Corinne Busche, the director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is reportedly leaving BioWare, an EA-owned studio. Eurogamer reports her departure, expected in the coming weeks, follows the game's launch last October. While questions remain about The Veilguard's commercial success, Eurogamer states Busche's exit is unrelated to its performance. EA is expected to release its Q3 2025 financial results on February 4th, offering potential clarity. BioWare has confirmed no DLC is planned for The Veilguard, shifting focus to Mass Effect 5.
Busche joined BioWare in 2019 after working at Maxis on The Sims franchise. She played a crucial role in guiding The Veilguard to completion during its final development years, a journey detailed in IGN's article, "How BioWare Finally Got Dragon Age to the Finish Line After a Tumultuous Decade," which highlights the game's near-decade-long development and significant restructuring.
Busche's departure follows a period of significant change at BioWare. In August 2023, around 50 employees were laid off, including veteran narrative designer Mary Kirby. This coincided with an internal EA restructuring and rumors of potential BioWare acquisition. The decision to move Star Wars: The Old Republic to a third-party publisher was also made around this time, ostensibly to allow BioWare to concentrate on Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
The reveal of Dragon Age: The Veilguard (initially titled Dreadwolf) in 2024 faced initial negative fan reaction, prompting a swift release of early gameplay footage. While subsequent impressions were generally positive, the name change and initial reception highlight the challenges faced by the studio. The future of the Dragon Age franchise now hangs in the balance, leaving fans wondering about the possibility of a sequel.
