Dragon Age: The Veilguard Director Reportedly Exits BioWare

Corinne Busche, the game director behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is set to depart from EA-owned BioWare in the coming weeks, according to Eurogamer. Busche, who took on the role in February 2022 and led the project until its launch last October, joined BioWare in 2019 after working on The Sims projects at Maxis. IGN has reached out to EA for further comments on this development.

Since its release, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has faced scrutiny regarding its commercial success. Despite Busche's departure, Eurogamer notes that the studio remains unaffected by other significant changes. EA has yet to disclose whether the game's sales and revenue met their expectations, with the company set to announce its Q3 2025 financial results on February 4.

BioWare has confirmed that there are no plans for Dragon Age: The Veilguard DLC, shifting their focus entirely to the development of Mass Effect 5, which has been teased but not yet fully revealed. This comes after a tumultuous decade for Dragon Age, which saw a major reset transforming it from a multiplayer game concept to a single-player RPG, with Busche playing a crucial role in the final stages of its development.

In August 2023, coinciding with the release of Larian's successful Dungeons & Dragons RPG, Baldur's Gate 3, BioWare laid off approximately 50 employees, including long-time staff like narrative designer Mary Kirby. These layoffs were part of a broader internal restructuring at EA, which resulted in the company being divided into sports and non-sports divisions. Amidst these changes, rumors circulated about BioWare's potential acquisition, and Star Wars: The Old Republic was transitioned to a third-party developer, allowing BioWare to concentrate on Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

The journey of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has been marked by significant ups and downs. The initial reveal trailer in 2024 received negative feedback, prompting BioWare to quickly release an early gameplay tease. The name change from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard also stirred mixed reactions. However, subsequent impressions of the game were generally positive.

As Busche prepares to leave BioWare, fans of the Dragon Age series are left pondering the future. Will BioWare have the opportunity to create another sequel to The Veilguard, or will their focus remain firmly on Mass Effect 5?