Tencent Appeals to Westerners with Arthurian Knights in Tides of Annihilation

In a revealing interview with Wccftech, the developers behind Tides of Annihilation at Eclipse Glow Games discussed why their game embraces Arthurian myths and is set in London. Dive into the details to learn more about the game's concept and what the future holds.

Tides of Annihilation Targets Western Audiences

The Core Concept of Arthurian Myths and Knights

During Gamescom 2024, Eclipse Glow Games, the team behind Tides of Annihilation, shared insights with Wccftech about the game's central concept, gameplay mechanics, and their vision for a potential anthology.

Despite being a China-based studio, Eclipse Glow Games opted for a Western setting due to the expectations set by their financial backer, Tencent. "This game and Black Myth: Wukong are two projects invested in by Tencent, and there were different expectations set on these two projects. Black Myth: Wukong targeted the Chinese market, but for this project, we targeted a Western audience, so we chose the Arthurian legends," explained the game's producer. The core concept evolved around the theme of knights, eventually focusing on King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Set in a post-apocalyptic version of modern-day London, ravaged by an Outworld invasion, Tides of Annihilation follows the heroine Gwendolyn, seemingly the last human survivor. The game blends an alternate modern-day setting with fantasy elements, drawing directly from Arthurian myths.

Devil May Cry-inspired Combat and Over 30 Bosses

Fans of action-RPGs will notice that Tides of Annihilation's combat style echoes that of the iconic Devil May Cry series. The developers confirmed this influence, noting that it's "definitely more like Devil May Cry," but with a customizable difficulty setting to cater to a broader audience. The controls are designed to be accessible, allowing even less hardcore gamers to enjoy the action.

Players can customize their combat style with four different weapons and over ten Knights of the Round Table to command as sidekicks. Gwendolyn discovers her ability to summon these legendary figures to aid her in battling through a devastated London and uncovering the truth behind the invasion. With more than 30 unique bosses to challenge, the gameplay promises to be both engaging and demanding. "Players will have to prepare for very challenging boss fights," the developers emphasized.

Plans for an Anthology Series

Eclipse Glow Games also expressed their ambition to expand the Tides of Annihilation universe into an anthology series, exploring different settings and mythologies, each potentially featuring a new protagonist. "But we would still want to use the Outworld invasion concept that we're using for Tides of Annihilation," they added, suggesting that this theme would remain central to the anthology. The team's success with the first game will be crucial in realizing this broader vision.

Currently in its beta phase, Tides of Annihilation is slated for a tentative launch in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players will embark on an action-adventure journey with Gwendolyn, as she navigates her destiny and strives to save both London and the mystical realm of Avalon, which seems to be intertwining with the real world.