Exodus Developers Were Inspired by Mass Effect, Horizon and Metroid Prime – Game Director

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Fans of the *Mass Effect* games will find familiar elements in the new title, *Exodus*. In a recent Q&A, Chad Robertson and Chris King from Archetype Entertainment explained that *Exodus* draws inspiration from the original *Mass Effect* trilogy, as well as the *Horizon* series.

When discussing the inspirations behind their game, *Exodus*, Archetype Entertainment’s King mentioned *Mass Effect* frequently. He explained that the two share common elements, like a large-scale space setting and impactful choices that affect the story across multiple games. They also looked at combat systems in *Mass Effect* and *Horizon* for ideas.

Given the team behind *Exodus* also worked on *Mass Effect*, that influence is pretty clear from the game and its trailers. However, the inspiration from Guerrilla Games’ *Horizon* series is noteworthy. According to Robertson, *Horizon* helped the developers design effective elemental damage and create combat scenarios where players have to strategically adapt to different enemies.

The game, *Horizon*, focuses on strategic combat. You need to analyze enemies and use the right tools to defeat them. We’ve incorporated some really interesting ideas into this system.

King also mentioned that the classic game *Metroid Prime* was a big influence on *Exodus*. He explained that *Metroid Prime*’s emphasis on exploring vast, lonely environments helped shape how they designed the worlds players will discover in their own game. He particularly liked the feeling of isolation in *Metroid Prime* and how it made the environments more captivating.

The game *Exodus* is planned to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2026. This release timeframe was revealed in a February earnings report from Archetype Entertainment’s parent company, Hasbro. Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks also stated that *Exodus* will be the first game the company publishes on its own.

According to Cocks, the company has been actively investing in video game development for more than seven years, with over a dozen projects underway and more than 100 licensing agreements in place. They plan to reveal their first game, *Exodus*, in 2026.

Let’s take a closer look at one of the alien races you’ll meet in *Exodus* – the Arkavir. In the game’s story, the Arkavir were created by the Celestials to be the main workers in the Centauri Cluster, and they’re built to survive even the most dangerous conditions. What’s really unique is their ability to change their bodies to adapt to extreme environments, whether it’s scorching heat, freezing cold, or even corrosive acid rain.

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2025-10-16 18:48