Exodus from Archetype Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast got a brand-new trailer at The Game Awards today, showcasing much more gameplay footage and story details than we’d seen previously.
Originally revealed two years ago at The Game Awards on-stage by actor Matthew McConaughey, who plays a key character in the game, Exodus is an upcoming epic sci-fi RPG in development by veterans from across the game industry. Notably, many of its leaders are from BioWare and worked on the Mass Effect series specifically.
During a hands-off presentation recently, GamesBeat learned a lot more about what’s in store for players when the Unreal Engine 5-developed game launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in early 2027.
Immediately, the Mass Effect parallels are obvious. Beyond the surface layer similarities involving the sci-fi setting, third-person shooter style gameplay, and big focus on choices with consequences, it’s clear that Exodus shares a lot of the same DNA at its core.
The premise for Exodus is that in the distant future, Earth is dying and humanity must find a new home. That’s easier said than done, of course, as a dangerous Rot is spreading, putting life support systems and resources at risk. That’s where the player, a Traveler named Jun, comes into play.
From the presentation, one element that was emphasized heavily is how the time dilation mechanics will play a big role in shaping the story. In the fiction of Exodus, faster-than-light (FTL) travel is not possible, but similar to films like Interstellar, time does move differently for some characters depending on their location and speed of travel.
A major point of consideration is that all choices and missions the player chooses to go on will have consequences in terms of not only the decisions made, but also in terms of the passage of time and aging of characters. It remains to be seen just how impactul and wide-reaching this sort of system will be in the full game, but there are lots of possibilities for how it could affect the overall story and gameplay.
As one may expect for a game of this type, similar to BioWare games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, there will be a large cast of companion characters that will react and adapt to the player’s choices, and romance options will, of course, be available.
Exodus is gaining traction at a precarious time for BioWare, the studio many of Archetype’s veterans originated. Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet expectations after the Anthem debacle, and the next installment in the Mass Effect series has been in mysteriously quiet development for years.
Even though Exodus is still over a year away, it feels more tangible and concrete with its consistent cadence of reveals and details. Games like Baldur’s Gate 3 have proven recently that massive, sweeping RPGs full of choices and customization can absolutely still have huge success.