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Ex-BioWare Studio Archetype Shows Mass Effect-Style Gameplay for Exodus

A 40-minute gameplay video of Archetype Entertainment's sci-fi shooter Exodus surfaces days after reports that BioWare was shut down and Mass Effect 5 scrapped.

newest coverage 13d agosummary written 12d ago4 pieces MastodonNewswiresGoogle News

What to know

  • Archetype Entertainment, staffed by former BioWare developers, released an unusually long 40-minute gameplay video of its sci-fi shooter Exodus.
  • The release came amid reports that BioWare had been shut down and Mass Effect 5 cancelled, prompting speculation about the timing.
  • Kotaku's analysis documents extensive mechanical and visual parallels to Mass Effect, including a mass-relay-like structure, combat wheel, and companion loyalty system.

“You all wanted a Hanar companion in Mass Effect so here you go”

Ash Parrish, Kotaku writer, describing fan sentiment · Kotaku ↗ · Oct 29

Archetype Entertainment Developer of ExodusAsh Parrish Kotaku writerBioWare Shut-down studio referenced as context

Ex-BioWare Studio Archetype Shows Mass Effect-Style Gameplay for Exodus
kotaku.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 4 pieces in 3h at Oct 30, 12 PM; 4 pieces over 14 days (2 articles · 2 posts) Oct 30, 12 PM — 4 pieces · 2 articles · 2 posts — Mastodon 2, Google News 1, Newswires 1Oct 30, 3 PM — quietOct 30, 6 PM — quietOct 30, 9 PM — quietOct 31, 12 AM — quietOct 31, 3 AM — quietOct 31, 6 AM — quietOct 31, 9 AM — quietOct 31, 12 PM — quietOct 31, 3 PM — quietOct 31, 6 PM — quietOct 31, 9 PM — quietNov 1, 12 AM — quietNov 1, 2 AM — quietNov 1, 5 AM — quietNov 1, 8 AM — quietNov 1, 11 AM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 5 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 2 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 8 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 2 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietNov 7, 2 AM — quietNov 7, 5 AM — quietNov 7, 8 AM — quietNov 7, 11 AM — quietNov 7, 2 PM — quietNov 7, 5 PM — quietNov 7, 8 PM — quietNov 7, 11 PM — quietNov 8, 2 AM — quietNov 8, 5 AM — quietNov 8, 8 AM — quietNov 8, 11 AM — quietNov 8, 2 PM — quietNov 8, 5 PM — quietNov 8, 8 PM — quietNov 8, 11 PM — quietNov 9, 2 AM — quietNov 9, 5 AM — quietNov 9, 8 AM — quietNov 9, 11 AM — quietNov 9, 2 PM — quietNov 9, 5 PM — quietNov 9, 8 PM — quietNov 9, 11 PM — quietNov 10, 2 AM — quietNov 10, 5 AM — quietNov 10, 8 AM — quietNov 10, 11 AM — quietNov 10, 2 PM — quietNov 10, 5 PM — quietNov 10, 8 PM — quietNov 10, 11 PM — quietNov 11, 2 AM — quietNov 11, 5 AM — quietNov 11, 8 AM — quietNov 11, 11 AM — quietNov 11, 2 PM — quietNov 11, 5 PM — quietNov 11, 8 PM — quietNov 11, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quiet 1
Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9Nov 10Nov 11now · 2:03 AM ET
  1. 1

    Kotaku details Exodus's close parallels to Mass Effect

    Ash Parrish's piece walks through the demo's combat wheel, color-coded health/armor/shield bars, companion disposition UI, branching dialogue, and a mass-relay-like structure, arguing the game is an overt Mass Effect spiritual successor.

    “It’s about as subtle as a brick to the face.”
    — Ash Parrish
  2. background

    Archetype Entertainment posts 40-minute Exodus gameplay video — The studio, founded by ex-BioWare devs, released an extended gameplay demo of its third-person sci-fi shooter Exodus, showing protagonist Jun Aslan and his crew liberating an orbital platform's frog caretakers, the Kay, from a hostile human faction.

  3. background

    BioWare reportedly shut down, Mass Effect 5 scrapped — Coverage references that BioWare was closed and Mass Effect 5 had been cancelled, framing it as corporate malfeasance, shortly before the Exodus video surfaced.