ANTHEM ain't dead yet, according to a new development update from BioWare. With the poorly received looter shooter's first anniversary happening later this month, the developer has broken its silence on what it wants to accomplish with ANTHEM moving forwards.
General Manager Casey Hudson writes: "[ANTHEM] will require a more substantial reinvention than an update or expansion. Over the coming months we will be focusing on a longer-term redesign of the experience, specifically working to reinvent the core gameplay loop with clear goals, motivating challenges and progression with meaningful rewards – while preserving the fun of flying and fighting in a vast science-fantasy setting."
In other words, BioWare will attempt to reshape the game -- at least to some extent. It sounds like pretty significant changes are coming.
Hudson continues: "To do that properly we’ll be doing something we’d like to have done more of the first time around – giving a focused team the time to test and iterate, focusing on gameplay first."
While we doubt that ANTHEM will undergo a complete and total overhaul, this is perhaps the most promising update we've had since the title launched 12 months ago. If BioWare really can "reinvent" ANTHEM and transform it into a much better game, then we're all for it. Hopefully we'll learn more about the title's future soon.
Until that time comes, Hudson says that the team will continue to keep ANTHEM ticking along in its current form, although it sounds like most of the studio's attention is now turned towards the aforementioned redesign, as you'd expect.
Do you think BioWare can turn ANTHEM around? Tell us if you have hope in the comments section below.
[source blog.bioware.com]
Comments 40
My reaction to this right now is "I'll believe it when I see it", but I still wish BioWare the best of luck. I honestly thought ANTHEM would be scrapped before it would pledge to reinvent the game.
BioWare: After many months, we are proud to show you our reinvented game, Anthem.
EA: Uhm...okay. Looks the same as ANTHEM.
Bioware: No, it's Anthem now.
EA: BRILLIANT! Good work. People will love it.
Bioware: Don't you mean, Brilliant?
EA: I see what you did there.
Interested that they're looking to improve it, I really badly wanted to like Anthem but apart from the flying mechanic it just looks so, so dull.
Wonder if reinventing the game will be delaying other projects though, as that would be a bit of a shame to be honest.
Wish them luck but it's going to be a tall mountain to climb. Will certainly check it out once it's released if for nothing else than just curiosity. Commented on the anthem article a couple days ago that I thought they should probably just move on but perhaps they can turn it around
That’s what we said before, wasn’t it?
Good opportunity for them to get it in better shape in time for next gen launch. Cash in on the console launch period where there is an inevitable drought of games.
They really could turn this around, you know.
I give them a ton of credit for trying to resuscitate the game. But the unpleasant reality of the situation is that so many high quality games come out and work right away that once the audience is burned I doubt you can ever recapture the large initial audience. Additionally, I am surprised they are going to do this with next gen under a year away where the player play will surely move on to PS5 games.
I'll give it a shot, at least deserve some credit for trying
Anthem: A Realm Reborn coming 2022 exclusively to Google Stadia 🤣🤣🤣
Will it matter though? I don't see many returning or jumping on board short of going free to play
Anthem wasn't actually that bad. It was mainly that the expectations were so high that people were let down.
I wouldn't be surprised if they can pull it off. If FFXIV was able to be turned into the best MMO ever after the disaster that it was initially, surely Anthem can be improved.
Should have never jumped on the looter shooter bandwagon, and stuck with what they were good at a long time ago - great single player story focused games. I understand wanting to try something new, but this looked like a microtransation cash-in attempt from the get go. Let it die and focus on Dragon Age, this game is dead.
Remake KoTOR you cowards!
I've seen some compare this to what HG done with No Man's Sky and i can tell you they are never reaching that level while EA is there, HG don't charge you for anything with everything being free with zero MTX or paid DLC and the level of update for NMS has made the game feel like No Man's Sky 2 or No Man's Sky 3 now.
I Still To This Day Wonder Why They Couldn't Have Been This Persistent With Mass Effect Andromeda
I think they've left it too late. We won't see an update for another few months and by then the remaining players will have moved on and found something new and better to play.
It worked for Final Fantasy 12 and No Man's Sky so why not.
@carlos82 tbh, all it needs is a) obvious improvements and b) a few YouTube influencers to start pimping it and it could draw people back. If you only have <10 games on the shelf in time for Christmas it could do okay...
@kyleforrester87 maybe, the issue I can see for them with next gen though is backwards compatibility, which will negate the usual lack of new games at launch. The Xbox in particular will probably have 300 plus games available on Gamepass for it day 1. For me either it should go free to play or just do a sequel with some serious rewards for those who supported it from launch
This might have been relatively welcome last year but THIS year... When new consoles and a bunch of heavy hitters are releasing, seems like just another waste of time and money yet again.
@carlos82 yup, still, if they are gunna turn it around, to do so in conjunction with next gen will be the best bet for them. People will want next gen games for their next gen systems. I bought some right weird stuff when PS4 launched - Battlefield 4 digitally for £50 🤷♂️
I do agree the backwards compatibility might play against that theory a bit, though.
@WallyWest But those guys have passion for their project. This was a triple A mess which has been put together in less then a year because of the horrible leaders.
Oh please, more than a year to finally acknowledge what every gamer knew after a few hours gameplay. Too little too late.
I bet they’re “reinventing” it by going F2P and putting micro-transactions everywhere like warframe.
Don’t get your hopes up, this is not bioware anymore...
Start by improving the worst load times of any game I have played this gen.
I can only wonder what this game would have been without any strict deadline or input (except investments) from EA. I mean, after a billion patches, ME Andromeda was pretty good.
With what player base though? Is it even going to be a worthwhile investment for them to change the game to make it actually enjoyable? I don’t see this drawing people back in, or bringing in new players. The general public have already made up their collective minds about this dumpster fire, so I say just let it die and try not to F up Dragon Age 4 or any more of their projects going forwards.
So basically there saying
"We are using the funds from people purchasing the pre alpha version, and we have been on holiday for a few months thus why there is still Christmas decorations up. We are now going to make a game that is not what you bought and you'll have to pay full price again for.
I think I we need to need a petition to replace all Anthem links and downloads links with “Let it Die.”
I hope they succeed at revamping this game, other games have managed so it’s possible they can. Sadly, I won’t trust Their word for it until it’s proven.
@Nakatomi_Uk how can a human twist this so bad?
I am still playing Anthem, and the community is asking for the things they are trying to rework. All the community wants to keep is the core combat (and power fantasy), flying, the world and the story elements. The rest can be completely reworked as they please to make it better.
And nowhere does it say they will ask a full price to existing players. It’s just the pessimism speaking out of you
Wow it has been a year already since this massive flop released LOL. I called it when they first announced the GaaS and glad it flopped. These GaaS are bad for the industry and I am glad gamers are starting to reject them. Ironically Jedi Fallen Order was a success as a single player game and Anthem would have been a success too if it was also sp.
I wanted to love Anthem when it came out, but I felt like the full release barely built on what was available to players in the beta. The core gameplay loop, especially for me as Interceptor, was hella fun, but the appeal was mostly from me making my own fun instead of doing anything rewarding.
I didn't experience all the content in the game, since I stopped playing after a bit over a week, but nothing made me want to continue playing or come back either, since I felt like I got everything I wanted out of the game. Hopefully that will change with this revamp.
It has to be f2p or its dead. I'll give it a shot if it does. If not, I'll pass.
Excited for anthem with new hat.
Ohh Anthem! What could have been!
I really loved the flying and fighting mechanics of the game. It is beyond satisfying when I'm priming then igniting a target. It's just that every other aspect of this game is dudu! Please BioWare, fix this game and lets make Anthem great....for the first time.
@tatsumi The combat and the flight are the best parts of Anthem, it's really amazing. I agree, I hope BioWare fixes everything else. Anthem has potential to be great, I hope Bioware turns this game around.
@Genrou Exactly! I'm already $60 in, make the improvements and people like me who already paid for the game will return.
@Splat gives Pillars a go man.
Anthem is a game I really enjoyed despite it's multitude of issues.
It was just batshit crazy fun that you could laugh at, and as someone who got a copy on launch for free and managed to sell it for a profit, my experience was I guess a lot more positive than most.
I want Anthem to do a No Mans Sky and redeem itself, and with Next Gen launch coming and players willing to play any game in that time where they are lacking new experiences, it would make sense to repackage and redevelop aspects of the game for the launch of Next Gen.
Hmm, so... months of nothing, and now they're suddenly going to "reinvent" the game over the coming months...
...just as Dreams becomes available.
Coincidence? I think not.
Online gaming is at an all time high and with so many that come out, if it's not good out of the gate, people just move on. Why wait when there are other games to play?
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