The Mass Effect-like Exodus 'is effectively D&D in space,' Hasbro CEO says

Exodus, the space opera RPG in development at Archetype Studios, looks very much like Mass Effect—in fact, we declared in April that "it couldn't look more like Mass Effect," based on the teasers we've seen so far. In a new interview with The Game Business, though, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks described it somewhat differently.

"It's a new IP, but it’s not unfamiliar ground to us. Exodus is effectively D&D in space," Cocks said. "We're familiar with role-playing games, and familiar with how to make good ones. It's a genre we understand."

I was initially inclined to be dismissive of that description: Exodus really looks a lot like Mass Effect, and I sure wouldn't call that D&D in space. But I suppose, taking the idea in a very broad context, it's an argument you might make: You and the crew roam around, go exploring, pick fights, hoover up loot, and eventually save the kingdom from the dragon. So, sure, D&D. Right?

Latest Videos From

Cocks is aware of Mass Effect, to be clear, and he also acknowledged that it's a specifically-shaped hole Exodus is looking to fill. "In 2018 this was true, but I think it's even more true in 2026… it's a space that hasn't had a good game in a long time," he said.

"It's been a while since Mass Effect 2 and 3. I think there's a big need in the marketplace for that, and we're certainly seeing that with the fan response. So, while it's kind of a bold and maybe a risky bet, my hope is that it'll be a good one."

Every videogame is a risky proposition, but I'm not sure "bold" applies to one that's taking such clear aim at a subgenre that was very successful not all that long ago, particularly when the studio that started the whole thing (its parent company, I suppose) seems largely uninterested in it: A new Mass Effect is nominally in development at BioWare but with each passing year it seems more distant and less likely—and maybe that would be for the best anyway.

It's arguable that BioWare's inability to kick the tires and light the fires illustrates that this is in fact a risky move for Archetype and Hasbro, but the audience is there—it's just waiting for someone to put on a good show.

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

EXODUS Gameplay: Deep in Ghost City - YouTube

Watch On

But even taking the inherent risks of game development into account, Hasbro's track record hasn't been great. Baldur's Gate 3 was a massive hit but Hasbro's role in it was pretty much limited to handing it over to Larian, and it's shown little ability to capitalize on that success in the years since. In 2025 it laid off most of the dev team behind the Sigil virtual tabletop because it failed to establish a "distinct monetization path," and earlier this week it was reported that a D&D game being developed by Giant Skull, a studio founded in 2024 by Star Wars Jedi: Survivor director Stig Asmussen, was cancelled by Hasbro earlier this year.

Exodus isn't slated to come out until sometime in 2027, but we'll be getting a closer look at it during this year's big Summer Game Fest weekend, on June 7 at the Future Games Show, and then on June 7 at the PC Gaming Show.