BioWare "very disappointed" in Anthem launch issues
"We hear the criticisms and doubts. But we'll keep going anyway."
BioWare boss Casey Hudson has admitted Anthem's launch was "rougher than expected" due to various gameplay issues which did not reveal themselves until after the game was on shop shelves.
This, Hudson says in a frank new blog post, left BioWare "very disappointed, as were many of you".
Hudson's post recaps some of the work BioWare has done since launch - including the delivery of more than 200 improvements, such as the "notable changes to the loot drop rate" rolled out at the weekend. But it also acts as a reassurance to those still playing Anthem that BioWare will remain committed to the game.
Rather than wind down its plans, BioWare will continue to support Anthem "well into the future", with the game's first big Cataclysm event still on the horizon.
"This is all a learning experience for us, and as we work to make sure the game is improved and perfected, we can't emphasise enough how much we appreciate you staying with us," Hudson wrote. "Especially because the next stage is where things really get exciting.
"As we move through this most difficult period of launching a new game and IP, we are also working on the things that will really show what Anthem is capable of - a series of world events, new story content, and new features, that all build towards the Cataclysm later this spring.
"But we understand there is scepticism out there. We hear the criticisms and doubts. But we'll keep going anyway, working hard every day on Anthem - an ever-changing world, constantly improving and growing, and supported well into the future by our team of passionate developers."
Hudson closes by mentioning Anthem's status in a broader context - as an online-only experiment which fans should not assume will be a template for the next Dragon Age game or anything else after. It's a point BioWare has made several times before, but is worth repeating.
"With Anthem we're trying something a little different than we've done before," Hudson concludes. "And we're excited to prove that with Anthem, the best is yet to come."