BioWare prepares for the Anthem Open Demo with list of fixes from VIP Demo
Following this weekend’s VIP Demo for Anthem, BioWare has a list of fixes to be made before the start of the Open Demo.
To call this weekend’s Anthem VIP Demo “rocky” is probably an understatement. But that’s exactly how BioWare’s Head of Live Service Chad Robertson described it both this weekend and in his summary of the “eventful” weekend.
This weekend’s Anthem VIP Demo gave us our first look at this brand new universe and what awaits beyond the wall. Well, sort of.
A myriad of issues plagued the overall experience. From platform connection issues to “Infinite loads,” Anthem‘s first test didn’t exactly go as planned. The good news is, BioWare “learned a ton about our game, our service, and you, our community,” Robertson reasoned.
“We’re working hard to ensure everyone can enjoy the game exactly as we’ve designed it,” he promised in his weekend summary post.
Crunch time isn’t over for BioWare just yet, though. With the Open Demo set to take place this weekend, the developers are hard at work on a list of issues that need to be sorted out before the general public gets a chance to go hands on.
Robertson specifically listed the following things that are currently being addressed (or that were already addressed during the weekend):
- Entitlement bugs
- Server performance updates to address much of the rubber-banding
- Fixes for infinite loads and more being investigated
- Platform bugs to validate Javelin unlocks
- Client and platform login bugs
BioWare is particularly focused on the “Infinite load” problems, which were a major source of frustration for many players during the VIP Demo. Robertson said they’ve been doing “more scale testing this week, particularly to be ready for the opening rush of players on Friday.”
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Over the weekend, Robertson shot down accusations that BioWare was unprepared for the number of players. He was adamant that the problems experienced by many were not caused by “under-planning for server capacity” and even specifically addressed three of the main issues.
Robertson also noted that there is a “long list of things that are already fixed that won’t make the public demo weekend,” including the following:
- Weapons with 0% infusions
- Weapons with bonus that applies to different Javelins
- Plot integrity / party gather issues
- Changes to Javelin unlock behavior
- Fixes for losing XP at end of some expeditions
- Performance Improvements
- Additional stability fixes
- A Social Hub: The Launch Bay
The Launch Bay social hub was actually shared on social media by Anthem lead producer Michael Gamble. Similar to the Tower in Destiny, the Launch Bay will provide a place to “hang out with your friends, use the forge, reload and grab a new contract.” Players were initially taken aback to discover that Anthem originally had no such place, but BioWare acted swiftly and listened to feedback.
light. Related Story. Seven big differences between Anthem and Destiny 2
Anthem‘s Open Demo will take place this weekend, running from Friday, February 1, through Sunday, February 3. Unlike the VIP Demo, the Open Demo will be open to anyone who wants to try out the game – no requirements. It will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
This weekend’s Open Demo will presumably be the final chance you get to experience Anthem before its launch on February 22, 2019.