Disbanding all Freelancers.
Today is a sad day for any Anthem fans out there. After the promise of Anthem Next – the major rework of the flawed BioWare live-service title – EA has pulled the plug on the project. Anthem Next promised to rework the game’s loot-progression and endgame experience, which paled in comparison to other live-service counterparts.
Anthem promised an online world to explore that would be filled with alien wildlife, danger, and precious loot. In an attempt to stand apart from others within the live-service genre, the game also featured face-paced mech-combat allowing players to rain missiles and machine-gun fire from above as they roared through the skies in one of the game’s four classes. Yet, after a critical panning upon release, Anthem failed to live up to its competitors such as Destiny. Despite this, many found Anthem’s gameplay a fun way to explore an interesting and graphically impressive world.
Making the announcement, BioWare studio lead Christian Dailey stated:
“I know this will be disappointing to the community of Anthem players who have been excited to see the improvements we’ve been working on. It’s also disappointing for the team who were doing brilliant work. And for me personally, Anthem is what brought me to BioWare, and the last two years have been some of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my career.”
Dailey also mentioned the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on home-based production. Hinting at the future of the Anthem Next development team, Dailey discussed the “laser focus” needed for future titles such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect.
Dailey arrived on the project to head the reboot of the game following a reportedly hostile and rushed working environment on the lead up to its sketchy launch. Anthem Next may have lost power in its thrusters, but players still looking to fly the skies of its tree-laden landscapes will be able to as Dailey promises that the ongoing live service will continue “as it exists today”.
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