In 2015, Neill Blomkamp was on track to direct a new Alien sequel. In 2017, he announced those plans had been scrapped but that he was using the ideas from them to create a series of alien-related shorts (starring Sigourney Weaver). Now Blomkamp seems to have found his niche in shorts, as he’s bringing us another one – this time for an unproven property.
The short is called Conviction, and it’s set in the world of Anthem — Bioware’s anticipated upcoming MMO. It’s set decades before the game takes place, and though details on its exact plot are tight, Blomkamp can’t stop singing the praises of the game he was hired to dramatize. He felt inspired.
“I was really blown away by this incredible world BioWare created the very first time I saw Anthem,” said Blomkamp. “Conviction sets the stage with a narrative that touches on Anthem’s beautiful and immersive world, which is ripe for exploration by these powerful Javelins. A world where danger is lurking on every ledge and in each valley.”
Time will tell if Anthem becomes enough of a sensation for people to want shorts like this. The beta test was conducted a couple weeks ago, and public opinion among those who experienced it was mixed. Bioware will need to fix a lot of bugs if there’s any hope of Anthem gaining a devoted fanbase….and the potential is there; most people loved the flying.
Anthem launches February 22 for Playstation 4, XBox One and PC. Blomkamp’s Conviction short will go live on his Oats Studios YouTube channel February 14.
