Anthem took to the stage at Electronic Arts' EA Play conference, kicking off a week of video game news at E3 2018. Headlining the publisher's showcase, the upcoming shared-world action role-playing game (RPG) has gained sizeable attention – framed as a "Destiny-killer" in the industry. While details on have been limited, the briefing finally provided breakdowns of gameplay mechanics, narrative, and progression.
So far Anthem's gameplay has focused solely on cooperative player-versus-environment (PvE) gameplay, with no sign of player-vs-player (PvP) modes. Answering questions from fans following the showcase, Anthem executive producer, Mark Darrah, has confirmed it will not feature in any manner.
No PvP at launch https://t.co/nbs5GzS7gENo PvP at launch https://t.co/nbs5GzS7gE— Mark Darrah (@BioMarkDarrah) June 9, 2018June 9, 2018
Expanding on the decision, Darrah claims this allowed the team to "go broader on gear and weapons," without worrying about balancing player encounters. Furthermore, there are "no current plans" to implement PvP systems in later updates, doubling down on its cooperative focus.
Anthem appears to be taking a different approach to rival titles like Destiny and The Division, purposely excluding this style of play. Cooperative has clearly been built as the focus of gameplay, which should mean deeper systems around this.
Make sure catch up on the Anthem E3 2018 reveal, where Electronic Arts debuted a new trailer, gameplay, and information on core mechanics. The game currently on track for a February 22, 2019, release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
