Dragon Age: The Veilguard Director Reportedly Exits BioWare

Corinne Busche, the director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, is reportedly departing from BioWare, an EA subsidiary.

Eurogamer reports Busche's departure, effective in the coming weeks, following her tenure as game director from February 2022 until the game's launch last year. EA has yet to comment.

The commercial success of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has been a subject of speculation since its October release. Eurogamer indicates Busche's exit is not indicative of broader studio restructuring.

Busche joined BioWare in 2019 after working at Maxis on various Sims titles. Her role at BioWare was pivotal in guiding The Veilguard through its final development stages, a journey detailed in IGN's article, "How BioWare Finally Got Dragon Age to the Finish Line After a Tumultuous Decade," which highlighted the game's near-decade-long development process, including a significant shift from a planned multiplayer game to a single-player RPG.

Eurogamer asserts Busche's departure is unrelated to the game's sales performance. EA's Q3 2025 financial results, scheduled for February 4th, will likely shed light on the game's financial success.

BioWare has confirmed no DLC is planned for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, shifting focus to Mass Effect 5, a project long-teased but yet to be fully unveiled.

The news follows August 2023 layoffs impacting approximately 50 employees, including veterans like narrative designer Mary Kirby. These layoffs coincided with an EA internal restructuring and rumors of potential BioWare acquisition. The decision to transition Star Wars: The Old Republic to a third-party publisher was reportedly to allow BioWare to concentrate on Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

The turbulent journey of Dragon Age continued with the 2024 reveal trailer, met with initial negative fan reaction, prompting a rapid release of gameplay footage to appease concerns. The name change from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard also received mixed reception. Despite early criticism, later impressions were generally positive.

The future of the Dragon Age franchise remains uncertain, leaving fans questioning whether BioWare will be given the opportunity to develop a sequel to The Veilguard.