The other day on Twitter, a Dragon Age fan rediscovered the strange and hilarious mystery behind Thedas, the Dragon Age setting. Bioware’s iconic fantasy role-playing video game series began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2009, with multiple sequels leading up to the highly anticipated Dragon Age 4, which has yet to be given an official title or release date other than sometime in 2023. The series has been around for a long time, and every so often someone re or discovers the origin behind the name of Dragon Age’s iconic setting.
The Dragon Age series is full of unique and engaging lore, deep storytelling, and many Dragon Age characters come with detailed origin stories. Of course, it is also important to that, like many RPGs, Dragon Age has an audience that goes deep into the mechanics and the lore, creating and utilizing shorthand for common phrases and mechanics. Strangely enough, this is where the name for Dragon Age’s setting comes from; one of the popular shorthands created in the early days of development by fans of the series.
In a short post on Twitter, Sam Sharma explained how once he learned that Thedas stands for The Dragon Age Setting, he’s “never been the same.” Many others replied to the tweet in shock and disbelief, while others explained their joy in watching others learn about this fact. One particular response pointed out the ridiculousness of using an acronym without shortening the articles, such as Thedas not shortening the “the.” Many were also quick to explain the origins, pointing out that the shorthand originated on fan forums and ended up sticking with developers as well.
Mike Laidlaw, the lead designer and director of the first three Dragon Age games, even replied to the Twitter thread to confirm the truth about the name. Many fans find this explanation hard to believe based on the deep backstories and lore present throughout much of the rest of the series. When some fans are searching for leads and potential plot hints in Dragon Age 4 concept art, it can be surprising, or even disappointing, to find out there was a simpler answer sitting right in the open.
But the name doesn’t have to have a complex origin, Thedas’ meaning comes from the fans, and it is fitting that it was actually the fans who came up with it. Plus, with a game that is full of complex lore and player choices that affect the story, to the point where Dragon Age players can romance other characters, the series could use a few simpler and straightforward callouts to its fanbase. It’s only a matter of time before someone else discovers this humorous fact about the Dragon Age setting for the first time, and that is a fun trend to let continue for years to come.
Source: Sam Sharma/Twitter