It’s one of the most eagerly anticipated games in years, and surely a lot is riding on Anthem for Canadian video game company Bioware.
This is because Bioware’s latest game (Mass Effect: Andromeda) wasn’t the success pundits were expecting it would be (actually it was an epic failure in the eyes of many fans), and after years spent on development and not scoring a hit the Canadian studio can’t afford to drop the ball with Anthem.
There’s something about Anthem that’s bothering Bioware fans worldwide though, and that’s the fact it will be an online-only game with a focus on multiplayer, similar to big-name hits such as Activision’s Destiny 2.
This means that some aspects of the game such as storytelling, character development and interaction could be limited given Bioware’s new focus with Anthem.
Actually, this won’t have the conversation wheel players have gotten used to in Bioware’s games since the first Mass Effect, which is being replaced by a more limited dialogue system. According to Bioware this was due to the fact they “wanted to keep it [the conversation system] simpler, but we also don’t want to present you with any false choices”, an explanation many fans have likely not found convincing.
However, in order to assuage players’ fears Bioware’s general manager took to Twitter, saying that future Bioware games in the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series won’t be influenced by Anthem.
“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…”, said Hudson (via GameSpot).
Bioware will be bringing any new game design ideas it learns while working on Anthem to any new Mass Effect or Dragon Age games, which is certainly a good thing in my book though.
“What carries forward is what we learn about game design, which is a constant evolution”, added the Bioware man.
And the fact Anthem has an online and multiplayer focus doesn’t mean Bioware’s typical storytelling and character interaction have been completely stripped from the game, and a new trailer released for the game shows Anthem will still offer these elements to players.
Nonetheless, it is still clear this is a bold experiment for Bioware, a new franchise on which the Canadian studio’s future might be resting on, so here’s hoping Anthem enjoys the success it deserves when it hits shelves early next year.
Read more: Could Bioware be joining the list of failed video game studios?