Dragon Age: The Veilguard Director Reportedly Exits BioWare

Corinne Busche, the director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is reportedly departing from BioWare, an EA-owned studio. Eurogamer reports her departure, expected in the coming weeks, follows the game's launch last October. While questions remain regarding 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, providing further clarity. BioWare has confirmed no DLC is planned for The Veilguard, shifting focus to Mass Effect 5.

Busche joined BioWare in 2019 from Maxis, contributing to The Sims franchise. Her directorship on The Veilguard was crucial in navigating the game's final development stages, a journey detailed in IGN's article, "How BioWare Finally Got Dragon Age to the Finish Line After a Tumultuous Decade." This article highlights the game's near decade-long development, including a significant restructuring from a multiplayer concept to a single-player RPG.

Busche's departure follows previous upheaval at BioWare. In August 2023, around 50 employees, including veteran narrative designer Mary Kirby, were laid off. These layoffs coincided with broader changes at EA, resulting in a restructuring into sports and non-sports divisions, and rumors of a potential BioWare acquisition. The decision to make Star Wars: The Old Republic a third-party title was ostensibly to allow BioWare to concentrate on Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

The reveal of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024 initially faced negative reactions, prompting BioWare to quickly release gameplay footage to appease fans. The name change from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard also drew criticism, although subsequent impressions were generally more positive. The future of the Dragon Age franchise now hangs in the balance, leaving fans wondering if BioWare will be given the opportunity to develop a sequel.