Anthem, BioWare's answer to shared-world shooters like Destiny 2 and The Division, is looking to compete for your time and keep you playing in its world long after its launch. Like similar online shooters, a big part of how it'll keep you engaged is in chasing down newer, better loot, which you'll use to outfit your Javelin flying mech suit with various abilities and weapons.

GameSpot got a chance to play several hours of Anthem at a recent preview event at BioWare's Austin, Texas, studio, and spoke with lead producer Ben Irving about the game's progression system. Irving explains in the video above exactly how you'll level up your character, outfit each of the four unlockable Javelin classes, and chase down the best gear in Anthem by completing its toughest content. He also delves a bit into what Anthem's endgame will look like once players hit the game's level cap and start working on its toughest content. Check out our Anthem coverage for even more about Anthem's progression and teamwork, a rundown of what playing the game is like, and what we know about its endgame.

Anthem his shelves on February 22, but this weekend marks a VIP demo on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 for EA Access, Origin Access, and pre-order customers. There's also an open demo that doesn't require pre-ordering from February 1 through 3.