Dragon Age: The Veilguard Director Corinne Busche Leaves BioWare

Corinne Busche, game director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, has confirmed her exit from BioWare after navigating the game’s development to its eventual release in October 2024. 

According to an exclusive report by Eurogamer, Busche revealed her decision was voluntary, citing an opportunity she “couldn’t turn down” in the CRPG space.

Busche’s career path at BioWare began in 2019, after her work at Maxis on The Sims series. In February 2022, she stepped into the role of game director for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a project mired in a nearly decade-long development cycle that included a major reset. Initially envisioned as a multiplayer experience, the game pivoted to a full-fledged single-player RPG under Busche’s guidance.

“I did what I set out to do at BioWare,” Busche said. “The chance to return the game to a proper quality single-player RPG was the privilege of a lifetime.”

However, the game’s commercial performance remains unclear, with EA expected to reveal more during its Q3 2025 financial report on Feb. 4, 2025. For now, it is clear that upon its release on Oct. 31, 2024, “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” reached a peak of over 89,000 concurrent players during its opening weekend, setting a new record for BioWare titles on Steam. Additionally, the game secured the top position on Steam’s global top-seller chart shortly after launch.

BioWare has confirmed that there are no plans for downloadable content (DLC) for The Veilguard, with the studio shifting its focus to Mass Effect 5. 

This strategic pivot comes amid significant internal changes at BioWare and its parent company, EA. In August 2023, BioWare laid off around 50 employees, including veteran narrative designer Mary Kirby, in an effort to streamline the studio’s focus on its flagship franchises. The layoffs followed EA’s restructuring into sports and non-sports divisions.

Busche’s departure is reportedly unrelated to The Veilguard’s performance, and she emphasized that her decision was a personal one. “It was hard-fought, as games with such tumultuous dev cycles rarely end up shipping and even more rarely turn out great. We, as a team, did it,” she said, reflecting on her time at BioWare. However, she also noted the cultural challenges within the studio, adding, “BioWare still has a lot of work to do culturally, but I do believe they are on the right footing now.” While Busche has not disclosed specific details about her next project, her statement hinted at her continued dedication to the CRPG genre, known for its rich storytelling and character development.