Exodus, a game developed by veterans of BioWare's Mass Effect series, will feature romance options for players, but the developers emphasize that any accompanying sex scenes will be handled with tastefulness.
While players will not be able to pursue a romance with Salt, an octopus companion who pilots a mech and exists within a tank, the game will offer other romanceable characters. Narrative director Drew Karpyshyn explained that Salt finds humans unappealing due to their limited number of limbs. The development team confirmed that romance options are not gender-locked and require active pursuit by the player, acknowledging that these relationships can lead to inter-companion conflict, aiming for a realistic and complex dynamic.
Regarding the explicitness of the sex scenes, Karpyshyn stated they are "very tastefully done," with game director Chris King adding that the approach allows for physical intimacy without being overly graphic. Karpyshyn positioned the game's content as "somewhere in the appropriate middle" in terms of industry standards, drawing comparisons to other titles.
For context, games like Baldur's Gate 3 include nudity in its sex scenes, while Cyberpunk 2077 is known for its more direct approach. The sex scenes in the original Mass Effect series were brief and not explicit. King suggested that Exodus's scenes are "a bit closer to the reserved side, but certainly it's clear what's happening, but tasteful is a good way to describe it."
Potential romance options mentioned include Elise Charroux, a "blunt, no-nonsense ‘Sleeper’ from 23rd-century Earth"; Kara Voss, a pilot and mechanic with a "confident attitude"; and Suliman, a "wealthy, reclusive, and dangerous" operative. The developers also indicated that romancing Houston, a wolf companion raised alongside the main character, would be unlikely due to the unusual nature of such a relationship.
Exodus is scheduled to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S on April 7, 2027.