Archetype Entertainment, the Wizards of the Coast studio founded by BioWare veteran James Ohlen, unveiled its debut game called Exodus at The Game Awards 2023.
The cinematic trailer was presented by none other than Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, who went live on stage to explain that he’d voice the main character in his first-ever performance for a videogame.
Exodus features a sci-fi setting where humanity has left a dying Earth to colonize the Centauri galaxy. Here, though, humans are constantly struggling to survive against many threats, chiefly a race called the Celestials. Players take the role of Travelers, who venture forth into the stars to seek technology and weapons that can be used to turn the tide against Celestials. However, the major twist is that making these journeys will confront players with the time dilation factor.
Traveling on interstellar missions at the edge of lightspeed, days for you are decades for friends and loved ones back home. Entire lifetimes may pass in your absence.
Choices you make create consequences changing the fate of those you love most — reshaping your world and changing the future of your entire civilization for generations.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a BioWare-inspired game if it didn’t have a strong focus on companions. Here’s the dedicated blurb from the official Exodus website:
From your homeworld, there will be those who share your Dynasty’s vision and flock to your cause. Among the Awakened and the Changelings, you may find some of your most loyal followers in the never-ending war against the Celestials. Choose the best among them to stand with you. No matter their origins, these Companions bring unique skills and backgrounds that will prove invaluable as you face the uncertainties of the universe together.
Exodus is in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X. There’s no release date in sight, so we might have to wait a few years. In the meantime, though, fans can sign up to join the Founders Program (essentially registering for the newsletter) and then submit a few questions via this Google Form. The developers will answer some of those questions via Archetype Entertainment’s social channels starting on Thursday, December 14.
