Just days after their debut, the eclectic band of companions set to join players in Dragon Age: The Veilguard have already sent the fantasy RPG’s fanbase into a feverish thirst spiral. Stunned by the beautiful and diverse new characters, supporters have wasted no time professing their romantic and physical attraction across social media.
“I can’t breathe,” one player gushed after seeing the companions for the first time. “God DAYUM,” said another openly thirsty fan. “I want to smooch all of them,” read a more PG-rated tweet.
It’s a phenomenon as inevitable as a hot day in Thedas whenever BioWare introduces new romanticeable party members. From Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3 to Final Fantasy XIV’s wildly popular G’raha Tia, video game fans always seem to find new pixel crushes to simp over.
This time, with a vibrant crew of seven companions spanning different races, personalities and aesthetics, The Veilguard is providing something to catch everyone’s eye and stoke those smoldering urges.
https://twitter.com/kalaelizabeth/status/1800278010551312775
The intense lustful reactions have even reached the developers themselves. Responding on Twitter, BioWare level design supervisor Brian Audette playfully acknowledged the thirsty fan overtures.
“Seeing how thirsty some of y’all are, I think instead of a companions trailer we should have just given them Tinder profiles,” he joked, much to fans’ delight.
While The Veilguard has drawn some criticism for its new artistic style, the unmistakable player thirst for the companions appears to be a cross-sectional constant. Fans are smitten with the rogues’ gallery of romanticeable figures that put the “oo” in “oooh la la.”
“Despite any debates, this widespread thirst is undeniable,” affirmed blogger Samantha Ramos. “Companions you can flirt with and romance are a huge part of the Dragon Age experience going all the way back to Origins. These new characters are really checking all the boxes.”
Seeing how thirsty some of y'all are, I think instead of a companions trailer we should have just given them Tinder profiles.
— Brian J. Audette (@bjaudette) June 10, 2024
“At the end of the day, being romantically and sexually attracted to video game companions is a tale as old as time in RPGs,” she continued. “The Veilguard’s crew is just the latest group to spark those familiar cravings in fans.”
While some may find the intensity of the thirst comical, Audette and BioWare seem to be taking it in stride as the developers gear up for the next chapter in their beloved fantasy saga. After all, having a playerbase eagerly pining after your companions is a good problem to have when creating a romantically-charged RPG experience.
When The Veilguard finally arrives, the ample supply of new romantic pursuits should provide enough thirst-quenching possibilities to satiate even Dragon Age’sayayas. Or at the very least, give fans plenty of new favorite video game crushes to fill those Tinder bios with.