BioWare’s ‘Anthem’ Delayed as Pressure Builds Within the Studio
Video game publisher Electronic Arts had a tough 2017. From the glitched, unfinished disaster that was the launch of Mass Effect: Andromeda to the firestorm surrounding the highly-anticipated Battlefront II. EA’s name was consistently being dragged through the mud throughout 2017, except for one small glimmer of hope at E3 2017.
Anthem, EA’s response to Destiny universally captivated players regardless of their opinions on EA’s business practices. Coming from BioWare, the same developer as the original Mass Effect trilogy and Dragon Age, fans were giddy to get their hands on the studios take on a multiplayer action role-playing game in fall 2018. Today in an article from Jason Schreier at Kotaku a source close to the project revealed that the fall 2018 window was “never realistic.”
An announcement which while upsetting doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Actually, it’s an announcement that is almost being applauded by the gaming community. Patches released for Mass Effect: Andromeda post-launch made it clear that while there was a good game hidden under the bugs, the game was pushed out before it fully matured. Fans are speaking out in full support of the delay, possibly out of fear that another rocky release could mean the closure of yet another beloved studio.
Fully aware of the pressure on them with the release of Anthem, BioWare has shifted a bulk-share of their efforts to the development of this single title. Putting other games such as the next installment to the Dragon Age series on the backburner for the time being. Developers close to the projects have described the feeling within the office as “both optimistic and anxious.”
Which one are you leaning towards? Do you believe that Anthem will be able to live up the hype that was built around it after the E3 reveal? Or will it retroactively be added as yet another disappointment from EA in 2017?
Be sure to check out the source for this article linked below, for a great dive into just how crucial Anthem is for EA/BioWare.
Source: Kotaku
