How to Play the Dragon Age Games and DLCs in Order

Which Dragon Age Game Should You Play First?

If you’re just looking to pick up a new RPG, or only have time to get through one game before Veilguard, you can stick with the most recent release. Dragon Age: Inquisition has the most accessible gameplay and it actually runs on PC and new-gen consoles. It’s also the only open world game in the series.

For the full “Dragon Age experience,” you’re going to have to play Origins at some point. The impact of the player’s choices in previous games is a selling point of Dragon Age, and there’s something especially satisfying about playing through the consequences of your own actions, meeting characters and shaping conflicts that carry significance throughout the series. So yeah, it runs terribly on PC, but with the right settings (and maybe some mods), it’s worth looking past some less than stimulating mechanics to experience a narrative-driven fantasy RPG at its best.

What About All That Other Stuff?

Because a major feature of the games is impactful decision-making, a “Bioware canon” exists for media outside of the games. A lot of this stuff is great for understanding more about important characters and scratching the Thedas lore itch, but that’s my word of caution for anyone particularly attached to their own in-game outcomes. In general, I’d recommend reading whatever is “connected” to the DA games and characters you like most. That said, if you’re going to read anything to set you up for Veilguard, I’d recommend the most recent comic, The Missing.

The Complete Dragon Age Timeline, Explained

If you’re trying to “start at the beginning” of Dragon Age, you should start with Origins and then loop back to these. But, for the sake of timeline accuracy, these technically take place before any mainline Dragon Age game.

*Warning: While I tried my best to keep this list free of major spoilers, there are mentions of some characters and conflicts that re-appear across the series

The Stolen Throne & The Calling (Novels)

[8:96-9:00] & [9:10–9:11]

Two novels take place before Origins, both penned by Origins’ lead writer, David Gaider. The Stolen Throne begins when the Queen of Fereldan, Moira Theirin, is murdered in 8:96. Her son, Maric, works with Loghain Mac Tir to find those responsible while also grappling with an invasion from the neighboring nation of Orlais. The Calling picks up about a decade after the events of Stolen Throne, but continues to focus on Maric with appearances from a certain young Grey Warden.

Dawn of the Seeker (Animated Movie)

[9:22]

After the release of Dragon Age II, Bioware tried out animated movie-making. In collaboration with FUNimation, Dawn of the Seeker is an origin story for Cassandra Pentaghast, a character in Dragon Age II and companion in Inquisition. The movie follows Cassandra in the land of Ferelden’s neighbor, Orlais, and explores her path to becoming Seeker.

Leliana’s Song (Origins DLC)

[9:28]

As the name suggests, this Origins DLC explores the backstory of Leliana, a main companion in Origins who returns as an advisor in Inquisition.

Dragon Age: Origins (Game)

[9:30]

The game that started it all. After a prologue sequence defined by the selection of one of six character backgrounds, the player is recruited into a noble guild of warriors tasked with battling haunted humanoid creatures called Darkspawn. As one of the last Grey Wardens, the player must travel across Ferelden, navigating complex political machinations to build an army that can take on the greatest Darkspawn threat.

All of DA:O takes place within one year. While certain questlines can feel like a royal pain 15 years after release, the writing of our first exposure to Thedas (and how much control the player has over it) makes this dark and tactical action RPG my favorite game of all time.

*Stone Prisoner, Warden’s Keep, The Darkspawn Chronicles, and Return to Ostagar are all DLC’s that add questlines and additional content to the main campaign.

Warden’s Fall (Mini-Series)

This Machinima-made mini-series links Origins to Awakening. Each part is only about 5 minutes, so you can watch the full thing in about 30.

Awakening (Origins DLC)

[~9:31]

Awakening is pretty much a full expansion to Dragon Age: Origins, picking up about 6 months after the first game with almost 20 hours of additional content. Due to some Dragon Age II decisions, the “canon-ness” of this expansion’s place on the timeline is a little dubious, but I personally think it has one of the most compelling stories in the series that’s still worth playing through.

Golems of Amgarrak (Origins DLC)

This DLC chronologically takes place after Awakening. I don’t have too much to say about it other than, compared to the base game, it’s a lot more challenging.

Witch Hunt (Origins DLC)

[9:32]

The last Origins DLC to be released, Witch Hunt checks up on what Origins companion Morrigan is up to a couple years after the first game’s conclusion (technically after the start of Dragon Age II, but I’d still play this after Origins first). Without too many spoilers, I’d argue this is the most important Origins DLC for the rest of the Dragon Age series.

Dragon Age II Short Stories

Before DA:2

Dragon Age II inaugurated the “short story” tradition for DA games, starting with “prequel” short stories for each of the seven main companions. I’m sticking the collection here for simplicity, but each story takes place at various points before the start of DA2. You can read them all online here.

Dragon Age II (Game)

[Prologue: 9:30 Acts 1-3: 9:31-37]

During the Fifth Blight, the Hawke family is caught up in the wave of refugees forced to abandon their homes in Ferelden. After battling Darkspawn (and encountering a certain witch/dragon/icon), the player winds up at the gates of Kirkwall, seeking refuge for their family. Over the course of 10 years, Hawke gets roped into all sorts of chaos above and below ground while trying to survive and, dare I say, thrive, in the “sh**hole” that is Kirkwall.

Timeline-wise, the opening sequence of Dragon Age II takes place during the Blight of DA:O, but Acts 1 through 3 take you from 9:31 to 9:37. Yeah, this one’s got a lot going on. And while Dragon Age II was a notoriously rushed production, this odyssey of a game dives deeper into the political intrigue of Thedas, expanding on the Qunari as well as the dynamic between mages and Templars that continues to be at the forefront of the Dragon Age series.

*Exiled Prince, Mark of the Assassin, The Black Emporium, and Legacy are all DLC’s that add questlines and additional content to the main campaign, though Legacy does explore Hawke’s past.

Dragon Age: Redemption (Short Series)

[~9:31]

While released as a tie-in to the Mark of the Assassin DLC for Dragon Age II, this short series from Felicia Day introduces her character, Tallis, and takes place at some point before the end of Dragon Age II: Act 1.

The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Sleep (Comics)

[~9:38-9:40]

There aren’t any Dragon Age II DLCs that take place after the base game, but DA: II did lead to the start of the canon “Dragon Age” comics. First up in release and timeline order was The Silent Grove, a six-issue comic series that follows Alistair, accompanied by Isabela and Varric, as he heads to Antiva to investigate what happened to a certain Fereldan King. Those Who Speak picks up where The Silent Grove leaves off, expanding on the backstory of Alistair, in particular. Until We Sleep concludes this particular comic series with three final issues, which, on top of showing more of the Tevinter Imperium, also provide particular insight into Dragon Age’s pseudo-narrator, Varric Tethras.

Asunder (Novel)

[9:40]

The third Dragon Age novel and the final one to be penned by David Gaider, Asunder explains the origins of the Mage-Templar War that, despite climaxing in Inquisition, aren’t really explained in-game. The novel specifically addresses what happens to the Seekers, the Circle of Magi, and the Templars after Dragon Age II but before Inquisition.

The Masked Empire (Novel)

[9:40]

The Masked Empire is another direct tie-in novel for setting up Inquisition, bringing the reader to Orlais and setting up the political dynamics between the Empress and her rivals that ultimately lead to my personal favorite questline in Inquisition.

The Last Flight (Novel)

[9:41 & ~5:12-5:20]

This one is tough because it technically follows two timelines: one in 9:41, and the other way back in the Exalted Age during the Fourth Blight. Because I wouldn’t recommend anyone start their Dragon Age experience with this novel, I’m placing it here, but yes, to be clear, this Grey Warden-based novel also extends back the farthest of any Dragon Age media listed.

Dragon Age: Inquisition Short Stories

Before DA: I

Instead of short stories based on companions, Bioware released three stories about other side characters that are significant in Inquisition. Paper & Steel, Paying the Ferryman, and the Riddle of Truth were all released alongside the World of Thedas Vol. 2 and take place between DA2 and Inquisition. You can read all three of them here.

Dragon Age: Inquisition (Game)

[9:41-9:42]

The most recent mainline DA game begins at the height of tensions between mages and Templars, when an explosion during peace talks at the Chantry has disastrous consequences for the institutions keeping Thedas together. This explosion turns out to be a tear in the Fade, and the player assumes the role of an Inquisitor who is the only one equipped to stop the demons and spirits emerging from the breach from taking over.

In a return to the form of Origins, DA: I has the player battling an immediate, civilization-ending threat, so the narrative is significantly less sprawling than Dragon Age II. DA: I also brought back the choice of different character backgrounds that influence how the player is treated in and by the world of Thedas (which, notably, now features both Ferelden and Orlais). While a little less tactical than previous DA games, Inquisition’s killer story and expansive world still made it our Game of the Year for 2014.

*Jaws of Hakkon and The Descent are DLCs that can be played after finishing Inquisition, but I consider it a player decision how these fit into the timeline.

Magekiller (Comic)

[9:41-42]

This five-issue comic follows Marius and Tessa, blood mage hunters, during the Inquisition. While the comic technically starts before Inquisition, most of the storyline intertwines with the events of the game, so it makes more sense to read this after playing.

Dragon Age: Trespasser (Inquisition DLC)

[9:44]

Similar to Awakening, this Inquisition DLC adds a decent amount of content, and is also probably the most important thing on this list outside of mainline games in terms of setting up Veilguard. Several years after Inquisition ends, this expansion has the Inquisitor investigate who really kicked off the events that tore open the Fade. If you play through Inquisition, you better make it through Trespasser.

The Knight Errant (Comic)

[~9:44]

The Knight Errant follows an elven squire who heads to Kirkwall for the appointment of a new Viscount, and like anyone who goes to that forsaken city, gets caught up in a much larger mess. It’s not super clear when this five-issue comic is set, but with characters from the Inquisition assuming new roles in Thedas, my guess is during or right after Trespasser.

Dragon Age: Absolution (TV Series)

[~9:44]

Bioware collaborated with Korean animation company Red Dog Culture House for this six-episode Netflix series. With some entirely new characters (Matt Mercer may be involved), alongside some Dragon Age staples, we noted in our review this show might be a little hard to access without some previous DA experience, but it’s still a pretty fun ride. Based on some references to both Inquisition and Trespasser, I’m placing this Tevinter-based series toward the end of our list.

Deception, Blue Wraith, and Dark Fortress (Comics)

[9:40-9:45]

Combined into an anthology called The Wraiths of Tevinter, these three comic series all (for the most part) take place after Trespasser and, as the title would suggest, in the Tevinter Imperium. Funny enough, that’s also where the next game is set, so it’s more than likely these post-Inquisition comics are setting up some characters and conflicts we’ll see more of.

Deception starts this collection off with a new character’s schemes in the city of Ventus, which is being threatened by a Qunari invasion. Over three issues, the comic has appearances from the Tevinter-based companions of previous games and expands on the role of the Venatori.

For those of you who crave more of a certain angsty, white-haired elf from Dragon Age II, these next ones are for you. Blue Wraith starts around 9:40, but quickly timeskips to pick up in 9:44-45 as the conflict continues to broil between Tevinter and the Qunari. Dark Fortress is a pretty direct follow-up to Blue Wraith, with all three issues playing out over 9:45.

Tevinter Nights (Novel/Anthology)

[9:44-9:45]

As an anthology of short stories, it’s a bit challenging to pinpoint an exact place on this timeline for Tevinter Nights. Many of the stories overlap with the Tevinter-based comics above, making it a matter of personal preference (in my opinion) which you start with. Of note, some of the characters that first appeared in these stories have been revealed as main companions for Veilguard.

The Missing (Comic)

[9:45]

The most recent piece of released canon Dragon Age media, The Missing is a four issue comic series where Varric and everyone’s favorite scout attempt to track down an old friend from Inquisition. This one is, by all indications, a pretty direct tie-in for The Veilguard, so if you’re going to pick up any physical Dragon Age reading before the new game, it should probably be this (but make sure you play Inquisition and Trespasser first).

Dragon Age Day Short Stories

Before DA:TV

Like the rest of the short stories on this list, these snippets jump around timeline-wise. But let’s cut to the chase: these are already categorized as “Veilguard” short stories on EA’s website, and a couple of them feature known Veilguard companions. Seven of these stories have been published over 2020-2023, and you can find them all here.

BONUS: Hard in Hightown (Novella)

Dragon Age II and Inquisition companion Varric Tethras is an author, made famous in particular for his novel, Hard in Hightown. While you can collect parts of the novel in Codex-form across Inquisition, you can also read the full novella (with illustrations) as an eBook. It’s fiction within fiction, so no real timeline relevance, but hey, it’s fun.

Dragon Age Media in Release Order

Dragon Age Games + DLCs in Release Order:

• Dragon Age: Origins: Nov 2009
  • Awakening: March 2010
  • Leliana’s Song: July 2010
  • Golems of Amgarrak: August 2010
  • Witch Hunt: Sept 2010
• Dragon Age II: March 2011
  • Exiled Prince: March 2011
  • The Black Emporium: March 2011
  • Legacy: July 2011
  • Mark of the Assassin: October 2011
• Dragon Age: Inquisition: November 2014
  • Jaws of Hakkon: March 2015
  • The Black Emporium: May 2015
  • The Descent: August 2015
  • Trespasser: September 2015

Dragon Age Novels in Release Order:

• The Stolen Throne: March 2009
• The Calling: October 2009
• Asunder: Dec 2011
• The Masked Empire: April 2014
• Last Flight: September 2014
• Tevinter Nights: March 2020

Dragon Age Comics in Digital Release Order:

• The Silent Grove: Feb-May 2012
• Those Who Speak: Aug-Nov 2012
• Until We Sleep: March-May 2013
• Magekiller: Dec 2015-April 2016
• Knight Errant: May-Sept 2017
• Deception: Oct-Dec 2018
• Blue Wraith: Jan-March 2020
• Dark Fortress: March-May 2021
• The Missing: Jan-May 2023

What’s Next for Dragon Age?

15 years since Origins and 10 years since Inquisition, I wasn’t sure if we’d see another Dragon Age game. But then, all of a sudden, in early 2024, The Veilguard (previously known as Dreadwolf) was announced as a release coming later this year. Not often you see that in gaming anymore. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is set to release on October 31, with pre-orders available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S | X.

Bioware has already been unleashing pretty extensive previews of this next Dragon Age. For one thing, we already know where Veilguard fits in the timeline. I’ll avoid spoilers for those trying to go in as blind as possible, but we learned a lot about the direction of this game from IGN’s hands-on preview. Bioware’s also revealed details about the character creator, romance options, and how decisions from Inquisition will carry over. For those who want a real sneak peek, you can even watch the first 20 minutes of Veilguard gameplay.