BioWare is a massive company with quite a few dedicated teams to work on different projects. At the same time, though, the developer has gotten in trouble (so to speak) in recent years for relying heavily on what’s been dubbed “BioWare Magic.” This slippery slope of a work practice relies on crunch time to not only finish, but start creating a game, seen in major titles like Anthem and Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Up until the release of Anthem, it seemed BioWare Magic always came through to save the day and the end product of the games it was creating. The entire Mass Effect trilogy felt the effects of this phenomenon, as well as Dragon Age: Origins. When it came to Anthem, though, the BioWare Magic ran out, leaving so many players unhappy that BioWare is currently restructuring the core gameplay, with the update dubbed Anthem 2.0. However, it seems BioWare has a lot on its plate right now with upcoming Mass Effect and Dragon Age titles, so the question stands—is Anthem actually worth it?
Anthem has been a glimmer in the eye of BioWare since 2012, right after the release of Mass Effect 3, and was released to the public in 2019. There was a lot of contention surrounding the game thanks to its less-than-accurate E3 gameplay reveal in 2017, which promised a lot more than it delivered. Graphically, the game looked stunning and incredibly advanced, almost more like a movie than a video game. Which, come to find out, was pretty much true—most of the gameplay showcased in the reveal was simulated and not actually true to the game itself.
There are plenty of YouTube videos that have done side-by-side comparisons of the E3 trailer versus the final version of Anthem available from retailers, showing just how different the retail product was from the reveal. While some changes are expected between a reveal and the final version of a game, the changes made to Anthem made it seem like the E3 trailer was promising something it couldn’t, and didn’t, deliver. However, hopes were high for this game, both within BioWare and with fan expectations, so it would be a shame to throw it all away, especially when other games have been able to do 180s and correct their launch issues.
BioWare has been working on Anthem since 2012, meaning it dedicated almost 7 years to this game (even if a lot of that was basically spent going in circles). The premise was promising, especially with impressive graphics and the introduction of Javelins—the suits players wear to endure the wildlife beyond Fort Tarsis. The developer had big plans for Anthem and sadly couldn’t deliver them in time, but enough outcry from fans has led to the development of Anthem 2.0, which the developer has delivered regular updates for on the BioWare Blog from Christian Dailey and the now-departed Casey Hudson. If Anthem 2.0 is completed correctly, Anthem could redeem itself from its horrendous launch and mixed reviews.
BioWare may be a big company, but even a massive company like that can spread itself too thin. While it’s true there are different development teams for each game, the new Dragon Age title has recently been thrown for a loop with the departure of Mark Darrah who was the executive producer of the franchise. That’s not to overstate his role—video games are made by a multitude, after all—but he is indeed a big name. With Darrah gone, Christian Dailey, previously in charge of Anthem 2.0, is now stepping in as the executive producer of Dragon Age. Inconsistent leadership has led to many issues in BioWare’s past, leading to many games having an unclear direction and then heavy reliance on BioWare Magic. Hopefully, that’s not the case, but time will tell.
Anthem, despite its impressive premise, may need to be pushed to the backburner to make way for the upcoming Mass Effect and Dragon Age projects BioWare has advertised in recent months. Mass Effect and Dragon Age fans have been waiting a long time for new additions to each franchise, especially with the mixed reviews that came with Mass Effect: Andromeda. The fact is, both of BioWare’s biggest franchises have a larger fanbase than Anthem—this isn’t to say anything about the quality of any of the games, but rather how long Dragon Age and Mass Effect have been around for.
It’s indisputable that, in order to survive, Anthem 2.0 needs to happen. Anthem cannot survive on its own without massive upgrades and updates to the core gameplay, which may not only fix its mechanics, but could also add in other popular BioWare features. However, Anthem’s time may have already come and gone, especially with no release date given for Anthem 2.0. Despite its many bumps and missteps, Anthem did still turn out to be a beautiful game, even if the campaign felt repetitive and the Javelins weren’t unique from each other.
It would be disheartening, but it may be time for Anthem 2.0 to be delayed, developed, and perhaps treated as more as a sequel. While many players were relying on this update to fix the game, it just may not be the right time for it. With BioWare currently looking for a new GM after Casey Hudson’s departure, and Christian Dailey becoming the executive producer of Dragon Age, there may be too much happening at once to ensure Anthem 2.0 gets the attention it deserves. The same can be said about the upcoming Mass Effect and Dragon Age titles as well—these games need a dedicated team with clear direction about what each game will be and how it’ll get there.
The time for BioWare Magic has long since passed, and tumultuous changes in leadership have often been a precursor to the reliance on that phenomenon. Anthem 2.0 doesn’t necessarily need to be cancelled to make way for Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age 4, but it could be a long while until players get their hands on Anthem 2.0 if each game truly gets the focus and attention it needs to produce a quality game right off the bat—no recalibrations necessary.
Anthem is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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