Exodus, dubbed the ‘next Mass Effect,’ sets its official release for 2027.

Exodus is set 40,000 years in the future, and while it may have felt like an eternity since we last heard about its release, the wait is finally over. Developer Archetype Entertainment has announced that Exodus will launch on April 7, 2027, unveiling this news in an emotional trailer during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live event.

When Exodus drops, it will fill the void left by the long absence of Mass Effect, offering a space-faring third-person action RPG rich with thought-provoking sci-fi themes, engaging party members, and branching storylines. In the world of Exodus, humanity has fled a dying Earth to seek refuge in a cluster of habitable star systems located 40,000 light years away. However, the arkships arrive at different times, leading to some arriving first and spending millennia on genetic modifications, evolving into a transhuman race known as the Celestials. The effects of time dilation play a significant role in the narrative of Exodus.

The Celestials also applied their advanced technology to Earth’s animals, creating the Awakened—enhanced creatures like wolves, frogs, and bears that possess heightened consciousness and the ability to communicate through tech augmentation. The Gamescom trailer provided a closer look at Salt, an Awakened octopus, building on the third-person action gameplay showcased earlier this year.

Salt dons a mech suit designed around a portable aquarium and is part of protagonist Jun Aslan’s team, charging into battle with the fierce determination of a Krogan. She’s also a skilled sniper and, true to her nature, can deploy smokescreens to disorient foes. However, Salt is more than just a combatant; her dialogue in the trailer reveals her calm and intelligent demeanor. The trailer explores the impact of time dilation, depicting Salt returning to a once-aquatic world that has since turned to sand, likely losing many loved ones in the process.

Salt is one of five confirmed combat party members in Exodus. Joining Jun are Tom Vargas, a fellow Traveler who sacrifices personal ties for relativistic travel; Elise Charroux, a human mercenary in a non-octopus mech suit; Phaedra Nath, a blind archaeologist who navigates the world using drones; and a character named Suliman, whose details remain a mystery beyond his name and a screenshot.

Exodus is set to launch next April for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. This new RPG from former BioWare developers promises to be even more intricate and nerdy than the trailers have suggested.