Dragon Age games will appear throughout the story. For example, Varric Tethras and Lace Harding will both be in The Veilguard, with the former originating from Dragon Age 2 and the latter first introduced in Inquisition.

Dragon Age: Veilguard is making its way to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (through Steam, the EA app, and GeForce NOW), as well as PS5. You can pre-order it for $59.99 (it’s worth noting that it’s also compatible with Steam Deck). Alongside the regular game version, there’s also a Deluxe Edition priced at $79.99, offering an array of exclusive cosmetic items for Rook and their team members. For more details about the pre-order options, check out our guide on Dragon Age: Veilguard preorders.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard — Release date and times

Enthusiasts eagerly waiting for the new RPG can rejoice as it’s nearly within reach, just a few weeks away from their hands! To be precise, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is slated for release on October 31, 2024, marking it as the most eerie game launch of that year.

Globally, BioWare has set The Veilguard for simultaneous release at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time / 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. However, due to this worldwide launch, the game won’t technically be released until early on November 1 in some eastern time zones. So if you’re thinking of staying up late on Halloween to play it as soon as it drops, remember to adjust for that!

Through a launch schedule map provided by EA and BioWare, we can pinpoint the precise release times for The Veilguard in significant time zones worldwide. The following times are illustrated on the map itself, but for clarity, I’ve also arranged them in the table below:

Can I play Dragon Age: The Veilguard with Early Access?

Currently, many large games, particularly single-player RPGs like this one, offer Early Access periods for those who buy Deluxe or Ultimate Editions, allowing them to play several days before the official release date. Unfortunately, Dragon Age: The Veilguard does not include an Early Access period, so regardless of which edition you choose, you’ll have to wait until October 31 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time / 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time before you can start playing the game.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard countdown clock

This countdown timer indicates the global release date and launch time for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, so it’s handy if you’re keeping tabs on when exactly it will be available.

https://free.timeanddate.com/countdown/i9lhhx6d/n5036/cf12/cm0/cu4/ct0/cs1/ca0/co1/cr0/ss0/cac000/cpc000/pc09f/tcfff/fs100/szw320/szh135/tatDragon%20Age%3A%20The%20Veilguard%20launch/tac000/tptDragon%20Age%3A%20The%20Veilguard%20launch/tpc000/iso2024-10-31T10:00:00/pa14

Dragon Age: The Veilguard download size

Modern video games have significantly expanded in size over time, and it’s not just about increased map dimensions or additional quests. Nowadays, even single-player RPGs like Dragon Age: The Veilguard can demand 100GB of storage or more on a solid-state drive (SSD) to run smoothly. As per the official Dragon Age: The Veilguard system specifications, you’ll need at least 100GB of storage on an SSD to play the game effectively.

If you don’t have enough space on an SSD you already own, you can try to free up hard drive space by deleting old files (especially large ones like videos), compressing others, or uninstalling other games you don’t often play (these are just a few suggestions). If you want to add more space to your rig or need to get an SSD, consider picking up one of the best SSDs available right now.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard preload date and time

One standout advantage of contemporary gaming is the pre-download feature, which involves downloading and installing a game before its official release date. This practice has grown more common as file sizes have expanded into multiple hundreds of megabytes, significantly benefiting players with limited or slow internet speeds. With pre-download, these individuals can start playing immediately upon launch without experiencing any delays.

Pre-download options for both the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions of Dragon Age: The Veilguard are accessible. The Xbox preloads have already started, while the PlayStation ones will become available a few days before the game’s official release date. The specific dates and times for these preloads can be found below.

  • Xbox Series X|S: Oct. 14, 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET
  • PlayStation 5: Oct. 29, 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET

Can I preload Dragon Age: The Veilguard on PC?

Unfortunately, the preload feature isn’t accessible for the PC version of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Instead, you’ll need to wait until 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 31 to download and install it directly. This is because the game doesn’t contain any third-party Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems like Denuvo, which prevented the developers from offering preloads for PC players.

The game Dragon Age: Veilguard is planned for launch on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5 on October 31, 2024. With its promising single-player RPG format, it’s shaping up to be among the top games of the year, potentially even earning recognition as one of the best titles for both Xbox and PC platforms.

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2024-10-20 17:13