During The Game Awards 2023, Matthew McConaughey took the stage to introduce his first-ever role in a video game. That video game is Exodus, the debut game from relatively new studio Archetype Entertainment (owned by Wizards of the Coast).
Exodus is currently in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
The studio promises a “next generation, story-driven RPG that marries cinematic storytelling with deep emotional impact featuring broad player agency and modern AAA gameplay.”
That’s a lot of video game marketing buzzwords, but the trailer gives off some great Mass Effect vibes, and some of the top talent working on the game were former developers at BioWare, including studio head James Ohlen (Dragon Age: Origins, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic) and Drew Karpyshyn (Mass Effect, Star Wars: The Old Republic).
In Exodus you play as the Traveler, whose mission is to steal alien technology from a powerful faction, the Celestials. But interstellar travel brings Time Dilation, meaning days for the player translate to decades back home. Choices and consequences are greatly impacted, literally shaping the future over generations.
“Exodus introduces an innovative new sci-fi world that forces players to face the consequences of their choices over time,” said Ohlen, Co-Founder and director at Archetype Entertainment. “We introduce the player, as the Traveler, to an original sci-fi universe, a world created with an incredible level of detail in collaboration with award-winning sci-fi authors. The gameplay setting and story we created is built around the impact of Time Dilation, a concept I’ve been fascinated with since I was 12 years-old. We use Time Dilation as a catalyst impacting the choices you make in-game that sets in motion events affecting your relationships with your loved ones, and your entire civilization, for generations.”
A release date has not yet been announced.
