Has BioWare’s Anthem been in the works since 2014?

Last month at E3, during Microsoft's keynote for Xbox Games and the Scorpio, BioWare took to the stage to debut their long in-development sci-fi adventure game, Anthem. Anthem is sort of a "return to form" for BioWare, as it's being developed by the core team at BioWare, the same team responsible for the original Mass Effect, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire.

Driving that point home even further, is the return of BioWare vet, Casey Hudson, who's come back to fill the role as General Manager of BioWare, replacing Aaryn Flynn, who decided to leave the company. On the BioWare company blog, Hudson wrote a post about his return, wishing Flynn well spoke about the future going forth. He also said something about Anthem and its "groundwork."

"I'd also like to wish my good friend Aaryn Flynn the very best in the future. Aaryn and I have worked together from the earliest days of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, to setting the foundation for Anthem. We've been through a lot together, and we're all going to his presence at the studio."

Does this mean that prior to Hudson leaving BioWare back on August 7, 2014, that the team had already started working on Anthem? It's possible, but it could also just mean that by building the foundation, Hudson simply meant getting the right team and culture in place and having the technology to build such a game. Granted, it could very well be as literal as Hudson said it and he, Flynn and the BioWare team had already begun layout out the idea for this Star Wars type epic.

Anthem is due out next year and BioWare promises the game will be fun and more about exploring a world that is lush and exotic and less of a "real, hardcore Science-Fiction game." Meaning, there will be awesome things going on, a lot of cool stuff happening around you, but you don't need to worry about the science of how or why.

Anthem is due out next year on Xbox One (S and X), PS4 and PS4 Pro as well as PC.