Tag: Bioware
Soapbox 7 Things BioWare Needs to Fix to Rebuild ANTHEM
This is the ANTHEM, throw your patch up
Do you remember ANTHEM? I do. Despite Mass Effect: Andromeda’s disappointing release, I felt sure that BioWare would be back with a bang, with an attempt at the shared-world shooter, no less – my favourite genre. Of course, what we got just simply wasn’t good enough. Anthem launched last year as a...
News ANTHEM Is Being Reinvented Over the Coming Months, Says BioWare
Mech it happen
ANTHEM ain't dead yet, according to a new development update from BioWare. With the poorly received looter shooter's first anniversary happening later this month, the developer has broken its silence on what it wants to accomplish with ANTHEM moving forwards. General Manager Casey Hudson writes: " will require a more substantial...
News ANTHEM Still Has Christmas Decorations as BioWare Remains Silent on Future Plans
Season's greetin'
Oh ANTHEM, what even are you anymore? The disastrous looter shooter's creeping up on its first birthday, but unless BioWare works some kind of miracle, there won't be much cause for celebration. You may have seen it floating around the web already, but on this latest episode of 'Let's All Point and Laugh at ANTHEM', the game's...
News BioWare Rebrand Underway Following ANTHEM and Mass Effect Rumours
New and improved, hopefully
Adding more weight to the recent rumours that BioWare plans on rebooting ANTHEM and is currently in the early stages of developing a brand new Mass Effect title, the veteran developer appears to be rebranding itself. The company's official Twitter account is adorned
Rumour New Mass Effect Game in Early Development at BioWare
Massive effect
We know for sure that BioWare is currently working on the next Dragon Age -- commonly referred to as Dragon Age 4 -- but according to a lengthy report by Jason Schreier on Kotaku, that's not all BioWare has in the oven. Alongside what sounds like it could be a significant overhaul of the ill-fated
News Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster Rumour Was a Dud, as Expected
Carry on
Update: If you haven't already noticed, it's no longer N7 Day and there's no sign of a Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster announcement. Boooo! As expected, this rumour was a dud. But BioWare did come out and say that it wants to know what Mass Effect fans want from the franchise going forward. We wrote about that through here. Original story:...
BioWare, please
For the love of God BioWare, just remaster the Mass Effect Trilogy. Just do it. Tell EA that it's easy money. Just put the bloody games on PlayStation 4. It's been six years since Sony's console launched and we still don't have ports of the last generation's most beloved trilogy. What are you doing? It's 2019 (!!!) and we can't play...
News ANTHEM's New Mass Effect Skins are Probably the Coolest Things in the Game at This Point
But they ain't cheap
BioWare's added four Mass Effect-inspired skins to ANTHEM, just in time for N7 Day. And you know what? They're actually pretty cool. The Ranger gets a Turian skin, the Colossus gets a Krogan skin, the Storm gets an Asari skin, and Interceptor gets a Quarian skin. But of course, there's always a catch. There's no easy way to...
News Dragon Age 4 Lead Producer Leaves BioWare
A new age
Dragon Age 4, or whatever it ends up being called, is currently in development at BioWare. The game was put on hold as the developer wrestled with ANTHEM, but now, as far as we know, it's the studio's primary project. That said, we don't know much about it yet, and it'll likely be a while until we get any concrete details. Supposedly, the...
News ANTHEM Lead Producer Leaves BioWare
Another nail
ANTHEM lead producer Ben Irving -- who's appeared on many an ANTHEM livestream over the last nine months or so -- has revealed that he's leaving BioWare after eight years with the developer. Irving has basically been the spokesperson for ANTHEM since it launched -- he appeared at EA's E3 show to talk about the game's future. Of course,...
News ANTHEM Cataclysm Outrage Could Be the Death Knell for BioWare's Looter Shooter
Eye of the storm
Things are not looking good for ANTHEM right now. To be fair, things haven't looked good for months, but this latest tidal wave of disappointment could well be the final nail in the coffin for BioWare's looter shooter. At this point ANTHEM's downfall is incredibly well documented, but if you're somehow late to the party, allow us...
News BioWare Remains '100% Committed' to ANTHEM Following Developer Downsizing Speculation
BioWare reiterates its stance
Several key BioWare staff members have recently stepped away from ANTHEM, with the likes of executive producer Mark Darrah turning his attention to Dragon Age 4. Not exactly surprising news given how live service titles are usually handled, but there's been a lot of speculati
News ANTHEM Sheds Key Staff as BioWare Looks Towards Dragon Age 4
Let's hope it works out
Some of the most prominent figures throughout ANTHEM's lengthy development have now stepped away from the project. Lead producer Mike Gamble and executive producer Mark Darrah have both moved on, while lead director Jonathan Warner has taken temporary leave for personal reasons. This suggests that a much smaller team is now...
News ANTHEM Matchmaking Is Falling Apart, Seemingly Due to a Lack of Active Players
A slippery slope
Look, we don't want to necessarily kick ANTHEM while it's down (and let's face it, it's been down for a while), but we're now reaching a worrying point in the game's life. As reported across the title's official forums as well as boards like Reddit and throughout social media, the game's currently facing a bit of a matchmaking...
News Devs Give Update Following ANTHEM Patch, Key Features Are Delayed
"We believe in ANTHEM"
BioWare has issued a statement over on Reddit with regards to ANTHEM. The game's latest update has just launched, adding a fresh stronghold and some welcome quality of life changes -- but it's not all good news. As the developer focuses on further improvements, such as bug fixes and better game stability, it's noted that some...
News ANTHEM Player Survey Reveals Some Troubling Statistics
Remember ANTHEM?
ANTHEM only launched a couple of months ago but it already feels like the game has completely fallen off a cliff. BioWare's looter shooter failed to find any kind of momentum post-launch, partly because it was hit with a recurring barrage of bad press. The title no longer makes it onto the top 40 of the UK charts, and it barely...
News Dragon Age 4 Still 'Very Early' in Development, ANTHEM Reception Could Have a Big Impact on It
Not so hot
According to yet another Kotaku report, it sounds like BioWare has barely begun stitching the next Dragon Age game together. Based on anonymous comments from developers at the studio, the report states that Dragon Age 4 -- or whatever it ends up being called -- is still in "very early" production. You may remember that Dragon Age 4 got a...
News BioWare Responds to Damning ANTHEM Development Report with Studio Statement
"The creative process is often difficult"
Hot on the heels of Kotaku's in-depth report on the serious troubles of ANTHEM's development, BioWare has issued a statement. "We’d like to take a moment to address an article published this morning about BioWare, and Anthem’s development," it begins. "We chose not to comment or participate in this...
The list goes on
An impressively in-depth report on the development of ANTHEM has been published over on Kotaku. Based on statements from a number of anonymous BioWare employees, news editor Jason Schreier outlines the game's incredibly rocky road to release. The report also highlights poor working conditions behind closed doors at developer...
Deja vu
Really? Are we really doing this again? After just a few hours of relative optimism, the ANTHEM community is already going mental over the game's latest patch. Update 1.04 launched yesterday evening, promising improvements to loot and (gasp!) the removal of a particularly annoying loading screen. It all sounded great on paper, but in...
News ANTHEM's Massive 1.04 Update Is Here, Actually Removes a Loading Screen
Reforged
It's been a rocky old ride for ANTHEM, but this latest update should be a step in the right direction. Patch 1.04 is available to download now, weighing it at around 2.4GB on PlayStation 4. The update features a long list of adjustments, improvements, and additions, so we'll quickly run through the highlights. For starters, the patch...
News ANTHEM Launch 'Rougher' Than BioWare Expected, Says 'the Best Is Yet to Come'
Got a job for you, freelancer
ANTHEM's been out for a few weeks now, but it's safe to say that it's struggled to find its footing. From lukewarm critic reviews to increasingly prevalent gameplay issues, it feels like ANTHEM's barely had a chance to establish itself. However, BioWare says that it's still very much committed to the project, and will...
Soapbox ANTHEM Has Crash-Landed, and Now It Needs to Win Players Back
Lloyd analyses ANTHEM's rocky first few weeks
Hope is a fragile thing in the world of video games. For every E3 showcase and launch trailer, there are day one patches and server queues. It’s natural to want something to be better because only the coldest of hearts would wish failure on a creative endeavour that so many have poured so much into...
News Quick ANTHEM Update Improves Endgame Loot Chances
In tune
BioWare's made a quick tweak to ANTHEM's endgame loot system, making powerful masterwork and legendary items drop more frequently on Grandmaster 2 and Grandmaster 3 difficulty levels. Drop rates have also been increased when defeating harder enemies. "This includes: Legendary Titan, Epic Titan, Legendary Fury, Legendary Acid Ursix and...
News ANTHEM's Latest Update Has Broken the Game on a Fundamental Level
It just gets worse
Just when you think ANTHEM can't possibly be hit with any more bad press... This happens. In a huge post, Reddit user TermperHoof has called upon the power of maths to detail why the game's latest patch -- update 1.03 -- has essentially broken the progression system on a fundamental level. It's one heck of a read. Obviously we're...
Great
Okay, did anyone actually test ANTHEM's stat-based inner workings before the game launched? The controversy for BioWare's looter shooter continues as players have once again found a clearly unintended way to boost their damage output. And yes, we did write 'again'. Just last week, we reported on the fact that you could get basic weapons to do...
News ANTHEM Players Boycott the Game As BioWare Once Again 'Fixes' Increased Loot Drops
Fun for all of five minutes
Is ANTHEM ever going to catch a break at this point? Honestly, probably not, and this latest controversy has certainly had an impact on the game's hardcore community. You may recall that around the title's launch last month, there was a "bug" that increased the frequency of rare loot drops. Players were completing endgame...
Rumour ANTHEM Players Discover Starter Weapons Stronger Than High-End Gear
What on earth is going on?
A new day brings with it yet another issue with ANTHEM, and today's takes the form of players over on Reddit discovering that the weapons you obtain at the very beginning of the game deal more damage than Masterwork guns once you reach the endgame. We haven't had chance to test this in-game ourselves and without any word...
News BioWare 'Working Closely' with Sony to Fix ANTHEM's Unacceptable PS4 Shutdown Crashes
Crash and burn
This ANTHEM story has blown up over the last few days, and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down. In case you missed the news, ANTHEM currently has an issue on PS4 where the game can suddenly crash, and we're not talking about it just booting you back to the system menu -- we're talking full-on shutdowns that can do permanent...
News BioWare Is Aware of ANTHEM's PS4 Crashing and Console Bricking Issues
Can it do anything right?
ANTHEM just can't catch a break, can it? If it's not causing players to demand refunds or going down for emergency maintenance, it's now crashing and/or completely bricking PS4 consoles. As previously reported, Sony has issued refunds to a number of people after ANTHEM caused their system to shut off completely, and a...
News ANTHEM Servers Down for 'Emergency Maintenance'
Hang tight
ANTHEM's been running pretty smoothly since it launched last week on PS4. Barring the odd disconnect, there have been no major server outages as far as we're aware -- until now, that is. According to the game's official Twitter account, all servers are currently down for "emergency maintenance". Sounds rough, doesn't it? The timing's...
Poll One Week Later, Were the Reviews Right About ANTHEM?
How are you finding it?
ANTHEM currently sits at around a score of 60 on Metacritic across PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It's safe to say that the game's struggled, and for what was supposed to be a AAA Destiny-killer, you could argue that ANTHEM has been nothing short of a disaster for EA and BioWare. The game could well improve over time -- the developer...
News Changes to ANTHEM's Awful Loot System are Incoming
It's a start
An incoming ANTHEM patch is set to make meaningful adjustments to the game's frankly awful loot system. Overall, these changes should make grinding for good gear less tedious. The update, set to go live later today (that's the 28th February, for those reading this down the line), will apparently remove common and uncommon loot drops if...
Review ANTHEM - Fun Combat Can't Save This Unfinished, Terribly Structured Looter Shooter
Bungle in the jungle
ANTHEM feels like a beta. Despite featuring a full story campaign, the game as a whole feels stunted and unfinished. It feels tired, incohesive, and troubled. We can only assume that something went horribly wrong during its development, because it has all the hallmarks of a project that was gutted before being reworked and badly...
News ANTHEM Down to £35 in the UK Just Days After Launch
Weekend's over
Despite topping the latest charts, ANTHEM has struggled at retail in the UK. Its initial figures are below even Mass Effect: Andromeda's -- a game that was deemed something of a flop in its time. And now, as if to add insult to injury, Amazon UK has ANTHEM in stock for just £35 on PS4. <products id="9721" style="list"> Seeing...
News First ANTHEM Sales Info Suggests Retail Struggle in the UK
Out of tune
ANTHEM hasn't done too hot in the UK, according to initial sales info from industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, also known as ZhugeEX. We'll have more details soon, once the full UK charts are available, but right now, it doesn't sound good as far as BioWare's latest is concerned. According to Ahmad, ANTHEM only managed to sell around ten...
Soapbox ANTHEM's Load Screens are Killing the Game for Me
Time waster
ANTHEM's load screens shouldn't be allowed. It's as simple as that. You get to a point where it starts to feel like you're spending more time look at load screens than you are actually playing the game, and it's beyond frustrating. I've had ANTHEM on PS4 for a couple of days, and it's been a bit of a middling experience so far. After a...
Poll Have You Bought ANTHEM? What Are Your First Impressions?
Any good?
Well this was an obvious Friday poll, wasn't it? Out today on PlayStation 4, ANTHEM has been met with middling reviews and countless YouTube videos claiming that it's a steaming pile of sh*t. According to some, it's quite possible the worst video game ever made, but hey, we're... Kind of enjoying it so far. It seems okay. But these polls...
News Massive ANTHEM Day One Patch Should Smooth Out the Game for Its PS4 Launch
Hooray
ANTHEM's in a bit of a rough state right now on PC and Xbox. Based on what we've heard and read, it's not outright broken or anything, but the early access build could certainly use some work in key areas. Fortunately, by the time it launches on PS4 later this week, things should be quite a bit smoother. The game's getting a rather huge day...
News ANTHEM Early Access Immediately Hit with Widespread Connection Issues
Bodes well for PS4 release next week
ANTHEM is available to play right now on PC and Xbox One, but only with EA's early access mumbo jumbo. Or at least, it would be, if it wasn't already plagued by connection issues. The web is currently rampant with complaints, forcing EA's official help accounts on social media to say that it's aware of the...
News ANTHEM Launch Trailer Tries Its Best to Get the Hype Going
Sing it loud
What do you make of ANTHEM's launch trailer, then? Clocking in at around one minute long, it's not the lengthiest trailer in the world but it is well made, and it did manage to spark just a little extra excitement in us. That said, it's not quite launch for PS4 players, is it? There's some early access nonsense happening on PC and to...
Beginning at the end
ANTHEM's got its second in-depth pre-release trailer, this time highlighting the activities and rewards of the title's endgame content. It goes pretty much how you'd expect: you hit max level, finish the story, and you're free to put your skills to the test in a number of challenges, special missions, and co-op Strongholds. The...
Poll What Did You Think of the ANTHEM Public Demo?
Will you be buying the game?
The ANTHEM public demo is over, and we won't be seeing the game again until it launches later this month. The demo was available for three days or so over the past weekend, boasting a handful of missions, a co-op activity, and some free roam adventuring. What's more, players could try out all four of the different...
Soapbox The Problem with ANTHEM Is That the Storm Javelin Is Way, Way More Fun Than the Other Suits
Balancing act
There are four character classes in ANTHEM. You've got your rather standard Ranger, your tanky Colossus, your agile Interceptor, and your unmatched, Godlike Storm. There's a surprising amount of variety between them, but there's currently one glaring issue: every other class seems woefully boring when compared to the Storm. Everything...
News ANTHEM Public Demo Appears to Be Going Smoothly on PS4
So far
Just a quick update for those cautious of jumping into the ANTHEM public demo: it actually seems to be working quite well. There were reasonable fears that the demo would crumble as soon as it launched -- much like the VIP outing last weekend -- but it looks like connection errors are being kept to a minimum on PlayStation 4. That's the case...
Poll Will You Be Playing the ANTHEM Public Demo This Weekend?
Land of the freelancer
The ANTHEM public demo is set to go live in just a couple of hours (at the time of writing). Available to everyone via the PlayStation Store, the demo could end up being a make-or-break scenario for many players, so here's hoping that EA and BioWare get it right this time. We say that because last weekend's VIP demo was a...
News BioWare Still Working on Improvements for the ANTHEM Public Demo
Let's hope it works
BioWare's reiterated that it's still busy working on improving the "player experience" for the ANTHEM public demo, which goes live tomorrow. Following on from the disastrous VIP demo last weekend, the developer's put out a number of statements over the last five days or so, all of them basically amounting to "we'll try and fix...
News EA's Posted One of Those Awful Early Access Information Charts for ANTHEM
When can you play?
The internet's found a new punching bag, and it's a tweet from EA's official support account. As with many big budget releases these days, ANTHEM is playable early under specific circumstances. For example, Origin users on PC have the option of jumping in on the 15th February -- a week before the game launches elsewhere. There's...
News BioWare 'Humbled' By ANTHEM Demo Feedback, Is Working on Improvements for the Public Demo
Also teases an in-game surprise
The ANTHEM VIP Demo has come and gone, and it's left many with divided opinions, including ourselves. There's clearly potential in BioWare's shared world loot shooter, but countless technical issues have put a dampener on the hype -- at least to some extent. The developer says that it's working hard on fixing things...
Hands On ANTHEM Shows Promise in VIP Demo, But the Finished Game Needs to Be So Much Better
Rough around the edges
The ANTHEM VIP Demo weekend was a train wreck. Any hype for the thing was quickly buried beneath a mountain of technical issues, from connection errors and constant lag to infinite loading screens and game-breaking bugs. That said, EA and BioWare had managed to straighten stuff out -- at least partially -- by Sunday, and so we...
