The debut game from legendary RPG creator James Ohlen’s new studio is a next-generation, story-driven RPG that marries cinematic storytelling with deep emotional impact featuring broad player agency and modern AAA gameplay. The story is fueled by the consequences of player choices due to the impact of Time Dilation, and how they change the lives of those we love most. 

In Exodus, humanity has fled a dying Earth, finding a new home in a hostile galaxy – here, we are the underdogs fighting for survival. As The Traveler, you are humanity’s last hope. Your job is to steal alien weapons and technology from the most powerful beings in the universe, the Celestials – humanity’s greatest enemy. But there’s a catch - Time Dilation. As Travelers on interstellar missions, days for you are decades back home. The sacrifices you make to protect your loved ones create unpredictable consequences that change your world -- reshaping the future. Returning home, you confront the consequences of your choices. In Exodus, the outcome of those choices manifests at a massive level, compounding over generations. 

Archetype Entertainment released a new short story for their upcoming sci-fi RPG EXODUS showcasing the most powerful and technologically advanced beings in the universe, the Elohim. These ancient beings, now lost to time by thousands of years, have shaped the universe through the creation of the Laws of the Elohim that had been developed in the aftermath of the centuries-long Formation Wars. Before they disappeared from the galaxies, the Elohim developed arguably the single most impactful discovery any species has known: The Gates of Heaven, which granted mere mortals the power to traverse the Centauri Cluster in the blink of an eye.

While the Elohim seem to have disappeared from existence, their power and authority remain.

The Elohim

The centuries-long Formation Wars were the most violent, chaotic, and destructive era in Centauri’s history. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of habitable worlds were destroyed as the Celestial Dominions battled each other for control of the Cluster. Billions of lives were lost. Entire civilizations were wiped out. But from the ashes of this devastating conflict arose the Elohim – the most powerful and technologically advanced beings in the galaxy.

Most of what we know about the Elohim is speculation based on myths and legends. But even now, more than 15,000 years later, their influence still shapes and defines Centauri. Celestials and humans alike are bound by the Laws of the Elohim – a small but inviolable collection of fundamental rules, treaties, and agreements meant to prevent the atrocities of the Formation Wars from ever happening again.

As important as the Laws are, however, they pale in comparison to the other great achievement of the Elohim – the Gates of Heaven, a network of pathways linking all the various systems of the Cluster. Before the Gates, interstellar journeys were dangerously unpredictable and prohibitively expensive and inefficient. Travel and trade between systems was limited and unreliable. The Celestial Dominions were isolated enclaves, with little communication or interaction with each other… one of the primary factors that contributed to the brutality of the Formation Wars.

The Gates of Heaven changed everything. Though still bound by the speed of light, ships are now able to navigate the vast ocean of space across the Cluster using established charts and automated navigational calculations. Even more crucial, the Gates allow for rapid acceleration to and deceleration from light speed, significantly reducing the length of time spent on each journey. Interstellar trade and travel has flourished, becoming a cornerstone of every Celestial Dominion and human inhabited world.

The Elohim are universally revered across Centauri, even by the Celestials. Without the Gates, the Travelers themselves could not exist. Exodus would be virtually impossible. The risks and uncertainties of launching blindly into the void of space would be too great for even the bravest explorers. Whether they meant to or not, the Elohim gave our kind a fighting chance.

Mysteriously, after creating the miracle of the Gates, the Elohim vanished from the galactic record. Some believe they ascended to a state of pure energy, shedding their corporeal shells. Others claim they left Centauri to explore the farthest corners of the galaxy. Perhaps they are still present among us and using advanced technology to hide their presence from lesser beings. Or maybe they suffered the inevitable fate of all empires and collapsed into extinction thousands of years ago.

But though the Elohim are seemingly gone, their power and authority remains. Those who dare violate the Laws suddenly find their ships are no longer able to access the Gates of Heaven – the ultimate punishment. Cut off from interstellar trade, economies collapse. Scientific advancement is stunted. Existing technology begins to degrade as resources become scarce. Depending on the crime, this isolation can last anywhere from a few years to a few centuries - a crippling blow to any society… if it even survives.

And what of the Elohim themselves? Were they truly the selfless, altruistic God-like beings the legends contend? Or were the Gates not a gift, but rather a way to establish dominance and control across the entire Cluster? Are the Elohim still here, watching events unfold from some secret hiding place and administering justice to those who defy their will? Or are the gates controlled by the ghost of some ancient artificial intelligence? If they are still here, what do they think of humanity and our struggle to rise up and find our place alongside the Celestials?

We may never know the truth. But for now, the Elohim seem to tolerate us, at least… as long as we play by their rules.

Key Features:

• Experience the Emotional Impact of Time Dilation - Time Dilation escalates the emotional impact of your story-driven choices like never before. Traveling on interstellar missions at the edge of lightspeed, time moves differently — days for you can be years, decades or even centuries for those back home. The world you fight so hard to save moves on without you, changing and evolving while you are left behind. In your absence, friends and family will grow old and change, while you remain the same, forcing you to exist outside of time.
• Explore A Universe of Possibilites - As the Traveler, you navigate the stars on missions to steal alien weapons and technology from the most powerful beings in the universe and humanity’s greatest enemy, the Celestials. These remnants are used to fight a destructive force that threatens the entire galaxy, including your homeworld. Through exploration, you gain an understanding of your universe, the Celestials, and how you are connected to the fate of humanity.
• Lead A Diverse Cast of Companions - As humanity's savior you will lead a diverse set of companions in your fight for humanity, many of whom have their own quest and romance paths. Willing to brave unfathomable danger, and to stare into the abyss at your side, they are ready to join you in facing whatever arises. These are not just brave soldiers – they are genetically engineered savants, punk mech pilots, geniuses cursed with alien viruses and more.
• Own Your Journey – In EXODUS, you have the agency to customize your experience, from your character to your progression, combat style and the companions you choose. With each mission you grow more powerful as you progress from a lowly salvager to humanity’s last hope. As you infiltrate dangerous alien strongholds, you’ll need to decide which combat tactics and strategies you’ll use to exploit your enemy’s weakness.

Fans interested in joining by becoming Founders can sign up now to earn exclusive in-game items.

Exodus is in development for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.