Chris Cocks, CEO of Hasbro, expressed considerable optimism regarding the upcoming game from former BioWare developers.
Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks recently featured on The Verge’s Decoder podcast, where he delved into the company’s future ventures, the current landscape of the gaming industry, and the potential impact of artificial intelligence on game development.
A key topic of discussion was Exodus, a sci-fi action RPG currently in development by Archetype Entertainment, a studio founded by several former BioWare developers. According to Cocks, the team has been working on the project since 2019, with a release targeted for the first half of 2027. The executive mentioned he has played an early build and remains highly optimistic about its prospects.
Cocks also addressed the challenges facing the contemporary gaming industry. He observed that while the market continues to expand, its growth rate has slowed compared to previous periods, now progressing at a modest few percent annually. Simultaneously, the cost of developing AAA titles has soared significantly, with some projects demanding over a thousand person-years of effort.
Consequently, publishers are increasingly exploring collaborations with studios in regions offering lower operational costs, such as Eastern Europe and Southeast Asian countries. Cocks believes these partnerships effectively merge local teams, who possess a deep understanding of their markets, with talented developers from diverse geographical locations.
He specifically commented on the subject of artificial intelligence. Cocks acknowledged that many players currently view the integration of AI in games with skepticism. However, he expressed confidence that, over time, developers will discover innovative ways to apply AI that genuinely enhances gameplay and makes games more engaging.
He further clarified that projects like Exodus, along with those based on iconic brands such as Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, are not currently utilizing AI in their video game development processes.