Archetype reveals in a new community update that character customization is being significantly scaled back.
The exceptional seriesMass Effectthrived in large part because you could create your own Commander Shepard and directly influence the story through the dialogue system. Since then, fans have been craving a worthy replacement, and since late 2023, hopes have been pinned on Exodus, which is set to be released next year.
The sci-fi role-playing game is currently in development at Archetype Entertainment and is thus in the experienced hands of former BioWare developers—including James Ohlen, who was also involved in the first Mass Effect. Expectations for the title are correspondingly high, but one detail is already causing concern:character creation.
No Full Character Customization in Exodus
InCommunity Updatefor June, the developers summarize the current state of affairs, and one point stands out clearly. The developers write:
Character customization has been the subject of extensive discussion since the reveal. As we reveal more about our game, we want to be honest and transparent about where we stand on character customization.
It’s been a long journey, during which we decided to create a more defined character. Our customization featurefocuses on a few predefined options rather than a full character editorwith a bunch of sliders. This means Jun will have a relatively fixed appearance, though there will be options such as hairstyles, beards, hair and eye color, as well as makeup and tattoos.
Archetype already hinted at this in the 20-minute gameplay video from Summer Game Fest. It states:“You have the option to customize Jun as a man or a woman with various options to change their appearance”— seen at 1:51:
“I’m really disappointed”
In the age of modern role-playing games with extremely detailed character editors, such asCyberpunk 2077orMonster Hunter Wilds,many fans had hoped for more—and likely expected it as well.
As a result, large parts of the community are now expressing their disappointment, such as content creator Kala Elizabeth on herYouTube accountand X:
So Exodus just shared an update regarding the character creator. Jun is no longer a fully customizable character. You can only change a few cosmetic options. I’m really disappointed pic.twitter.com/gVlqJpkpwv
— Kala Elizabeth (@kalaelizabeth) June 30, 2026
Exodus just released an update to the character editor. Jun is no longer fully customizable. You can only change a few cosmetic items now. I’m really disappointed.
She andsome othersare criticizing not only the lack of creative freedom but also the potential loss of representation that comes with it.
The extent to which Jun’s customization options will be restricted is not yet known in detail. In the community update mentioned at the beginning, the developers write that the options will be available in the coming months on the Exodus Discord serverin the coming months.
Alongside disappointed voices, however, there are also those who take a more laid-back view of the whole thing. For people likeDragosFlyerdoesn’t feature a sophisticated character editor,JamieMorakUKeven sees an advantage in the scaled-back customization: “The good news, though, is that the facial animations will look better and have a character that people can associate with the franchise.”
And let’s not forget that a good role-playing game doesn’t depend on such details. Baldur’s Gate 3 comes with only a small selection of preset faces—even without mods—and is still a true RPG feast.
What do you think of the news from Exodus? Were you looking forward to creating your own Jun, or is that more of a secondary concern for you? Let us know in the comments!
