BioWare’s Casey Hudson has revealed that Anthem is about to get a major overhaul in Anthem 2.0, putting any upcoming content on hold as the game gets a clearer focus of what BioWare intended Anthem to be.
Since the release of Anthem, it has been clear that the game has struggled to meet player expectations, being hit with heavy criticism about the core gameplay itself, hammering it down with troubled loot drops, lack of content, and a lack of focus on the overall endgame itself.
Events have been ongoing, giving a few small ones from time to time, allowing fans to enjoy various takes on the Cataclysm event itself. In their recent announcement, BioWare General Manager, Casey Hudson, has revealed that Anthem is about to go on a bit of a dry spell for the foreseeable future, stating that “It has been a thrill for us to see the creativity of our players in designing customized Javelins and watching them master Anthem’s flying and fighting gameplay. I am so proud of the work the team has put into this game, and at the same time, there’s so much more that we – and you – would have wanted from it.”
Since its release, BioWare has worked hard, shipping out constant updates in order to provide critical improvements to the game including quality of life, stability, performance, and even newer features including Cataclysm-themed content and various new features throughout the year. However, Hudson has revealed that things are about to take a substantial change: Updates are about to slow for the time being.
The team is hard at work, preparing to rebuild Anthem from the ground up in their latest update as revealed by Hudson in his latest statement, “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.”
In the latest post, Hudson reveals that the current version of Anthem will remain current, allowing the team to move away from full seasons in order to focus on Anthem 2.0. Something that seems will be akin to that of No Man’s Sky Next, allowing fans to have a clearer vision of what they are doing, and open up the game even more. During this time, fans will revisit previous seasonal and Cataclysm content, allowing them to obtain items that they might have missed.
You can check out the full statement down below:
“One year ago, we were preparing to launch Anthem – a game that represented a big leap into new territory for us as a studio. It was an exhilarating and terrifying experience to go out to the world with something new and different, and we are grateful to all the players who have come along with us on the journey. It has been a thrill for us to see the creativity of our players in designing customized Javelins, and watching them master Anthem’s flying and fighting gameplay. I am so proud of the work the team has put into this game, and at the same time there’s so much more that we – and you – would have wanted from it.
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.
In the meantime, we will continue to run the current version of Anthem, but move away from full seasons as the team works towards the future of Anthem. We’ll keep the game going with events, store refreshes, and revisiting past seasonal and cataclysm content – starting with our anniversary towards the end of the month.
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.
Casey”
But it makes us wonder: Is it really worth trying to save Anthem at this point or is it time to move onto a brand-new title?
Check out more of cover of Anthem today:
- Anthem: Things you need to know before starting Anthem
- Anthem: Understanding Combos, Primers, and their Detonators
- Anthem: How to become an elemental fury with the Storm Javelin
- Review: Anthem – An amazingly beautiful, and fun adventure
Anthem is now available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
About the Writer(s):
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the borders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter or Facebook.