BioWare Talks ‘Anthem’ Demo, Possible In-Game Hub

We're just a few weeks away from diving into Anthem, BioWare's ambitious open-world adventure that will have us doing all sorts of crazy things in Javelin suits. Today, the company talked more about the game, including the forthcoming demo and why it exists, along with the possibility of being able to gather with others in a hub within the game.

Lead producer Michael Gamble recently talked about the forthcoming open demo for Anthem on Twitter, which will give you a taste of what it has to offer. He seemed slightly perplexed as to why people were asking about a demo being made, to which he responded:

Had a few people ask me about why we are doing an open Demo. This is why:your money is hard earned. Games are an investment. We think it’s fair you get to try before you buy.The entire campaign has been one of transparency, and we think Anthem is cool to watch but AWESOME to play

— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) January 8, 2019

A fan then mentioned how easy it was to put demos like this together, but Gamble argued otherwise, saying, "That's not true. Demos take a lot of extra time and effort to make. One day when I have a moment I'll go through why." More than likely, he'll talk about how they have to be made from scratch, possibly separate from game code. We'll see what he has to say soon enough.

Meanwhile, Gamble also addressed the possibilities of an in-game hub, where players can gather together and talk on missions. A Twitter user by the name of SvnnyMoney asked about this, saying, "A lot of people are concerned about Ft. Tarsis not being a social area. Players like seeing other players. Take The Division, Destiny and Warframe for example, social hubs that allow us to see others. Socially connected games have longevity."

To which Gamble provided some simple reassurance:

We hear you loud and clear 😎

— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) January 8, 2019

That's not entirely a confirmation that we'll see it happen, but it sounds like BioWare is well aware of how great a social feature would be for it. We'll see what the team has to announce over the next few weeks.

The VIP beta for Anthem is set to open up later this month, before becoming available to all users in early February. That should give us more than enough time to get ready for the game's arrival later in the month on February 22 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Are you excited for Anthem? Let me know on Twitter at @TheDCD!