When BioWare first introduced Anthem, it was during a time when many die-hard Mass Effect felt the pains of Andromeda. Many felt that the latest addition in the phenomenal ME-verse was set up to fail in favour of the new online action-RPG and the reception to the upcoming title was mixed, to put it politely. With EA’s declared commitment to online games over single-player narratives, many were not only worried that Anthem would be a “Destiny clone,” but that their other major franchises would be feeling the burn as well. Luckily, Casey Hudson decided to lay a few worries to rest while also teasing something “very Dragon Age.”
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Hudson took to the BioWare blog to discuss what it means to the company to create these epic worlds where you are the hero of your story. That same mantra that has carried them for almost two decades will continue to be a huge focus, and yes – that includes Anthem.
The BioWare exec opened up by stating, “I talked [about] Anthem being “a story you can experience with friends.” There were, understandably, some questions and concerns about story in multiplayer. Specifically, “what if I don’t want to play with randos?” “What if I don’t have friends that I play games with?” And, “I like to be the one making choices in my story—if it’s multiplayer, won’t the story get watered down?””
He then mentioned that as a player himself, those concerns are something he can empathize with, especially in relation to BioWare’s mission statement regarding a meaningful experience for every type of player. Because of that concern, he confirmed that solo play is absolutely supported with the game in order to create a unique narrative but will evolve within a multiplayer setting:
“With Anthem we’re taking this problem head-on and structuring the entire game design to provide a specific solution for this. We’ll be sharing details on how it works very soon. We think it creates a unique experience where you have control over your own story, but your story is set in an ever-changing multiplayer world. And yes, even though Anthem is meant to bring out the best parts of playing as part of an online community, you can choose to play through the story with only your friends, or even on your own.”
He also discussed a bit about what the future holds, including something previously mentioned as “very Dragon Age”:
“It’s true—we’re trying something really different here. Anthem represents one way to deliver innovation and new experiences in the spirit of our mission. We also have teams envisioning future BioWare games, and they’re designing approaches that are different from Anthem—including one that’s very Dragon Age. As we try new things, I hope that you’ll come on the journey with us, and continue asking questions that will help shape Anthem into something we’ll all love to play.”
Anthem will be playable at this year’s E3 during EA’s Play celebration, and we’re expected to see even more actual gameplay revealed around the same time!
