BioWare is providing a large end-of-month Anthem status update today in tandem with the release of patch 1.1.0 and, unfortunately, it's largely disappointing news. While patch 1.1.0 delivered Anthem's promised new Stronghold, The Sunken Cell, several major feature additions also scheduled for April are now confirmed to be delayed. Included in those delays will be May's planned Act 1 event conclusion, the Cataclysm. BioWare will provide further updates on the delayed content as it's able.

The specific features previously listed as part of BioWare's 90-day roadmap includes: Mastery progression system, Guilds, Legendary Missions (Part 2), Weekly Stronghold Challenge, Leaderboards, certain Freeplay Events, and the Cataclysm. All of this content, barring the Cataclysm, was originally intended for release in April. They also make up the near entirety of content currently revealed for the future of Anthem.

According to BioWare, the delays are at least partially attributable to the need for a continued development focus on bugs, stability, and "game flow." These fixes have taken priority over Act 1's features. And while patch 1.1.0 did add several bug fixes and quality-of-life features, BioWare insinuates that there's still much to be done.

BioWare's final, and perhaps most significant statement, is with regards to communication. BioWare says that, "We have been talking about things too early," and as a result none of the delayed features now have planned release windows. Instead, BioWare says that it will share more when it has such information to share.

This messaging is repeated with regards to perhaps Anthem's most pressing current issue: loot. In the update, BioWare says that it, "agrees that our loot and progression systems need to be improved and we are working towards this." However, it reiterates that it will only share details about its plans when such information is available.

Anthem's future remains nebulous, both in the view of its players and in what BioWare is willing to commit to going forward. Today's 1.1.0 update and the new Stronghold will be appreciated by Anthem players still grinding away, but it comes alongside the delay of several highly anticipated features. Worse yet, the 90-day roadmap is all but decimated and no calendar has been made to replace it. Freelancers are effectively flying in the dark with regards to the future of Anthem, now more than ever.

Anthem is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.