Dragon Age: Veilguard Director Leaves BioWare

Corinne Busche, the director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is reportedly set to leave BioWare, the EA-owned studio, in the coming weeks. According to Eurogamer, Busche, who took the helm as game director in February 2022 and led the project to its release in October of the previous year, is departing amid ongoing questions about the game's commercial success. IGN has reached out to EA for comment on this development.

Busche joined BioWare in 2019 following her tenure at Maxis, where she contributed to the design of various The Sims projects. Her leadership was instrumental in navigating Dragon Age: The Veilguard through its tumultuous decade-long development, culminating in a successful shift from a multiplayer framework to a single-player RPG. Eurogamer has noted that Busche's departure is unrelated to the game's performance, though EA has not yet disclosed whether Dragon Age: The Veilguard's sales and revenue met expectations. The company is scheduled to reveal its Q3 2025 financial results on February 4.

In a strategic pivot, BioWare has confirmed that it will not pursue any DLC for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Instead, the studio is now focusing its efforts on Mass Effect 5, which has been teased but not fully revealed. This shift in focus comes in the wake of significant changes at BioWare, including the layoff of around 50 employees in August 2023, coinciding with the release of Larian's highly successful Baldur's Gate 3. Among those laid off were veterans like narrative designer Mary Kirby, who had been with BioWare since the inception of Dragon Age.

These layoffs were part of a broader restructuring at EA, which separated its operations into sports and non-sports divisions. Amid these changes, rumors circulated about a potential acquisition of BioWare, and Star Wars: The Old Republic was transitioned to a third-party to allow BioWare to concentrate on its flagship franchises, Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

The journey of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has been fraught with challenges, including a lukewarm reception to its initial reveal trailer in 2024 and a subsequent name change from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard, which was not well-received by fans. Despite these hurdles, later impressions of the game have been generally positive. As BioWare moves forward, Dragon Age enthusiasts are left pondering the future of the series and whether there will be a sequel to The Veilguard.