Corinne Busche, who served as the game director for Dragon Age: The Veilguard from February 2022 until its launch last year, is set to depart from the EA-owned studio BioWare in the coming weeks, according to Eurogamer. IGN has reached out to EA for a statement regarding this development.
Since its release in October last year, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has faced scrutiny over its commercial success. Despite Busche's departure, Eurogamer notes that BioWare is otherwise unaffected by significant changes.
Busche joined BioWare in 2019, following her tenure at Maxis where she contributed to the design of various The Sims projects. As highlighted in IGN’s feature, ‘How BioWare Finally Got Dragon Age to the Finish Line After a Tumultuous Decade,’ Dragon Age: The Veilguard underwent a transformative development process that spanned nearly a decade. Initially conceptualized as a multiplayer game with repeatable quests and a basic story outline, it evolved into a full-fledged single-player RPG under Busche's direction during its final stages.
Eurogamer clarifies that Busche's exit from BioWare is not linked to the game’s commercial performance. EA has yet to disclose whether Dragon Age: The Veilguard met or surpassed sales and revenue expectations. The company is slated to release its Q3 2025 financial results on February 4.
Meanwhile, BioWare has shifted its focus away from developing DLC for Dragon Age: The Veilguard and is now concentrating on Mass Effect 5, a project that has been hinted at over the years but not yet fully revealed.
In August 2023, amidst the launch of Larian Studios' highly acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons RPG Baldur's Gate 3, BioWare laid off approximately 50 employees, including veteran narrative designer Mary Kirby, who had been with the company since the inception of Dragon Age.
These layoffs were part of a broader restructuring at EA, which saw the company split into divisions focusing on sports and other genres. Rumors circulated within BioWare about a potential acquisition, and Star Wars: The Old Republic was transitioned to a third-party developer, allowing BioWare to prioritize Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
The journey for Dragon Age continued with its 2024 reveal, which initially received negative feedback. This led BioWare to quickly follow up with an early gameplay teaser to reassure fans. The game's name change from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard was also met with mixed reactions, though subsequent impressions were generally positive.
With Busche's departure and the studio's shift in focus, Dragon Age fans are now questioning whether BioWare will have the opportunity to develop a sequel to The Veilguard.
