Exodus' Writer Wants to Make the Mass Effect Successor's Side Quests so Good You Won't Care if You're Rewarded for Doing Them

Why It Matters

By prioritizing narrative‑driven side content, Exodus could raise industry standards for quest design, influencing future RPGs to focus on quality over sheer quantity. This approach may also improve player engagement and retention, boosting long‑term franchise value.

Key Takeaways

• Exodus aims for meaningful, optional side quests.
• Rewards are secondary to narrative relevance.
• Side quests integrate themes and companion stories.
• Development balances depth with realistic game length.
• Release slated for 2027.

Pulse Analysis

The quest design philosophy behind Exodus reflects a broader shift in RPG development toward player‑centric storytelling. While many titles inflate playtime with repetitive fetch missions, Archetype Entertainment is betting on depth, ensuring each side activity enriches the core narrative. This strategy aligns with growing consumer fatigue over content bloat and leverages the legacy of Mass Effect’s strong character‑driven plots, promising a more immersive experience that rewards curiosity rather than grind.

Integrating side quests with thematic elements and companion backstories serves multiple purposes. It deepens world‑building, gives players agency to explore nuanced storylines, and creates organic opportunities for character development. By tying optional content to the main plot’s emotional beats, Exodus can maintain narrative cohesion, reducing the disconnect often felt when side missions feel detached. This design choice also encourages repeat playthroughs, as players may discover new layers of story through different quest pathways.

Balancing ambition with realistic scope is crucial for a 2027 launch. Karpyshyn’s acknowledgment of the pitfalls of a "thousands of hours" game signals disciplined project management, likely resulting in a polished, tightly curated experience. Such restraint can translate to higher production values per hour of gameplay, better critical reception, and stronger post‑launch support. As the industry watches, Exodus could set a benchmark for how quality side content drives both player satisfaction and commercial success.

Exodus' writer wants to make the Mass Effect successor's side quests so good you won't care if you're rewarded for doing them

Image credit: Archetype Entertainment

You know, you'd think that with decades worth of RPGs in existence, side quests would have been more or less figured out by now. And yet, there are still enough games releasing that seem more interested in going for quantity over quality. But for the devs over at Archetype Entertainment, the goal is to make the side quests in their upcoming sci‑fi jaunt Exodus not feel just “tacked on.”

Speaking to GamesRadar, former Mass Effect writer and current Exodus narrative director Drew Karpyshyn explained that side quests are more about “trying to give players the chance to explore what they want to explore, that will add to the main story.” He continued, “We definitely don’t want you to feel like you’re doing it because you’re obligated, like ‘I need those three points to get my next level on this skill, so I guess I’ll do it.’ We want side quests to be something you would do even if you weren’t getting a reward – you’re going to get rewards, of course, it’s a game, but we want you to feel like ‘This is something I’m interested in, this is something I want to explore.’”

Karpyshyn noted that, in turn, Exodus’ side quests are tied into its themes and companions you may have. “It’s tied into interesting aspects of our game that maybe don’t get explored as much on the critical path, but you can see them,” he explains. For Karpyshyn it’s that age‑old tricky thing of deciding where is best for the team’s focus, as they know they can’t add whatever they want without the risk of the game becoming “thousands of hours [long], which sounds great in theory, but isn’t realistic.”

Personally, a game that’s thousands of hours long sounds like a nightmare to me, so I’m happy to see some amount of restraint being enacted here. As it currently stands, though, it’ll be a while before we find out if Archetype succeed in making good side quests, as it’s not due out until some time in 2027.