Factsheet

Developer:
Defiance Game Studio
Based on a tiny island in Canada

Founding Date:
Aug 2014

Website: http://www.archmagerises.com

Press / Business contact: press@defiancegamestudio.com

Press Key Requests:
https://woovit.info/archmage-rises

Social:
YouTube
Facebook

Release:
PC/Mac Steam Early Access Apr 2023

Description

Experience the freedom normally only found in a tabletop RPG. Empowered with magic, you will create your own story, and experience real consequences from the decisions you make. Will you be the world’s savior . . . or its destroyer? The choice is yours.

History

Origin

In 2014, coming out of Big Data and Enterprise software, Defiance was formed to answer one simple question: Can’t we use all this processing power, memory, and millions of rows of data to provide more player freedom? AAA has pursued higher graphic fidelity, but with fewer gameplay verbs than the 90s. For nine years we have strived to build a procedurally generated, AI driven, fully reactive RPG fantasy world. Now, it's almost ready.

Starting with a Bang

We announced August 2014 on Gamasutra with an article 'Why I've Said Goodbye to Mobile in Favor of PC'. It immediately became the #1 article on the site for 3 days, beating an article by Blizzard on Diablo 3 Loot 2.0, read by tens of thousands in the industry. Michael Dell, founder of Dell computers, read it. He reached out to help fund development. We picked up thousands of fans we've had to maintain over the long dev cycle. Making this game over 9 years we’ve overcome funding shortages, loss of eye-sight, a giant tumor, team turnover, all to make the most advanced RPG set in a simulator the world has ever seen. We hope you see some spark of the future of games in it.

9 Years is a Ridiculously Long Time

9 years of development has been the greatest test of endurance in my life. Twice I almost went bankrupt, twice I overcame critical mortal illnesses, twice we stopped production to build games for other studios just to sustain ourselves, all in the midst of founding team members moving on.

We persevered.

The team has grown to 10 members. We are singularly focused on making the most advanced RPG set in a simulator the world has ever seen.

We hope you see the potential in this new branch of gaming.

Features

Every life is intimate, unique, and memorable. Feel each playthrough deeply.

It’s Your Story – Born with great potential, what will you do with it? Adventure, politic, research, grow in power, but one day you will die by natural causes ending your story. See your impact on the world at your funeral.
New Levels of Procedural World Generation - featuring in-depth political, economic, and military simulations
Actually Be in a Medieval Fantasy World – Swear fealty to nobles, gain lands and estate, invest in town shops, move homes, start a family (or several). An unprecedented level of presence in the world.
Hire Apprentices and Minions – Select apprentices wisely, chart their course of training, assign them tasks like trading or research. Feed failures to your pet. Watch out for betrayers!
Build a Mage Tower – Use your power and wealth to build an intellectual respite of research or an impenetrable tower of power, and anything in between
Unparalleled NPC Interaction – Every NPC is a distinct person of depth. Learn their personality and motivation, conduct business, turn things romantic, or kill them. NPCs remember every interaction and even spread news (sometimes inaccurately) about you.
Craft and Enchant – Create your own equipment and specialize how you please: battle, politics, research, and more. Create potions, golems, and more in your mage tower workshop.
The World Progresses and Ages – With or without your involvement. Kingdoms rise and fall, towns grow or shrink, monster threats grow and expand. Watch young NPCs grow, marry, bear children, and eventually die, all in one player lifetime.
Choice, Consequence, Emergent Story – As the world simulates along, your every NPC interaction is factored into it. Killed the inn keeper? The inn will close and his family will hate you. Indiscriminately divorce an NPC? Maybe they’ll send thugs after you out of scorn.
Realistic Supply-Demand Economy – Towns have primary businesses which consume goods and produce others. Goods travel along road systems through AI traders. Bandits interrupt supply runs and can lead to your favorite brew no longer available in the local tavern. Get involved in trading and starting new businesses, or ignore it entirely.