Anthem will not have PvP at launch, says producer (update)

Anthem will not have a player-vs-player (PvP) option at launch, according to an executive producer at BioWare.

Mark Darrah began answering fans’ questions about Anthem following the company’s deep dive into the game at EA Play this afternoon. One fan asked if PvP will be available to players, to which Darrah confirmed it will not be — at launch. It’s unclear if that means PvP will eventually come to Anthem. Polygon has reached out to BioWare for more information.

PvP isn’t the only feature absent at launch. Players, in their role-playing choices, won’t be able to romance other characters, a staple of BioWare RPGs, particularly Mass Effect. Anthem’s lead producer, Mike Gamble, told Game Informer the company is looking to step back from the romantic stuff when it comes to Anthem.

BioWare used its lengthy time on-stage at EA Play to delve more into the game’s story mode, the lore and multiplayer options that players will encounter once the game launches. The team also went over the game’s core combat and exploration tool, an exo-suit called a Javelin, which players can equip while embarking on missions. There are four Javelins available, and each one comes with a set of specific tools for different scenarios.

Anthem will launch on Feb. 22, 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.

Update: BioWare executive Casey Hudson told Geoff Keighley on YouTube’s Live at E3 show that Anthem will not have PvP at all, and will focus solely on the PvE experience for players.