Exodus Confirms Early 2027 Launch at TGAs, RPG From Ex Mass Effect Devs

If you tuned into Geoff Keighley’s The Game Awards two years ago, you may recall a game by the name of Exodus.

Yes, it was the one starring Matthew McConaughey in his first video game role.

Well, the Archetype Entertainment title has now returned to the prestigious awards ceremony, launching a new trailer for the upcoming title that reveals Exodus’ coveted release window.

To bring you up to speed, Exodus is an upcoming third-person action-adventure RPG that we now know is set to land in early 2027.

Archetype stopped by The Game Awards to drop a fresh look at the game, although Exodus has hardly been quiet for the last couple of years.

Exodus is the first gaming outing for the IP, but Archetype has been building out this universe via a tabletop RPG, series of novels, and a Secret Level episode.

The game’s story will centre around protagonist Jun, who can be male or female depending on the player’s preference.

Exodus, Credit / Wizards of the Coast

Set within the 23rd century, humanity has set up life 15,000 light years away from Earth having been forced to flee from the planet.

Jun is a lowly scavenger, albeit one who can tap into celestial abilities, granting him immense power - and Jun will need to use that power if he’s to stop a devastation known as The Rot.

Celestials are the enemy of humanity, but interestingly were also once human, essentially having set up life in space first.

Exodus Is The Brainchild of Several Former Mass Effect Developers

Ahead of The Game Awards reveal, GAMINGbible had the opportunity to sit down with several of Exodus’ developers: Drew Karpyshyn, Chad Robertson and Chris King.

Karpyshyn was the lead writer on Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.

Exodus is, much like Mass Effect, a true space opera, and it includes many familiar RPG mechanics.

Players will make many pivotal decisions that impact the game’s story, and there’s also Jun’s reputation to take care of.

Exodus does indeed boast a reputation system where Jun can build up influence with a number of factions.

As for those pivotal decisions, well, developers explained that the impact of those decisions sets Exodus apart from, say, the aforementioned Mass Effect.

Much like the film Interstellar, Exodus is heavily concerned with time dilation.

I won’t delve into the science but it essentially refers to the difference in elapsed time as measured by two separate clocks.

If Jun journeys to another system, for example, it may take him five years, but 15 years might have passed on his home planet.

Player choices will be reflected in those differing timelines; you could make a decision within the game, return from an excursion, and witness the 15-year fallout of your choice.

“Every adventure comes with a cost,” said Karpyshyn, adding that time dilation is one of the “unique defining traits of our universe”.

Developers explained that they wanted players to clearly see and feel the agency and impact they have on Exodus’ story.

As for combat, that’s been designed with a variety of approaches in mind.

If you want to blast through as many people as possible, you can do so, but so too can you opt for a stealthier approach.

Companions Are a Key Aspect of the Game

Yes, players in Exodus will build out a team which, in time, you’ll be able to skill up, unlocking some exciting synergies.

Salt was highlighted by King as an internal fan-favourite, an octopus with impressive stealth abilities and dry humour.

And yes, you can romance members of your team - although Salt isn’t an option, with devs confirming that she’s not at all interested in humans.

Exodus, Credit / Wizards of the Coast

The aforementioned McConaughey portrays CC Orlev, somewhat of a mentor to Jun who’s mysterious background unfolds throughout Exodus’ story.

Mass Effect 5 is, of course, on the way from BioWare, but Exodus is clearly giving it a run for its money.

There’s still a way to go until this one’s ready for launch - wahey - where it’ll land on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Even still, I’m incredibly on board with the vision that’s currently being sold. We’ll be keeping a close eye on Exodus’ progress.