Report: ‘Dragon Age 4’ Will Be Announced At The Game Awards, But Don’t Expect It Anytime Soon

While a lot of BioWare fans have been excited about what's to come with its upcoming Anthem, some can't help but clamor for a return to the Dragon Age franchise following the last installment seen in Inquisition. Well, you might just be getting your wish - just not right away.

A new report from GamesBeat suggests that this Thursday's broadcast for The Game Awards will be home for a new Dragon Age announcement -- and not a spin-off, but rather the long-awaited Dragon Age 4. That said, however, it's still going to be a while before it releases.

BioWare chief Casey Hudson recently wrote up a new entry on the BioWare Blog page, stating, "If you've been following these blogs, or myself and Mark Darrah on Twitter, you know we're also working on some secret Dragon Age stuff. Dragon Age is an incredibly important franchise in our studio, and we're excited to continue its legacy. Look for more on this in the coming month (though I won't tell you where to look …)."

Now, considering that The Game Awards is going to be getting a lot of attention from both the media and the gaming community as a whole, it seems like an ideal place for a huge Dragon Age 4 reveal.

But GamesBeat notes that, even if we do get that announcement, which seems extremely likely at this point, it's going to be a while. "Dragon Age 4 -- or whatever name it'll carry -- is at least three years away, according to sources familiar with the studio," reporter Jeff Grubb explained. "That timeline could change, but that is the current expectation at EA. BioWare and EA have not even settled on a name for the new Dragon Age -- although that is something they could decide in preparation for a reveal at The Game Awards."

Grubb also made note that the game has spent "more than a year in limbo" around EA, indicating that BioWare is finishing up its efforts on Anthem before it even jumps back in to development.

There has been talk about a Dragon Age spin-off for some time, but this appears to be the first news about a genuine sequel to the series. How it will proceed without series writer Mike Laidlaw, however, remains to be seen.

We'll keep you informed as to what will come from the announcement. But fingers crossed, Dragon Age fans. We know you have been waiting. (Our own Liana Ruppert especially.)

Dragon Age: Inquisition, meanwhile, is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Origin PC.

(Hat tip to VentureBeat for the scoop!)