Anthem release is around the corner and people that have pre-ordered the game or have EA Premier can play the VIP demo on January 25th. If you are not one of those players then you need not worry as there will be an open demo later on as well. Bioware has confirmed that the game has gone gold and that it will release on the mentioned date. We also know that Anthem will have microtransactions.
The Anthem demo is available for pre-load, so you can download it in advance whether you are going to be part of the VIP demo or the open demo. Since the demos are coming out Bioware has been more vocal about the game and here we are going to look into the different things that we have learned about the game these past few days.
Anthem Microtransaction Details
Anthem will indeed have microtransactions. There is a premium currency called shards and in-game currency called coins. The Microtransactions are aesthetic only and will not affect gameplay. Anthem is not a play-to-win game and from what we have seen and heard so far, anything that you will be able to buy with shards, you can buy with the in-game currency as well. These are reports from when Bioware was still working on the system so things could be a bit different when the game releases.
Something that you might need to pay extra for will be the new Javelin suits. Bioware does not have concrete plans regarding this aspect of the game right now but if Anthem does get new javelins down the line then you might need to buy the premium currency in order to gain access to them. This will not have a major impact on the core mechanics of the game and you will still have 4 free Javelins at your disposal. Remember that this is something that Bioware has not finalized right now so stay tuned for more information regarding the matter.
16 Player Loading Bay
While you can explore the open world with your friends, Anthem did not have a social hub were fans could fool around with one another. Fans of the game provided their feedback and mentioned that such a feature should be there. Bioware has been listening to the fans and has announced that the loading bay area will act as a social hub and up to 16 players can gather there to show off their Javelins and mess about with emotes.
The feature will not be part of the demo but should be part of the launch game content. The following is what Bioware had to say about the feature:
After a mission, you can head back to Tarsis and catch up with some of the amazing characters we’ve created for you…OR…head back to the brand new Launch Bay, hang out with your friends, use the forge, reload and grab a new contract. Yeah, we listened to you… details soon!
If you are interested in playing the game then be sure to check out our guide that walks you through the different kinds of javelins that are available in the game and what each one has to offer.
Let us know what you think of Anthem microtransactions and whether or not you are interested in playing the game when the demos go live.