There’s been a significant shakeup in the gaming world as Corinne Busche, the director for the game “Dragon Age: The Veilguard,” has departed from BioWare.
🚨LEAK: Corinne Busche, Game Director of Dragon Age Veilguard, has left Bioware and EA.
Bioware Edmonton, the Veilguard studio, to be SHUTTERED. @bioware @dragonage
I received the goodbye email and confirmed her departure by reaching out to my contact, SmashJT, at EA/Bioware.
The…
— Grummz (@Grummz) January 17, 2025
This news, shared by Mark Kern (also known as Grummz) and YouTuber SmashJT, has emerged amidst distressing speculation that BioWare’s main Edmonton branch could shut down as soon as next month. The prospective closure of this three-tier office, which was only opened five years ago, suggests a bleak outlook for the once-respected RPG studio.
According to Grummz and SmashJT, who later confirmed the information from a reliable EA source, Busche announced his departure from BioWare to work on different projects. Although Busche portrayed this as a voluntary decision, there’s speculation that the studio might have influenced it. After the disappointing sales performance of The Veilguard, which missed its sales targets by a significant 85% and faced severe criticism, some believe this leadership change is an attempt to revive the struggling studio.
I find it hard to express this, but here goes: As stated in my email, it’s difficult for me to bid farewell, but today marks my final day at BioWare and EA,” said Busche. “After careful consideration, I’ve chosen to embark on a fresh opportunity, focusing on the creation of RPGs, which is something I’m deeply passionate about. This decision wasn’t made lightly, as my affection for BioWare and the Dragon Age team, as well as the incredible accomplishments we’ve shared, runs deep. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you. For your faith, your camaraderie, and for the countless ways in which you’ve motivated me and contributed to my professional growth. I can’t wait to witness the remarkable experiences you’ll create next, and as a fan, I’ll be cheering you on!
In case I leave you with some thoughts, let it be this: Creating games can be tough, yet that’s one of the reasons we enjoy it. However, game development is also about camaraderie and mutual support. Therefore, make sure to acknowledge achievements and encourage each other. The tasks and difficulties will always be present, but our shared moments are rare and valuable. Let’s keep in contact!
But that’s not the only major BioWare news.
It’s been speculated that BioWare Edmonton’s closure might be announced prior to EA’s Town Hall meeting in February 2025, as suggested by SmashJT’s EA source. This timing aligns with reports of underperforming finances and delays in projects, including the eagerly awaited next installment of Mass Effect.
The game titled “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” by BioWare has been a significant challenge, with sales falling below 1.5 million units compared to their projected goal of 10 million after a decade-long development process. This is according to SmashJT’s internal source. The shrinking player base, which has dropped by around 90% within two months, indicates a widespread discontent among gamers. Critics attribute this decline in the studio’s fortunes to a mix of creative blunders and a growing prioritization of corporate DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives over core gameplay principles.
It’s not just this latest departure from BioWare that’s significant; Sylvia Feketekuty, a long-time senior writer at the company with 15 years of service, also recently left after the release of “The Veilguard”. These departures add to the uncertainty about BioWare’s future, causing speculation about the potential of popular franchises like “Mass Effect” and “Dragon Age”.
Previously, BioWare was known for championing creativity and testing boundaries. However, under Busche’s guidance, Dragon Age transitioned from a complex dark fantasy tale into an awkwardly written series emphasizing gender politics, featuring compulsory pronoun selection and an option to incorporate top surgery scars onto the player character.
In a more relaxed and understandable rephrasing: The controversial moves made by these game projects are turning players away. Lately, the creators of “Lords of The Fallen” conducted a survey to find out if gamers would rather have the choice between male and female characters in a medieval setting for their future release, instead of the gender-neutral Body Type A/B option they offered in 2023.
Approximately 50,000 votes were cast, and the majority strongly expressed a preference for maintaining the conventional male/female options over incorporating gender politics.
As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can tell you that after creating strong male and female characters in their game, CI Games pledged not to stop there. They promised to delve deeper by including an option for character selection based on the player’s preference. But that wasn’t all! They also vowed to revisit their hit game, “Lords of The Fallen,” and revamp it, ensuring it caters to every gamer’s choice.
It’s intriguing to consider whether other game studios will pay attention to this crucial demographic analysis that BioWare has conducted. Notably, BioWare is developing the upcoming Mass Effect series. If they don’t heed the lessons from their past experiences with Veilguard and include gender politics and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Mass Effect, it could potentially mark the end of this renowned RPG developer’s legacy.
Indeed, instead of accepting fault for the significant public flop of Veilguard, Busche chose to blame a perceived smear campaign. The widely disliked director attributed the poor sales and high return rates not to his own actions, but to this alleged negative campaign.
In clear terms, as SmashJT stated, “Let’s be clear – This marks a potentially significant turning point for one of the most esteemed game studios. This change, driven by Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, could very well signal its conclusion.
It’s yet unclear if the prophecy will come true, but it’s undeniable that the fate of BioWare is uncertain for now.
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2025-01-17 18:55