Anthem recently took center stage at Electronic Arts' EA Play press conference, marking the start of E3 2018. While the game's initial reveal left many questions unanswered, this latest showcase detailed gameplay systems, progression, and its intertwined narrative. We may still have a lot to learn about Anthem, but it's premise is clearer than before.
Electronic Arts is positioning Anthem against online role-playing games like Destiny and The Division, requiring players to share its interconnected world. And while player-versus-player (PvP) combat won't feature, playing cooperatively is a key part of the experience.
Anthem promotes players to band together, though platform limitations may stand in the way. Executive producer on Anthem, Mark Darrah, has stated the game is "not currently" set to support cross-platform multiplayer, despite growing interest in the industry.
Not currently. https://t.co/IalGBNR19hNot currently. https://t.co/IalGBNR19h— Mark Darrah (@BioMarkDarrah) June 9, 2018June 9, 2018
The move to pass on cross-play isn't surprising – Electronic Arts isn't known for previously adopting the feature so far. Cross-play is still far from the norm, despite the lines between platforms starting to blur. In the meantime, you'll need to play where your friends are to get the most from co-op.
Anthem is currently on track for a February 22, 2019 release for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. Xbox One preorders are currently live, starting at $59.99 for the standard edition and $79.99 for the premium "Legion of Dawn" edition.
