BioWare’s Anthem was one of the most disappointing releases of last year off the back of technical and creative issues during its long development cycle. Even after delaying its initially planned content roadmap indefinitely, the development teams have been working hard to get things back on track. However, reports emerged about a complete overhaul for the title.
A new blog post from BioWare GM Casey Hudson has confirmed those reports. Hudson noted that the team would be “focusing on a longer-term redesign of the experience” in the coming months.
“Over the last year, the team has worked hard to improve stability, performance and general quality of life while delivering three seasons of new content and features. We have also heard your feedback that Anthem needs a more satisfying loot experience, better long-term progression and a more fulfilling end game. So we recognize that there’s still more fundamental work to be done to bring out the full potential of the experience, and it 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. And 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.”
What does that mean for the current game? It will still be available but BioWare is shifting away from full seasons to work on the redesign. Events and refreshes to the store will still be in place. Players will also be able to revisit content from previous seasons and the Cataclysm. That will start later this month on the anniversary of Anthem’s launch.
Hudson ended his blog update by stating, “Creating new worlds is central to our studio mission, but it’s not easy. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we miss. What keeps us going is the support from players like you. Your feedback gives us guidance on how we can improve, and your passion inspires us with the courage to create. I look forward to working together with your involvement and feedback towards the best possible future for Anthem.”
Time will tell if this redesign works out but at least BioWare has provided significant proof that it isn’t outright abandoning the game. It doesn’t seem like the redesign will affect upcoming titles like the next Dragon Age but we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, check out our review for Anthem here.
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