EA is hiring a Senior Loot System Designer for Anthem. The position is up on Electronic Arts’ job listing site. Whether this is a now vacant position or one that’s entirely new, this is a response to feedback on BioWare’s recent mediocre looter-shooter.
“BioWare is looking for an [sic] creative and passionate Senior Systems Designer with experience in Loot Systems,” reads the posting. The right applicant will join up at BioWare’s Austin or Edmonton offices to work on Anthem specifically. The job will require “building a truly great server side loot system,” it continues. One “that is scalable, has modern concepts like streak-breaking, and easily modifiable data formats. A great loot system ensures that the players have predictable experiences that can be measured with data.”
This situation is a bit odd. For one, it’s strange that a company needs one position to overlook a loot system. I’d imagine this is something the team should often discuss while gathering feedback from the community. One full job with pay and benefits seems a little overboard. However, if this is what’s necessary to put Anthem back on track then so be it. I’m all for more jobs in the industry and for better games as a result of that.
One might think it’s too late for Anthem to make a comeback, but recent games have shown it’s never too late. No Man’s Sky is a fantastic example, with the game having made great strides since its disastrous launch back in 2016. While the game started with next to nothing, it has since evolved into a fantastical multiplayer experience that’s even playable in VR. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and the original Destiny are other great examples.
Anthem is an enigma. The game had terrible work conditions and is one of the latest tales of the terrible circumstances we see in the games industry. We’ve also got a feature on how the game would be better off by going free-to-play. Check em out!
