BioWare's New IP Is A "Science Fantasy" Game Like Star Wars And Unlike Mass Effect

BioWare's new IP, Anthem, is in the "science-fantasy" genre like Star Wars instead of the science fiction genre like Mass Effect. This is according to BioWare GM Aaryn Flynn, who spoke to CBC about what genre the game falls into and how it compares to the studio's past work.

"It's in a genre we call science fantasy," he said (via NeoGAF). "Very much like Star Wars, very much like the Marvel Universe where you see a lot of amazing things happening but we don't worry too much about why they are happening or how they're happening; the science of it.

"Mass Effect is a more a real hardcore science-fiction IP [but Anthem] is much more about just having fun in a game world that lush and exotic and really sucks you in."

Anthem was announced at E3 2017. Developed by BioWare Edmonton, the studio behind Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Anthem is an action game set in a "vast open world." The game pits players in the role of a Freelancer tasked with exploring unknown planets and protecting humanity. You'll be able to outfit your Freelancer with customisable exo-suits called Javelins, which can be equipped with a range of new gear you either craft or acquire.

The game is being "built around a live service" and features a heavy emphasis on cooperative play. EA has confirmed that up to four players can team up to complete missions together. You can listen to the full CBC interview to learn more about BioWare's thoughts on the project.

Like a number of other of titles, the game will run in 4K and feature other enhancements when played on Xbox One X. You can watch the full gameplay demonstration from Microsoft's E3 press conference here.

Anthem is scheduled to launch in Fall 2018 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. You can see all of GameSpot's previous coverage including videos and written content here.