BioWare’s latest project, Anthem, represents a radical departure for the studio, trading many of the elements that made its previous releases so beloved for multiplayer-centric, always-online action gameplay. The title is also a pivotal one for the developer, particularly in light of the disappointing reception its most recent game, Mass Effect Andromeda, received. With much riding Anthem, some have begun to worry that future installments in the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series will also be influenced by it, but these fears are unfounded, says BioWare general manager Casey Hudson.
Hudson addressed the concerns on Twitter. “Some weird stuff going around about how our future games will be influenced by Anthem,” he wrote. “Of course when we do a Dragon Age game it will be designed from the ground up based on what Dragon Age should be. Same with Mass Effect…”
In a follow-up tweet, Hudson made sure to stress that Anthem stands apart from other BioWare franchises, and that the only influence it will have on other titles the studio develops is strictly related to what it learns in terms of game design. “Anthem is a specific thing that’s unique from our other IPs in many ways,” he wrote. “What carries forward is what we learn about game design, which is a constant evolution.”
New Mass Effect and Dragon Age projects have not been announced, but BioWare has teased that it has secret things in developments.
Anthem casts players in the role Freelancers–soldiers equipped with high-tech exosuits called Javelins. The game has limited dialogue choices and no romance options compared to BioWare’s previous RPGs, but despite its emphasis on online multiplayer, players will still be able to play the game solo and impact how their own personal story unfolds through a concept BioWare calls “Our World, My Story.” The developer shed more light on how this works in a recent trailer.
Anthem launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on February 22, 2019. Some fans will have a chance to try the game ahead of its release. Publisher EA recently announced it will offer a “VIP demo” of Anthem to EA/Origin Access subscribers on Xbox One and PC on February 1. The demo will also be available to those who pre-order the title on any platform, opening the door for PS4 players to get in as well.