Dragon Age Inquisition: Cassandra’s Romance, GamerGate, and a Fan’s Webcomic

Dragon Age Inquisition: Cassandra’s Romance and a Fan’s Unexpected Influence

The Making of Cassandra’s Romance

David Gaider, Dragon Age creator, revealed the behind-the-scenes story of Cassandra’s romance in Inquisition. Originally penned by Jennifer Hepler, the development was interrupted by Hepler’s departure from BioWare amidst GamerGate harassment. Gaider took over, facing the challenge of making a “pious, self-righteous character” romantically appealing.

A Fan’s Webcomic Provides Inspiration

Inspiration struck when Gaider discovered a fan webcomic portraying Cassandra as a Varric fangirl. This sparked a new perspective, focusing on Cassandra’s “idealistic and awkward passion” and the Inquisitor’s messianic status. The romance in the game ultimately hinges on the Inquisitor proving they can be a normal partner despite their heroic role.

Success and Other Characters

Cassandra’s romance became Inquisition’s most popular, while Dorian’s proved the least. Gaider previously discussed the challenges and personal inspiration behind writing both characters. The article also briefly mentions the recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the subsequent Metacritic review bombing.

Key Takeaways

• Cassandra’s romance in Dragon Age: Inquisition faced unexpected challenges due to the departure of the original writer amidst online harassment.
• A fan’s webcomic unexpectedly influenced the direction of Cassandra’s character arc and romantic storyline.
• The romance options in the game had varying levels of popularity among players, with Cassandra’s proving to be the most successful.