As BioWare gears to try their hand at the live services genre with Anthem, company heads have revealed a new Mass Effect game is likely. BioWare has previously hinted it will return to the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. However, the hints have never previously named either series outright.
Anthem’s executive producer Mark Darrah has stated that BioWare is “definitely not done with Mass Effect.” General Manager Casey Hudson reiterated their commitment stating,“I’m thinking all the time about things that I think will be great. It’s just a matter of getting back to it as soon as we can.”
The status of the franchise has been up in the air. The studio is now committed to Anthem, a game which will aim to have a long life cycle, if the longevity of its competitor Destiny 2 is anything to go by. Furthermore, a new game would have to revitalize the franchise following the disappointment of Mass Effect: Andromeda. Our review stated: “Andromeda often falls into a trap of tedium. It’s a shame because it could have been so much more.” Speaking in June 2018, Mark Darrah admitted the game was “deeply flawed” and cited a crowded launch as a reason for its failure.
Despite this insistence from BioWare’s higher-ups that a new Mass Effect game will come, in reality, the decision may not be up to them. Early in 2018, reports emerged that BioWare’s future under EA very much depended on Anthem. Whether the Mass Effect games would be developed under a new banner if EA axed BioWare, like it did Visceral Games, is unclear.
The game which potentially holds the future of BioWare in its hands, Anthem, is set to be released February 22, 2019. For those looking to team up with friends at launch, we compiled a guide detailing the game’s Alliance system.
[via Polygon]
