In the latest twist surrounding Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche moving to Wizards of the Coast (WotC), new information reveals that Busche is not working on Baldur’s Gate 4, as some rumors had suggested. Instead, according to YouTuber Smash JT, Busche is leading the revival of a long-abandoned Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) project under the codename Dante.
SmashJT shared insights from a recent video call with a trusted verified insider at WotC. During the hour-long conversation, the source provided direct evidence via an internal company email confirming Busche’s role on Dante. The email, shown over a private screenshare, highlighted that Busche was brought on to helm the project, which had initially been shelved after a troubled development cycle under Hidden Path Entertainment.
Dante was once envisioned as a groundbreaking D&D title, with ambitions to rival open-world RPG giants like Skyrim. Despite significant funding and years in development, the project struggled to move beyond the early prototype phase. According to Smash JT’s source, Dante became bogged down in mismanagement and creative disagreements, leading to its eventual cancellation.
Now, WotC appears to be reviving the project, with Busche leading the effort at Skeleton Key Studios. This move has raised eyebrows, especially given the mixed reception of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Critics argue that bringing in a figure associated with one of BioWare’s most criticized releases puts the future of Dante at risk.
Dragon Age Director Corinne Busche – YouTube, Smash JT
SmashJT’s source expressed skepticism about the decision, suggesting that WotC might be trying to salvage Dante purely to recoup sunk costs, rather than because of any renewed creative vision.
However, while Busche is not currently working on Baldur’s Gate 4, Smash’s source insinuated that it could happen in the future. The insider speculated that, if the project struggles to gain traction, WotC could potentially rebrand Dante as Baldur’s Gate 4 to leverage the franchise’s popularity following the success of Baldur’s Gate 3. While nothing is confirmed, this possibility highlights concerns about WotC’s handling of beloved IPs.
Adding to the controversy, the insider revealed that Dante had been plagued by an overemphasis on ideological messaging during its initial development, leading to compromised storytelling and gameplay. With Busche now at the helm, there are concerns that the revived project could follow a similar path, focusing more on ideological goals rather than creating a compelling RPG experience.
Beyond the specifics of Dante, SmashJT’s insider painted a troubling picture of WotC’s internal culture. Describing an environment where dissent is discouraged and corporate messaging dominates, the source shared examples of how the company’s internal communications platforms are often filled with one-sided political discourse. This, according to the insider, has created a workplace where employees feel pressured to conform rather than contribute diverse perspectives.
A screenshot from Baldur’s Gate III (2023), Larian Studios
Skeleton Key Studios, where Busche is now stationed, was originally founded with a focus on immersive storytelling and gameplay. However, the decision to place Busche in a leadership role for the Dante revival has raised concerns about the studio’s direction. Critics worry that the project’s troubled history, combined with questionable leadership choices, could lead to another high-profile failure.
As of now, WotC has made no official statements regarding Busche’s role or the revival of Dante. Fans of D&D and Baldur’s Gate are left speculating on what this means for the future of both franchises. The gaming community will be watching closely to see whether Dante can rise from the ashes or if this latest move signals deeper issues within WotC’s game development arm.
Are you happy that Corinne Busche is reportedly not directing Baldur’s Gate 4? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
WotC is a woke company and Baldur’s Gate 3 was already alphabet cringe, so with or without this dude the sequel will be trash.
This ^ It doesn’t matter if it has a particular individual. Woke is woke.
“A rose by any other name,…. is still a rose”.
After players saw just screenshots of the images in the new PHB, including Hillary Clinton as a paladin, I’m surprised WotC is even trying to release anything D&D related. The rejection by players was impossible even for them to spin as mere “racist and sexist trolls.” It was a demonstration and a warning that things like hiring *Cory* Busche will not be tolerated by their customers.
Dirty ole coh-rhyn.
Ahwwwe! Is his busch in a tizzy? Poor fella.
Hasbro recently stated that they want a new AAA D&D game every year from 2026 – 2030. So, it makes perfect sense (from their point-of-view) that they would revive a game they already have assets for, in order to meet that short time frame. It also makes sense (again from their point-of-view) that they would look to someone like Busche, who took over a game that had it’s development rebooted and was able to cobble together a viable product in a relatively short amount of time. Note: I said viable. Not good.
Now, none of this is an endorsement of their choices. Just that I understand why they were made, even if I wholeheartedly disagree with them. Hasbro learned all the wrong lessons from BG3’s success. Now they want to replicate that success without understanding how it was achieved in the first place. Instead of putting the love and care into the product that Larian has, they will turn D&D into the Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, or the Madden of the Sword & Sorcery genre. Generic slop, churned out annually, at $70 a pop, with all the microtransactions and loot boxes they can shoehorn into the game.
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