BioWare has confirmed that returning Dragon Age character Morrigan will not be a team mate in Inquisition when speaking to GameInformer.
"I think it is fair for people to understand that [Morrigan] will not be a party member,” Mike Laidlaw, the game's creative director commented. “That’s going to disappoint some people, but I think it’s important for us to be upfront about that.”
However, BioWare insists her role still be significant, "It's not a cameo, she plays a significant role," writer David Gaider noted.
"The kernel of Inquisition’s story we knew from about midway through Dragon Age: Origins. The story has been in the making for a very long time,” Laidlaw added. “The story of Inquisition is [Morrigan’s] moment, which is a good way to think about it.”
Asked if past interactions with her – including romance in Dragon Age: Origins – will have an impact Gaider said, “Yes. The various states that Morrigan can be in – of which there can be quite a few, because we don’t know when to stop when it comes to making decisions – they’re all recognized. Whether or not they have the ultimate effect like the kind of reactivity someone imagines, that depends on the person. But we do recognize them and it does play a role of varying degrees depending on the surroundings.
“[Morrigan] has a human role in this plot, which I think may surprise some people because they might only think of her as a plot device,” Gaider explains. “She has this big plot she’s involved in, and while that’s true to an extent, I’m taking her to a human place. That will make sense after the fact.”
Dragon Age fans will be hoping Inquisition resolves such outstanding issues as the Dark Ritual and what occured following the Witch Hunt DLC.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is set for release in Autumn 2014 on PS3, PS4, PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Other returning characters, who so far include Varric and Cassandra from Dragon Age 2, have not yet been confirmed as team mates.