Tencent Targets Western Market with Arthurian Knights in Tides of Annihilation

In an engaging interview with Wccftech, the developers of Tides of Annihilation at Eclipse Glow Games delved into the reasons behind the game's focus on Arthurian myths and its setting in London. Dive deeper to understand the game's concept and what the future holds.

Tides of Annihilation Aims For A Western Audience

During Gamescom 2024, the team from Eclipse Glow Games, despite being a China-based developer, discussed their strategic choice to target a Western audience for Tides of Annihilation. This decision was influenced by their financial backer, the Chinese conglomerate Tencent, which has different expectations for their projects. "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 central theme revolves around knights, evolving into the iconic King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Set in a post-apocalyptic modern-day London devastated by an Outworld invasion, Tides of Annihilation follows the journey of the heroine Gwendolyn, seemingly the last human survivor. The game blends a contemporary setting with fantasy elements inspired by Arthurian myths.

Devil May Cry-inspired Combat And Over 30 Bosses

Action-RPG enthusiasts will recognize the combat style of Tides of Annihilation as reminiscent of the classic Devil May Cry series. The developers confirmed this influence, stating, "It's definitely more like Devil May Cry," but with an added feature of difficulty selection to cater to a broader audience. The controls are designed to be user-friendly, making the game accessible to those who enjoy action games but aren't necessarily hardcore players.

Players can customize their combat style with four different weapons and over ten unique Knights to assist them. Gwendolyn discovers her ability to command the Knights of the Round Table, who join her in battling through the ruins of London to uncover the truth behind the invasion. With more than 30 bosses, each possessing unique abilities, players are in for challenging and thrilling encounters. "Players will have to prepare for very challenging boss fights," the developers emphasized.

Plans Of Creating An Anthology

Eclipse Glow Games also shared their vision of expanding the Tides of Annihilation franchise into an anthology. They are considering incorporating different settings and mythologies, with a new protagonist for each game. "But we would still want to use the Outworld invasion concept that we're using for Tides of Annihilation," they noted, suggesting that this theme would be central to the anthology. The success of the first title is crucial for the realization of this ambitious plan, which aims to bring a variety of mythologies and stories to life.

Currently in its beta phase, Tides of Annihilation is slated for a tentative release in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players will follow Gwendolyn as she navigates her destiny and works to save not only London but also the fantastical realm of Avalon, which seems to be merging with the real world.