Exodus Could Be the Mass Effect Competitor Fans Have Been Waiting For

Today marks the 13th Anniversary of Mass Effect 3 and fans are reminiscing the days of space exploration and narratives. The Mass Effect games have been a staple of the gaming industry since 2007 with the world’s introduction to Commander Shepard. Since then, the military sci-fi franchise has brought Shepard’s trilogy to a close and began a new one with Mass Effect: Andromeda. While the title may not have lifted off the way it was expected, BioWare and Electronic Arts are working on a new game featuring Mass Effect’s Liara T’Soni in a key role. No information regarding the development has been revealed since 2023, but rumors are swirling around the galaxy that a new game franchise could bring fans of the Mass Effect series back to space.

The franchise in question hails from the Austin-based company Archetype Entertainment, led by industry veterans from massive AAA studios. Many of these devs have worked on projects at Naughty Dog and BioWare. Published by Wizards of the Coast, Exodus will be the first installment in this new sci-fi franchise, with the project beginning production in 2020. As to what this AAA series brings to the table, let’s just say that players are looking for their Mass Effect fix could have the perfect treat.

Exodus Is The Mass Effect Fans Have Been Waiting For

RELATED: Exodus, New Video Game by Wizards of the Coast’s Archetype Entertainment

According to the Exodus game website, “The debut game from legendary RPG creator James Ohlen’s new studio is a next-generation, story-driven RPG that marries cinematic storytelling with deep emotional impact featuring broad player agency and modern AAA gameplay. The story is fueled by the consequences of player choices due to the impact of Time Dilation, and how they change the lives of those we love most.”

We’ve seen space take up a big spot within entertainment culture, as some of the best games and movies have dealt with galaxies far away. One movie that deals with Time Dilation is Christoper Nolan’s Interstellar, a personal favorite of mine. When this game was announced at The Game Awards 2023, Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey revealed that he would take on his first-ever role in a video game with Exodus, bringing the character of C.C. Orlev to life.

After the announcement in 2023, the developers have been constantly updating fans, known as Founders, in blog posts and short stories. The team has built an entire world without the title being released yet, which only represents their dedication to storytelling. For those interested in learning more about the history of Exodus, Archetype has a cinematic trailer that you can watch here and even has a book titled Exodus: The Archimedes Engine written by acclaimed sci-fi writer Peter F. Hamilton, which can be found here.

The anticipation behind this title is already starting to brew, especially after the gameplay trailer and its Secret Level episode on Prime Video. Personally, Exodus has been on my radar for quite some time, and considering this is the studio’s debut, it could be the start of a new, high-profile gaming series. We haven’t seen studios try to create new IP much lately, especially considering many publishers have franchises that are already well-known in the gaming industry. The Mass Effect franchise has such a massive following behind it, which was built from its dynamic narrative, fantastic characters, and good world-building. Seeing the trailers for Exodus, it seems that the stars are lining up for this to be a major success. While we haven’t had a mainline Mass Effect installment in quite some time, Exodus looks like it could match up to what fans loved about the BioWare series.

Developing a AAA franchise from the ground up is exciting to witness, especially one with so much passion and admiration behind it. The team at Archetype has already brought so much to the table and it’s only the beginning of what’s to come. Hopefully, Mass Effect fans will be pleased by this franchise and it will bring an entirely new experience that honors the sci-fi genre.

Exodus has no release date, but more information can be found on the Exodus website.