The new online shooter Anthem does not rely on loot boxes, but there will be opportunities to spend money in-game for cosmetic fluff. Also removed: romances and PvP. Twinks are not needed, and there doesn’t have to be a second part. What does it offer to the players instead?
Forget about loot boxes: During the EA Play, there was a “Deep Dive” into Anthem. It was clearly stated that Anthem will not have loot boxes. However, there will be cosmetic items, known as “Vanity Items.” Players will be able to buy them directly, without opening a box in the hope that the right item is inside.
You can’t spend money to become more powerful: Mark Darrah from BioWare also emphasized that there will be no way to pay to become more powerful.
Lessons learned from Battlefront 2: In 2017, Electronic Arts clearly felt the wrath of the players when they connected loot boxes to the gameplay progress in “Star Wars Battlefront 2.” They claim to have learned that lesson. Now players can see the results of this lesson also in new games.
Co-op and friendship instead of PvP and romance
PvP initially removed: Additionally, Anthem will refrain from PvP for the time being. They want to emphasize the co-op elements of the game more. However, it is not excluded that PvP may eventually be added to Anthem.
Romances are also out: Anthem will not offer romances as players are used to from BioWare. However, friendly relationships with certain characters will be present.
The game will be developed for years: What Anthem offers is a further development of the game. BioWare is somewhat traumatized after Mass Effect Andromeda. That game could not be supported over the years as planned. With Anthem, exactly that is planned. The game should be built in a way that it can be expanded for years. New moments with characters, new world events, or even a new storyline can be brought into the game.
Anthem: No Twinks, no sequel
One Anthem should be enough: No further Anthem titles are planned – like with Destiny. One title that will be continuously expanded should suffice. They will likely rely on DLCs – this is the same concept as with The Elder Scrolls Online.
One character should suffice: Anthem starts with 4 different exosuits, that is the classes. However, you can switch suits between missions. Therefore, it is not necessary to play a second character.
Crossplay in Anthem is still open: It is still not determined whether players can play across platforms.
No info on a beta for Anthem: When it comes to the question “Will there be an open beta for Anthem?” the developer remains silent.
Anthem will probably only run at 30 FPS on PS4 and Xbox One
30 FPS for PS4 and Xbox One: There is still no definitive answer. The developer simply responds to the question “30 FPS?” with “30 FPS.” This suggests that Anthem will be locked at 30 FPS on PS4 and Xbox One. However, this does not apply to PC. The PC achieves higher frames. But that’s a somewhat too casual answer for such a sensitive issue – a more formal confirmation is awaited.
What about Anthem and the Nintendo Switch? There are no plans for a port of Anthem on the Switch.
Anthem will be released on February 22 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
