Watch Our New Trailer! Introducing Gate Zero’s Combat Gameplay Reveal Trailer ! For the first time, we’re giving you a look at a part of Gate Zero we’ve never shown before. Yes, you saw it. Our long-awaited launch window was announced in the trailer. Gate Zero will be coming in S
Yes, you saw it. Our long-awaited launch window was announced in the trailer.
Gate Zero will be coming in Spring 2027!
Gamescom Update
Long lines were formed at our Gamescom booth every day as people waited to try the demo
The past couple of weeks have been an amazing experience for our team. We’ve had the chance to showcase our demo at Gamescom, where 1,500 enthusiastic gamers played it, finally release our combat gameplay reveal trailer and launch window, and watch the press coverage and excitement roll in.
In less than a week, the trailer has received over 400,000 combined views just on YouTube. The response has honestly blown us away. We knew how much we loved this game. Seeing so many of you feel the same way about it is something else entirely.
Thank you for your continued support as we move forward towards release!
We’re going to Gamescom next month! For the first time ever, Gate Zero will be at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from August 26-30 with an audience-facing booth. This is a big deal, as we’ll be showing our game at the world’s largest in-person gaming event, with an attendance of ov
We’re going to Gamescom next month!
For the first time ever, Gate Zero will be at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from August 26-30 with an audience-facing booth. This is a big deal, as we’ll be showing our game at the world’s largest in-person gaming event, with an attendance of over 300,000!
And not only that, we’ll have a brand new demo available to play at the booth, and exclusive giveaways for attendees. If you’ll be there, be sure to stop by Booth E060 in Hall 10.1 to meet some of our devs, collect swag, and test out the game!
For those who won’t make it to Gamescom, don’t worry! You will still see our big news including a never-before-seen trailer, in addition to what everyone is waiting for— a launch window for the game!
Also, all Kickstarter/Indiegogo backers and past donors to NextGen Bible Media will be given the chance to play the Gamescom demo soon after we get back from the show! If you’re one of them, , so we can email you a Steam code when ready!
Lastly, further playtesting will begin in the next few weeks among a closed group of selected testers. If you’re interested in testing, .
Stick around on for chances to win merch and follow along with the cool things we’ll be revealing.
This past quarter, all our efforts have been culminating towards a very exciting milestone— Gamescom ! We're going to Gamescom next month! For the first time ever, Gate Zero will be at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from August 26-30 with an audience-facing booth. This is a big dea
This past quarter, all our efforts have been culminating towards a very exciting milestone—Gamescom!
We're going to Gamescom next month!
For the first time ever, Gate Zero will be at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from August 26-30 with an audience-facing booth. This is a big deal, as we'll be showing our game at the world's largest in-person gaming event, with an attendance of over 300,000!
And not only that, we'll have a brand new demo available to play at the booth, and exclusive giveaways for attendees. If you'll be there, be sure to stop by Booth E060 in Hall 10.1 to meet some of our devs, collect swag, and test out the game!
For those who won’t make it to Gamescom, don't worry! You will still see our big news including a never-before-seen trailer, in addition to what everyone is waiting for— a launch window for the game!
Also, all Kickstarter/Indiegogo backers and past donors to NextGen Bible Media will be given the chance to play the Gamescom demo soon after we get back from the show! If you’re one of them, please provide your info here, so we can email you a Steam code when ready!
Stick around on our Discord for chances to win merch and follow along with the cool things we’ll be revealing.
Gameplay Pillars
As development on the game continues, we're excited to share our gameplay pillars, our guiding star from which all narrative, gameplay and systems get designed. Whether you're an action, tactical or story-oriented gamer, Gate Zero will offer a rewarding experience for your style of play.
Click for a larger image
Narrative Workshop
Earlier in May, the narrative team came together for an on-site workshop, where consultant Dave Mongan (Xbox, Bungie, Warner Bros) came to provide invaluable guidance and direction.
Together, the team refined Gate Zero's narrative, transforming the game's core vision and themes into a clear roadmap that will guide development as we continue building an engaging interactive experience through the stories of Jesus.
Narrative Summit at the Templar office
Art
Sneak Peek!
Over the past months, we've been working on a new piece of key art that captures the essence of what Gate Zero has become. We're excited to reveal it closer to Gamescom, but here's a sneak peek...
New Key Art coming soon!
Besides the key art, our art team has been working tirelessly on improving the environments in both the ancient and Eon worlds. Here's a snapshot of the updates!
Wilderness and surroundings
Olive orchard outside Capernaum
Driftwood adding realism to the shoreline
Set dressing of the Herbalist Hut
Set dressing of the Olive Press
Eon World
Wetness
The Eon World is becoming more mysterious and realistic, with recent additions of puddles, moisture and dampness adding a new layer to the otherworldly experience.
Ground Updates
More varied ground features are also being added.
Characters
Our Roman and Jewish crowd characters are getting a variety of outfits.
Jewish fabric patterns
Jewish female crowd characters with new fabric patterns
Jewish male crowd characters with new fabric patterns
Roman fabric patterns Roman crowd characters with new clothing & patterns
Level Design
Updates are being made to the Eon World to make traversal fun with optional paths, shortcuts and secret paths to give the player more meaningful choices and encourage exploration.
Working closely with the art team, new assets are also being added, including destructible paths, balance beams and floating platforms.
Animation
Here's a behind-the-scenes look as our team gets prepped for a motion capture session at our office in Georgia!
Our team has been testing raytracing in Unreal Engine, using Nvidia DLSS 4.5 for increased visual quality and performance.
Eon World: Lumen Hardware Raytracing OFF/ON
Mikvah: Lumen Hardware Raytracing OFF/ON
UI
We've started formalizing core UI elements, including the color palette, spacing, layout, and using typography that has broad localization support.
UI work in progress
PS5
We've been running tests on our PS5 build. Here's a screenshot of the game running!
That's all for now! We're so excited for you to see our big reveal in August, where we will finally show more of what we've been working on. Until then, we leave you with a fun little Easter Egg challenge :)
We recently organized an Easter Egg challenge on our Discord server where participants had to pick out all the items that don't belong in the images. See if you can spot them all!
This past quarter, much of our work has happened behind the scenes—focused on documentation, systems, and technical details that you may not see, but will experience. Even so, progress has been steady on all fronts, and in this devlog, we’re excited to share some of it with you!
This past quarter, much of our work has happened behind the scenes—focused on documentation, systems, and technical details that you may not see, but will experience. Even so, progress has been steady on all fronts, and in this devlog, we’re excited to share some of it with you!
Alongside this progress, we’ve also been strengthening our team with new talent and expertise to help realize the vision of Gate Zero.
One of the highlights this past quarter was the design summit, where a good portion of our team met in person for the first time at the Templar Media offices in Alpharetta, GA.
It was a monumental week where many of our remote team members could meet and work together in person.
We gathered to align on the vision for Gate Zero, surface unidentified challenges, and work through gameplay and process questions together.
The summit resulted in clearer direction, practical solutions, and stronger collaboration from the time spent together in person. Here's a shot of the group!
The design, narrative and programming teams gathering at the Templar Media office in Georgia
—–
Here’s a snapshot of some things we’ve been working on in the first quarter of 2026:
We’ve been developing the wilderness areas outside of town—places that may have been touched by Jesus’ presence.
We’ll leave you to guess who may have inhabited these caves. Don’t forget your torch when you come in to explore!
Capernaum Set Dressing
“My work starts with empty spaces that only have the core architecture in place, and my role is to turn them into believable, lived-in locations.
By carefully populating these areas with props, I aim to make each environment feel alive and functional, as if people have actually spent time there.
Every object is placed with intention, helping to suggest how the space is used and adding small moments of environmental storytelling that reward players who take the time to look around.” – Plamena, Texture Artist
Ground Treatment
Our environment & technical artist Pavel has been hard at work improving the terrain and ground in Capernaum. Here’s what he has to say about the process:
“To create the desired visual effect of the terrain in this mission, I used several different techniques.
First, I started with terrain modeling to achieve smooth and natural transitions between the spaces around the houses. Then, I painted various textured surfaces on the ground using a multi-layer shader to add variety and define different zones.
To make building and updating paths easier, I used procedural spline paths that let me quickly adjust layouts and visuals without starting from scratch.
Next, I used those same tools to shape details like curbs, outlining roads, gardens, and small plazas.
Finally, I used spline scatter to add small elements like puddles, leaves and pebbles across the ground. These little touches add variety and help make the environment feel more real and lived-in.”
Eon World
A lot has changed in the Eon World since we last shared screenshots. We’ve expanded the level art to create more traversal opportunities. Lighting, textures and effects are also coming together to make the world more—can we say, realistic?
We’ve also been adding new gameplay and puzzle elements, so this world now holds lots of secrets. Maybe you spot some of them?
Characters
The concept art of a leper that we shared in the previous devlog has since evolved into a 3D model.
Different fabric patterns are also being designed for the 1st century outfits.
Animation
This is what the leper might do when you encounter him…
VFX
And here’s a never-before-seen cinematic from the Eon World that our VFX artist has been working on:
Narrative
The narrative team together with art has been working on storyboarding a cutscene of a leper being cleansed:
Game Developers Conference 2026
We have attended GDC for the past few years, and this year was no exception. This time, we focused on closed-door meetings and demos with important partners such as Sony, Xbox, Valve and Epic Games. These meetings are crucial in solidifying partnerships and forging new ones to ensure the successful release of Gate Zero.
John Gibson (right, CEO of Templar Media) and Andy Anderson (left, Lead Producer) at GDC
GoGame Multiply School
At the beginning of the year, our Marketing Manager travelled to Portland, OR for the GoGame Multiply School. Students from across North America, all leaders in video game ministry, were gathered for an intense three weeks of residential training.
During our visit, we shared the vision behind Gate Zero and gave students hands-on time testing the latest features, including a mission playthrough. Later, they collaborated to develop actionable strategies for using Gate Zero in ministry to reach different target groups.
We’re excited about the possibilities Gate Zero can unlock for digital mission work and how it can help connect the Bible with new audiences!
First of all, we rounded off the year with the exciting news of Bible X/Gate Zero’s acquisition by video game publisher Templar Media. Templar Media’s shared vision for the game secures the long-term future of Gate Zero and allows us to achieve our original goals at a higher stan
First of all, we rounded off the year with the exciting news of Bible X/Gate Zero’s acquisition by video game publisher Templar Media.
Templar Media’s shared vision for the game secures the long-term future of Gate Zero and allows us to achieve our original goals at a higher standard and even greater impact, including our upcoming launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
With 25 years of industry experience, Templar Media provides the stability and resources needed to fulfill—and expand—our original vision, delivering the entertainment-first experience gamers worldwide have been asking for.
Gate Zero Acquired by Templar Media
For Gate Zero, this acquisition means stronger support across the board—higher production quality, expanded resources, and additional experienced talent joining the team to help us deliver the game we’ve always envisioned.
Importantly, the game’s creative vision remains unchanged. Creative control and the heart of the project stay with the same leadership and developers who have been shaping Gate Zero from the start, now supported by new team members with deep industry experience. We remain fully committed to historical accuracy and to staying faithful to the Bible as we continue developing the game.
We are also actively hiring and growing our core team at Templar Media’s office in Alpharetta, GA. While several team members will continue working remotely, others are relocating, and new hires will be joining the team on-site as we build the next phase of Gate Zero together.
One of the last group pictures of the Gate Zero team in Norway
As for the big question: When is Gate Zero coming out? All we can say for now is what Templar Media CEO John Gibson said on this recent interview with Wccftech:
“We are over halfway through development; it is not coming out next week, but it will not take two years either.”
The acquisition and the growth of our team will give us the push needed to get Gate Zero to the finish line!
100k Wishlists!
In January 2026, we reached an exciting milestone—Gate Zero surpassed 100,000 wishlists here on Steam! Our total social media follower count is now also close to 600,000. We are so grateful for the support and attention the game is receiving; it really motivates our team to keep going!
—–
Here’s a snapshot of some things we’ve been working on in the last quarter of 2025:
Art
Environment art is one of the aspects that is furthest along in development, so while the rest of the team focuses on completing the vertical slice, the art team has been refining existing locations—like Capernaum—and developing concepts for new areas. Set dressing is underway, individual assets are being created, textures enhanced, lighting fine-tuned, and optimization is an ongoing process to ensure a smooth performance.
New Locations
Before any visual development begins on a new location, we collaborate closely with our historian and archaeological consultant Chris McKinny to establish a shared understanding of the site—what’s historically known, what’s debated, and what’s open to interpretation.
Mission-specific needs like gameplay mechanics and narrative are part of that conversation early on, helping us identify where historical precision is essential and where there may be room for informed artistic interpretation. This early alignment ensures each location has both a strong historical foundation and a clear purpose within the game.
Our art director Bobby, who previously worked on several Assassin’s Creed projects, has this to say about the research process:
Expanding my own knowledge—and the knowledge of the entire team—is one of the biggest perks of working on Gate Zero. Every week, we’re learning something new about the time period, the cultural context, and the events surrounding the life of Jesus. That constant learning feeds directly into the creative process.
It’s deeply rewarding to know that the environments we’re building are informed by real history and real places. Understanding why a location existed, how it functioned, and what role it played in the broader historical narrative gives our work more meaning. It also creates a stronger sense of responsibility—we’re not just creating spaces for gameplay, we’re interpreting history for a modern audience.
That balance between learning, creativity, and collaboration is rare, and it’s what makes Gate Zero particularly special for me and the team.
New Location: Machaerus
This location stumped our community! We put out screenshots asking people to guess what we’re building. Well, we’ll leave you with the screenshots for now, and keep you guessing on what stories might be taking place there in the game…
Rough blockout of Machaerus
Lighting concepts of Machaerus
New Location: Jordan River
This is a significant location where John the Baptist preached, and where Jesus was baptized:
New Location: John's Camp
John the Baptist was said to be preaching in the wilderness of Judea, clothed in camel’s hair, eating locusts and wild honey. We had fun visualizing how his hut might look like! Here’s one of the concepts:
Capernaum Set Dressing
Set dressing in Capernaum continues as our artists work on bringing the town to life.
Interior of a Mikvah (Jewish ritual bath) in Capernaum’s rich district
Interior of a Mikvah in Capernaum’s rich district
Interior of a Mikvah in Capernaum’s rich district
Boat workshop by the Sea of Galilee
Boat workshop by the Sea of Galilee
Vista Mountains
Adding vista mountains in the distance has really brought the surrounding landscape of Capernaum together.
Lighting
With set dressing well underway, it’s our technical artist’s turn to fine-tune the lighting in-engine—adding more light sources and bringing depth, mood, and clarity to the synagogue in Capernaum.
Characters
We are in the early stages of character design, doing research and exploration to customize our crowd characters. Here are some sample heads for the Jewish male characters customized in Metahuman:
Generic head exploration – Jewish male variant
One of the missions we’re working on involves a certain leper who has an amazing encounter. Here’s a concept of how he might look:
Concept Art: Leper
Animation
With the recent addition of a new Animation Director, our team is making great headway with improving many different aspects of animation, from the player character to guards to rigging and faces.
Here’s a sneak peek at a couple Roman guard animations:
Imagine that you’re hiding in the bushes and the guard sees you…
“I see you! Come out of there or I’ll come get you!”
“Alright then…!”
Level Design
One of the focuses this quarter has been on iterating on the design of the Altered Well mission, ensuring it remains readable, engaging and fun for the players. The team’s goal has been to create interesting traversal and exploration opportunities, while also incorporating more narrative sequences and memorable moments throughout the experience.
Since we don’t want to spoil the mission for you, we’ll share a snapshot of a group playtesting the level:
The narrative team has been working on the Beat Boards for each mission, which serves as the master plan for the game, providing a clear, top-down view of the full experience. It maps out all the main missions and their core themes, clarifying each mission’s purpose, the player’s objectives, and the key narrative and biblical beats being explored.
This framework also tracks player character Max’s personal arc over time—from being stranded in the past and focused solely on getting home, to developing curiosity, forming relationships, and becoming more invested in the world and events around him.
Alongside the story, the beat board highlights when new gameplay mechanics are introduced and what levels are included, ensuring that narrative, systems, and pacing evolve together in a cohesive way.
Narrative Branching Dialogue Flow
This past quarter, the narrative team ran focused workshops to refine the main mission flow and branching dialogue systems.
Our goal is to reflect the player character Max’s growth through meaningful choices rooted in what players learn along the way. Rather than offering clear right-or-wrong answers, dialogue presents dilemmas tied to the social tensions of each town, encouraging reflection and consequence. These moments connect biblical themes with engaging storytelling while keeping the experience player-driven.
We want players to feel like they’re actively investigating and discovering the truth for themselves, with their decisions shaping how the story unfolds.
Example of a branching narrative dialogue flow
Close-up of a branching narrative with player choices (text not final)
Americafest 2025
To close out the year, we attended Americafest 2025 in Phoenix, AZ with a dedicated Gate Zero booth. Our goal was to introduce Gate Zero to a large conservative audience of over 25,000 attendees, while also connecting with media and influencers who could help amplify the game’s reach.
The response exceeded expectations. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback and lots of excitement from a predominantly Gen Z and millennial crowd. The event also led to several media opportunities, the most notable of which is this interview with Templar Media CEO John Gibson and Wccftech.
Our first time showing Gate Zero at Gamescom was a whirlwind of excitement. We had a booth in the Business-to-Business section, giving us the chance to share the game with enthusiastic gaming media for the very first time in person. The weeks leading up to the event were filled w
Our first time showing Gate Zero at Gamescom was a whirlwind of excitement. We had a booth in the Business-to-Business section, giving us the chance to share the game with enthusiastic gaming media for the very first time in person.
The weeks leading up to the event were filled with hard work and long hours as the whole team worked closely together to prepare a smooth, polished demo that would represent the game at its best.
Press attendees could book dedicated timeslots to visit our booth, where lead producer Andy Anderson guided them through a hands-off slice of the game, while director Arve Solli narrated the experience and answered questions along the way.
Reception
The response was overwhelmingly positive! Journalists were clearly impressed by the game’s unique concept and distinctive art style, and many expressed excitement about seeing its development continue.
The feedback was incredibly encouraging. This early press preview has helped build a solid base of interest, laying the groundwork for future announcements and giving us plenty of momentum as we continue to bring the world of Gate Zero to life.
Here’s what director Arve had to say about his experience:
People loved the setting and historical feel of the game so much that it gave us a unique opportunity to share the stories of Jesus in a fresh, new way. I was able to talk with several non-Christian gamers about Jesus and ancient Israel, and they were fully engaged for 20 minutes straight. I can’t even imagine the impact this will have once we deliver the full experience of hours of captivating, entertaining gameplay that millions of gamers around the world will experience!
Press Coverage
Notable press quotes:
Whether you’re a believer, curious, or passionate about historical narratives, Gate Zero deserves your attention. Not only does it dare to explore territory rarely explored by the industry, but it could well pave the way for a new way of telling humanity’s great stories in video games. –Game.Guide
Sometimes a game comes along that instantly piques your interest, simply because it has such a unique approach that you don’t know what to expect. Gate Zero is one of those. –intheGame
Gate Zero doesn’t simply tell the story, but invites you to experience and defend it, placing the player at the center of a battle for truth that transcends the centuries. –MondoXbox
Overall, however, the demonstration of Gate Zero convinced me so much that it was in retrospect the most promising title I was allowed to deal with at Gamescom. –Newseule
Links to the media outlets that covered our game after seeing the demo:
The video below captures what we showed to press at Gamescom! It includes 20 minutes of gameplay, together with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from Arve.
Gabriel Fuentes (Level Designer), Andy Anderson (Lead Producer), John Gibson (CEO of Templar Media), Arve Solli (Director) and Deb Vedvik (Associate Producer)
This summer has been a really exciting time for us at Gate Zero! It marked the beginning of a fresh chapter as we reintroduced the game after two years of refining and evolving the gameplay experience—with a brand-new gameplay system, exciting new mechanics, a refreshed art style
This summer has been a really exciting time for us at Gate Zero!
It marked the beginning of a fresh chapter as we reintroduced the game after two years of refining and evolving the gameplay experience—with a brand-new gameplay system, exciting new mechanics, a refreshed art style, and an overall boost in quality in every aspect. With an updated marketing strategy to match, we’re excited to finally share more of what we’ve been working on!
Here weretwo of our biggest marketing beats this summer, in case you missed them.
All the different elements we’ve been developing lately have culminated in our new vertical slice, which we’ve been working hard to complete. The vertical slice showcases Main Mission 4, one of eight main missions we’re planning to include in Gate Zero’s first release.
In August, we brought a shortened version of the main mission to Gamescom in Germany.
The video above captures what we showed to press at Gamescom! It includes 20 minutes of gameplay, together with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from our director, Arve Solli.
Together with this reveal, we have also refreshed our Steam page!
And here are some screenshots from the demo:
Gamescom 2025
The weeks leading up to Gamescom were intense, as our whole team focused on polishing up the demo that would be put in front of press for the first time.
We had a booth in the B2B section, where press with booked timeslots could visit to view the game behind closed doors. This was the first time we were showing Gate Zero to enthusiastic gaming press, and we were curious what they would think.
The result was overwhelmingly positive!
Notable press quotes:
Whether you’re a believer, curious, or passionate about historical narratives, Gate Zero deserves your attention. Not only does it dare to explore territory rarely explored by the industry, but it could well pave the way for a new way of telling humanity’s great stories in video games. –Game.Guide
Overall, however, the demonstration of Gate Zero convinced me so much that it was in retrospect the most promising title I was allowed to deal with at Gamescom. –Newseule
In addition to receiving coverage from the press that were at Gamescom, our trailer and gameplay preview videos were picked up by many other outlets around the world—from Europe to the Americas to Asia! In fact, several of the top outlets that featured Gate Zero came from Chinese-speaking countries. In total, we received nearly 100 pieces of press from July to September, something very exciting for our little studio!
What's next?
The positive reception at Gamescom and corresponding press coverage this summer have been strong indicators that our efforts to refine the game’s core mechanics and overall experience are paying off, confirming we’re headed in the right direction.
Now, we are working hard on completing the remaining elements of the vertical slice and will soon move into full-fledged production. Our art team has already started designing two new locations that will be included in the game release—Cana and the Judean wilderness.
New Locations
A lot of work has gone into analyzing the gospels and mapping out which stories and locations will be included in each of our four planned game releases. Since the stories will be told in a chronological order in our game, the locations of Cana—where Jesus performed His first recorded miracle, and the Judean wilderness—where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, will naturally be included in our first release.
Here are some early shots from our concept artist developing these locations:
The gameplay preview video featured earlier in this article offers the best look at our progress this past quarter, but here’s a behind-the-scenes peek at some of the individual elements that brought it all together!
Art
Capernaum Set Dressing
Set dressing of the Capernaum Rich District
Set dressing of the Capernaum Rich District
Set dressing of the Capernaum Rich District
Set dressing of Capernaum
Set dressing of Capernaum
Bird's eye view of Capernaum
Capernaum Synagogue at sunset
What’s changed in our art since two years ago?
A lot has evolved! We completely revised the technical approach in building our open world. Our new modular system lets us reuse geometry and textures like Lego pieces—walls become buildings, and buildings become neighborhoods. This not only cuts down on workload but also boosts performance and gives us tighter control over the game’s overall look and feel.
Art and design now go hand in hand from the start, so level designers have a more predictable and cohesive environment to work with. On top of that, several experienced artists from AAA open-world projects such as the Assassin’s Creed franchise and Diablo IV have joined the team, while our less experienced members have grown quickly in mastering open-world asset creation.
Visually, we’ve also refined our style with more defined color palettes, stronger direction, and the introduction of the Eon theme—shaping both the environments and creatures with a distinct, unified identity.
One of our first models of Jerusalem
One of our first models of Jerusalem
Eon World
You may have spotted something mysterious in the latest Gate Zero gameplay preview—a completely new world existing alongside the ancient one you already know.
This is the Eon World—a realm suspended between time and reality, where history itself can be held hostage. In Gate Zero, the past can’t be erased, but it can be rewritten when people or objects of significance are trapped within the Eon World. That’s exactly what the faceless regime known as UniFi is after, using this strange dimension to twist the truth and reshape the biblical narrative to fit their own agenda.
We created the Eon World to bring a thrilling new layer to Gate Zero’s story. It deepens the mystery, heightens the sense of time travel, and provides a striking new arena for exploration and action—all while revealing just how far UniFi will go to control history itself.
Plenty more mysteries await in the Eon World—but here’s a little glimpse for now!
Max's Gear
As a stranger in a strange land, Max has to rely on more than just his knowledge from the future. His futuristic gear are components he cobbled together from his broken time machine. These allow him to more easily exist in a harsh world, and are also a link back to the future, to Hector who is trying to guide him to understanding the world he’s found himself in.
Each piece of gear has a purpose: it lets Max translate dead languages in real time, scan and record near everything such as writings, events, flora & fauna, and detect corruption of time—usually confirming the presence of UniFi and their attempts to alter something that doesn’t support their historical narrative. Together, these tools make Max a kind of temporal archaeologist, uncovering the truth piece by piece.
Max's Eon Ray Bracelet
Max's Staff
Lighting
Much work was put into the final cutscene of our latest gameplay preview, not least in the form of lighting a rather unique scene—where the light of sunset could be seen streaming in from a hole in the roof in an otherwise dimly lit 1st century house.
This is what our concept artist, Andy, had to say about lighting the scene:
The main inspiration came from the cinematic lighting in Ridley Scott’s films—he has a unique way of capturing atmosphere through light. I tried to blend that influence with modern gaming lighting scenarios, bending realism a little in favor of artistic style and storytelling. In the cutscenes, I wanted to emphasize the characters and their emotions, using color and contrast not just for realism but to shape the mood. This approach makes the visuals feel more pleasant, vibrant, and expressive, while still carrying the intended message.
Characters
Crowd Character Improvements
Textures
Before/After Wall Textures in Capernaum's Rich District
Ground Texture Improvements in Capernaum
Level Design
Here’s a look at how one of the Eon World levels began in blockout form before evolving into the version you see in our latest gameplay demo.
Our level designer, Gabriel Fuentes, shares some insight into the process:
We wanted players to explore at their own pace, with full freedom to visit locations in any order. Encounters can even be avoided using stealth, and this gives players a stronger sense of agency. The central well acts as the main landmark, so players always know where to return after completing objectives, while the tendrils or vines placed around the well serve as subtle leading lines to guide them toward each Eon Crystal.
Eon World Blockout
Eon World In-Game
Eon World Blockout
Eon World In-Game
And here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we built ancient Capernaum from the ground up—one block at a time. Our level designer Gabriel Fuentes shares a bit about the process:
Our narrative designers and scriptwriters have crafted a one-page summary for each Main Mission—a guide that highlights the message, key themes, and biblical references driving each mission. It’s an essential tool that keeps the whole team on the same page and makes it easy to understand at a glance the main themes for each mission.
Here’s a sneak peek of the one-pager for Main Mission 4, the mission featured in our early gameplay preview video:
Playtesting
Multiple rounds of playtesting were underway as we prepared our demo for the press at Gamescom. Here are a couple shots from a session in the summer!
Community Memes
And finally, we’re ending this update with some fun memes from our Discord community. Enjoy, and until next time!
It’s finally here—the same early gameplay demo we showed to press at Gamescom is now available to watch! ✅ Brand-new game mechanics ✅ A never-before-seen world ✅ Fresh lore and more Follow Max as he explores the ancient city of Capernaum, witness a well-known miracle unfold, and
It’s finally here—the same early gameplay demo we showed to press at Gamescom is now available to watch!
✅ Brand-new game mechanics ✅ A never-before-seen world ✅ Fresh lore and more
Follow Max as he explores the ancient city of Capernaum, witness a well-known miracle unfold, and get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from our studio head, Arve Solli.
New Trailer! Watch our latest trailer for a first look at Capernaum — and a glimpse of something else coming 👀 Gamescom 2025 Templar Media and Bible X announced today it will be at Gamescom 2025 and they invite press attendees to experience a first look of the Gate Zero alpha de
Watch our latest trailer for a first look at Capernaum — and a glimpse of something else coming 👀
Gamescom 2025
Templar Media and Bible X announced today it will be at Gamescom 2025 and they invite press attendees to experience a first look of the Gate Zero alpha demo August 20-22 in Hall 3.2 B-41 / A-40.
We’re nearly halfway through 2025 – how time flies! 2025 has been an exciting year for us, with progress on every aspect of the game as we move into the polishing phase of our vertical slice. Our goal with the vertical slice is to demonstrate the look, feel and quality of gamepla
We’re nearly halfway through 2025 – how time flies!
2025 has been an exciting year for us, with progress on every aspect of the game as we move into the polishing phase of our vertical slice. Our goal with the vertical slice is to demonstrate the look, feel and quality of gameplay, art and narrative you can expect in the final product. We’ll be using the vertical slice for testing and as a promotional tool, not least in outreach to the press.
We’re also thrilled to share that, in conjunction with our partnership with Templar Media as our publisher, we’ve now teamed up with a professional marketing agency. With their expertise, we’re gearing up to expand Gate Zero’s reach to even more audiences around the world. As we ramp up our marketing efforts towards release, you can expect to see us at major gaming conventions in the coming year!
Together with our marketing consultants, we are planning a strategic approach to revealing different aspects of the game over time. If you’ve been wondering what we’ve been up to behind the scenes lately, it’s because many of the new gameplay mechanics—one of our main focuses since the release of the Steam prototype—have been intentionally kept under wraps. We’re excited to share more in the time to come as we roll out key marketing beats at carefully planned intervals up until release.
For now, here’s what we can share!
Art
Capernaum Set Dressing
With level design and architecture far along, our artists are now working on beautifying the environment with details.
Here’s what our art director, Mette, considers in the set dressing process:
“What I always try to convey is a sense that someone actually lived there—the plants, baskets, chairs or crates are placed where they are because people either had an intention with them, or they were on their way from A to B and life just happened.
I like to think that people in the 1st century also tried to make their surroundings look homey and nice, not just functional. Some flowers on the front porch, a chair to sit outside and greet people, etc.
And then there’s all the misplaced stuff—things that were just left in an alley way or backyard or along the road and no one picked it up, but it adds to the feeling of life happening. Tiny little stories.
I try to make unique looks, so even though I may reuse the same 100 or so assets, I try to combine them and make them feel used differently by different people.”
Capernaum Marketplace Assets
And here are some examples of assets being placed out in the Capernaum world.
Character Models
The unique characters featured in our vertical slice are coming to life. This is where all of our earlier research into 1st century clothing pays off, as it informs the way we model and express each character’s personality.
Games Mechanics
Crafting & Light Survival Economy
When you find yourself stuck in a different realm through time travel, what do you do? Learn to survive, of course!
With that in mind, our game designers have been developing systems such as tool crafting using gathered resources, as well as light survival mechanics reflecting the realities of 1st century life—including the need for food, water and shelter.
Audio & Script
Bringing a historically immersive game world to life takes a lot of thoughtful detail.
This past month, our writers have been hard at work crafting custom dialogue barks—short one-way statements delivered by Non-Player Characters (NPCs) to add depth and authenticity to the world.
We’ve now created around 650 custom dialogue barks, which will be voiced by a wide range of characters—from Roman soldiers and guards to ordinary Capernaum residents including pedestrians, synagogue attendees, market traders and shoppers.
This is what game writer, Steve, had to say about the process:
“For the world to sound as natural and authentic as possible, there has to be a wide variety of ages and backgrounds, and in some cases the NPCs have their own backstory. We want the player to get familiar with characters who live in Capernaum.
The city was small, around 1,500 inhabitants, and no more than the size of a large, modern-day school, so it’s quite possible most inhabitants knew one another. Although an NPC may be ‘just’ a market trader now, he or she may play a more important role later in the story.”
We’ve been refining various rigs and animations, with a focus on traversal movements like climbing, sliding, and dodging.
In addition, we’re building a wide range of overlay states—such as holding different items—all set up in a modular system. This allows any character to use the same items seamlessly, with animations that automatically adapt to each one.
Bible App – Impact in 2024
Did you know that Gate Zero has a Bible reading plan on the Youversion Bible App that’s translated into 19 languages?
Help us continue creating life-changing Bible experiences for the next generation.
Thank you to everyone who has been playing our prototype! The response has been overwhelming, and we are so grateful for your interest. It has been nearly two years since the prototype was first uploaded here on Steam, and we have decided that it is time to take it down for now.
Thank you to everyone who has been playing our prototype! The response has been overwhelming, and we are so grateful for your interest.
It has been nearly two years since the prototype was first uploaded here on Steam, and we have decided that it is time to take it down for now. Development on Gate Zero has progressed significantly since then, and the prototype that you guys have experienced is rather outdated compared to where the game is at now.
We look forward to showing you guys more as time progresses! No new demo for now, but we are actively working towards exciting developments!
Moss, Norway – March 14, 2025 – Today, we’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Templar Media, a newly launched video game publisher and media company, to publish Gate Zero , the highly anticipated action/adventure game that transports players to first-century Roman-era Ju
Moss, Norway – March 14, 2025 – Today, we’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Templar Media, a newly launched video game publisher and media company, to publish Gate Zero, the highly anticipated action/adventure game that transports players to first-century Roman-era Judea.
Founded by 25-year game industry veteran John Gibson, Templar Media will focus on releasing content that puts Entertainment First! In an entertainment industry that has stumbled in recent years with alienating customers by putting social agendas ahead of entertainment, Templar Media aims to bring entertaining gamers and viewers back into focus. This aligns perfectly with Bible X’s ambition to bring the Bible to life for a new generation of young people. This collaboration will, among other things, bring Gate Zero to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms, making it accessible to gamers worldwide.
THE FUTURE ECHOES IN THE PAST
Gate Zero is a single-player, third-person story-driven adventure game with an innovative open playstyle that empowers gamers to tackle challenges their way. As Max, a young teen from a dystopian future thrust into the ancient past, players utilize their own mix of action, stealth, dialogue, unique tools and abilities to save the future and get back to their own time. Do you lean on your evasion and movement skills to charge the Roman guards who’ve taken an interest in the odd stranger in their midst, or do you use stealth and guile to avoid capture and accomplish your goals? Perhaps you use your charisma and dialogue to befriend the locals and enlist their help? You decide and make your own path!
A LAND ON THE BRINK OF UPHEAVAL
Two historic cultures collide when the storied, ancient Jewish homeland is occupied by the preeminent force of the time – The Roman Empire. Tensions flare as a young rabbi enters an already precarious situation and challenges both forces with his radical new teaching. As Max’s story intersects history, experience firsthand the events of first century Judea with Jesus and his band of followers challenging the authorities and traditions of the time in a first of its kind video game based on historically and Biblically accurate events.
EXPERIENCE THE REVOLUTION WITH YOUR FRIENDS
With Gate Zero’s revolutionary co-play feature players can bring their friends along for the journey right there beside them. More than spectators, your friends can take on challenges and play on their own mobile devices assisting Max, as the “man in the chair,” guiding him live from the future, as he explores ancient Judea and overcomes the obstacles of life in and around first century Jerusalem, and defeats the enemies sent from the future to stop him. Fill a room with your friends and experience gaming together in a completely new way!
A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP
“From our first meeting with John Gibson, he immediately understood how unique the Gate Zero project was and saw the enormous potential and vision of creating the world’s first high-quality video game based on the Bible,” said Arve Solli, Head of Studio at Bible X. “With over two decades of experience in releasing successful titles, he has a trained eye for both quality and fun gameplay, combined with a straightforward and practical approach to making a commercially successful product. We truly look forward to bringing the game through the final stages of production and delivering it to millions of players by partnering with Templar Media.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to re-enter games and entertainment at this critical turning point for the industry,” said Templar Media CEO John Gibson. “For too long entertainment has been dominated by one perspective, with the desires of gamers for creators to focus on the fun and put entertainment first being mostly ignored, and with great projects and talented individuals being pushed to the wayside. That ends now with Templar Media’s ‘Entertainment First!’ philosophy as the company seeks out the most talented creators and developers and funds those projects to successfully bring them to market. Gate Zero is exactly that kind of title, and we couldn’t be more proud to be working with the team to bring this innovative and exciting project to gamers around the world!”
WE ARE HIRING!
Gate Zero is also hiring! If you’re passionate about game development and want to contribute to an exciting project that blends faith and cutting-edge gameplay, reach out to us at [email protected].
STAY CONNECTED
To stay updated on the latest developments for Gate Zero, visit our official website and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. If you’d like to support the development of Gate Zero, you can contribute via the NextGen Bible Media website.
Together with Templar Media, we are committed to making Gate Zero a landmark game that brings biblical history to life for a new generation. Stay in touch so you can experience this incredible journey with us!
We have successfully entered 2025, looking back on a year filled with prototyping, iterations, and discovering new answers! A huge thank you to everyone who likes, shares, donates, and patiently waits for our Bible video game. We know a lot of you have followed along with us for
We have successfully entered 2025, looking back on a year filled with prototyping, iterations, and discovering new answers! A huge thank you to everyone who likes, shares, donates, and patiently waits for our Bible video game.
We know a lot of you have followed along with us for a long time, and we acknowledge the fact that updates have been sparse, the reason being that we’ve focused on maintaining momentum behind the scenes!
Concept art for the time traveling realm
As we mentioned in our previous update, we are currently developing a vertical slice of Gate Zero; that is, a selected portion of the game, representing the final look and feel. So, to let you all know what’s really going on behind the scenes, we’ve huddled together with the team leads to gain insight into what’s been done, what’s happening, and what’s coming up.
Q: As we begin 2025, GZ has already been up and running for five years. So, where are we in the overall process?
A: So far, we’ve done a lot of exploration and development based on input from our community. Now, we’re starting a phase in which everything will come together as we work towards the first release of the game. Our focus has been on creating a game that is not only historically and biblically accurate, but also fun to play and of high quality. This is crucial for us, and we have a solid team of industry veterans with experience from major titles like Assassin’s Creed, GTA, PUBG, Apex Legends, Red Dead Redemption, Diablo, and more. This amazing team is now bringing all the pieces together!
Some of our awesome team members!
Q: In the previous blog post, we mentioned ramping up for the vertical slice. Which portion of the game does the vertical slice include, and why was this part chosen?
A: For the vertical slice, we are creating a section that takes place in the middle of the game. This mission highlights Jesus’ ability to heal—not just physically, but also spiritually. Players will get to explore Capernaum, the town where Jesus lived during the last three years of His life, and experience what it was like to be there.
In addition, it will include some super exciting features that we haven’t shared yet, but will be announced soon!
Screen captured scenery of the docks in Capernaum
Q: A couple of weeks ago, you traveled to the US to meet a handful of the Gate Zero leads. What was the main goal of the meetup?
The main goal of the meetup was to plan and structure the upcoming months of production and ensure that we are set up for success. Our aim is to create the first ever high-quality Bible video game, and this meeting was essential for planning the production phase, diving into the details of design questions and making sure everything is moving forward efficiently.
John, Race, and Liam are analyzing the next steps of our current game build
Liam Hislop (Senior Producer)
Q: You’ve been on the team as our Senior Producer for a few months now – what has it been like?
A: It’s been a lot of fun and hard work. Getting a handle on the game, while dealing with people remotely is a challenge, but having a great team makes it easier. I think having a design summit, helped us get a really strong, unified vision for the team going forward. (More about the design summit below.)
Arve and Liam during the US meetup
Q: What’s your plan to ensure that things will get done and the next milestones are reached?
A: Prioritization and accountability. Getting our tasks visible and prioritized with people in different time zones is always the way to overcome the challenges. Also focusing on the core of the game; understanding what makes it really fun and engaging, and making sure those features are solid before we spend time in other areas.
A map showing where everyone on our team is working from across the world.
Kim-David Ostgård (Game Design & UI)
Q: As Liam mentioned, the GDs worked together on an online design summit. What was the goal of the summit, and did you achieve that goal?
A: That’s right! Being remote and spread across different time zones can be challenging. We recognized the need to bring the design team together to align on the various prototyped elements and make key decisions about the game’s overall direction. The summit was a great success! We made significant progress in aligning our goals, made important design decisions, and updated our Game Design Document to support development in the weeks and months ahead.
Game map of Capernaum, with key locations for the Vertical Slice, creating a rich game world
Q: People might have seen prototype pictures of colorful glitches and crystal formations. What are they, and how do they relate to the story of Jesus?
A: As many may know, Max travels back in time, and on that note, we’ve been experimenting with different realms of time that players can encounter throughout the game. While this aspect is still a work in progress, we already have some exciting ideas and strong design foundations that help us craft engaging gameplay for different player types! We’re very much looking forward to revealing more as development progresses!
Level concept of the time travel realm
Steve Chadwick (Game Writer & Actor)
Q: One of the big milestones has been writing and recording motion capture for some of the most important cut scenes for the vertical slice. What are your key takeaways from this process?
We will only succeed in touching people’s hearts with our game if, in addition to detailed research, exciting scripts, and immersive gameplay, we capture the drama and emotional impact of these monumental events.
Challenges can always be overcome when team members are passionate about the project.
If you begin with a film script, halve its length. Then halve it again. Finally, refine it so you use about ten percent of what remains, and you might be in the right ballpark for a video game.
Steve prepping the actors for their cut scene
Motion Capture studio in Moss, Norway
Markus Paasila Fjeld (Lead Animator)
Q: You’re currently working on implementing the motion capture data for the iconic story of the paralytic man lowered through the roof. Have there been any challenges so far?
A: There are plenty of technical challenges when using mocap for games. One of those is that the actor for the paralytic man was recorded lying on the ground, but I have to make it appear as if he is being carried by four people. For that, I have to create a rig in 3D that can balance on the shoulders of four characters, attach the paralytic man to it, and give the impression of a heavy weight being carried.
Combining several takes of motion capture in Unreal Engine
Bobby Bogdanov (Art Director)
Q: What recent achievement of the art team are you most proud of?
A: 2024 was a dynamic year, not only because of content we created, but because we assembled an awesome team of experienced professionals ready to handle any future challenges. We established the technical art pipeline that will enable us to bring the vision for the game to a wide variety of platforms. Last but not least, we advanced significantly with visual development of Capernaum and it’s residents – meeting historical accuracy while ensuring the attractiveness and variety that the present day player expects to see in a high profile game.
Capernaum modules from a year ago (January 2024)
Most recent modules, creating the Capernaum marketplace (January 2025)
Q: How is it like working on an title like Gate Zero, in comparison to games from AAA studios?
A: I personally always wanted to apply the knowledge and skills of creating rich, engaging open worlds outside the context of big studios and AAA productions. For everyone on the team it is both nostalgic and exciting to work on such a project.
Daniel Nielsen (Sound Design)
Q: What’s the vision or goal for the audio side of things for Gate Zero this year?
A: My personal ambitions are to make the sounds of ancient Israel as realistic as possible so it feels like you really are there. Unfortunately, no one on the team has access to a time machine and can walk around in Capernaum 2,000 years ago. So, we try to craft the soundscape with as much care and detail as possible. With help of our archaeological team, we can pinpoint which birds and wildlife sounds to include in the nature ambience. By collaborating closely with the writers team, we can bring the marketplace at the synagogue to life with custom-written background chatter.
When we started using the software Wwise for Gate Zero this month, everything immediately seemed much easier. The music systems that we previously spent weeks developing in Unreal Engine, were suddenly done in half a day in Wwise. I’m particularly excited since Wwise is the leading industry standard for providing audio solutions of the highest quality. We can now design better audio than ever before.
Preview of sound effects to be imported through Wwise.
Chrys Piva (Lead Programmer)
Q: With a background working for studios like Rockstar, Ubisoft and WB Games, what has it been like getting into the systems and code of Gate Zero?
A: The project needed to move from a prototyping mentality and development style over to a more structured production-ready approach for the various game features that have been experimented with.
Over the past months we spent a lot of time creating systems that are scalable and flexible to produce an ambitious open world game like Gate Zero. Doing so with a very small team has been a major challenge.
We also have to keep performance and ease of debugging in mind. Over the past four months we essentially took the learnings from the prototype project and started building the systems from the ground up to ensure we are hitting all the necessary goals to deliver the game the team has envisioned and that the players deserve.
This system automatically decides where the Roman guards should position themselves around Max, our main character.
Dynamic crowd systems allow us to create lively environments without working on each NPC character manually.
Early version of a compass system, guiding the player where to go next.
Robert Pledger (Major Gift Officer)
Q: How is the fundraising going for the first release of Gate Zero, and what steps are being taken to reach full funding?
In 2025, we will continue working hard on securing enough funds. We have some exciting events and campaigns planned for 2025, and we’ll be taking a more hands-on approach in finding new leads and potential donors. We have also worked on some new marketing material to showcase just how great Gate Zero is.
Through God’s blessing, faithful service, and due diligence, we continue to be led to high-capacity donors who have a heart for increasing Bible literacy and spreading the gospel worldwide.
“Pray like it all depends on God. Work like it all depends on you.” – St. Augustine
In 2024, Gate Zero was featured at Mehr in Germany and for the first time at GDC in San Francisco!
Do you want to join us in making an impact in the lives of millions of youth worldwide with the gospel in the gaming space?
FGTeeV’s content is gaming centered and family friendly, has been active for over a decade and is currently entertaining 24 million subscribers. Full video below:
We reached out to say thanks, and this was his reply:
“I should be thanking you because this game is so amazing. To be able to mix modern day with a gateway to ancient Biblical times is perfect. Learning history on one of the most important books ever while having fun is a win-win. There are so many normal regular games out there and I’m tired of that genre, I want to play games that will actually make a difference in someone’s life! Your game is an amazing tool for that! I can’t wait to play more!”
That wraps up this dev update!
We are determined to continue our work in bringing the message of the Bible to life, and making it accessible to children and youth worldwide through one of the world’s first high-quality Bible video games!
Again – a big thank you for your continual support and patience.
We’ve reached the end of 2024, and we can sum it up as a year of deep, focused work – some of which we’ll be showcasing in our next big milestone: our vertical slice. The vertical slice will feature a small portion of our game that reflects the final version. With many of the cor
We’ve reached the end of 2024, and we can sum it up as a year of deep, focused work – some of which we’ll be showcasing in our next big milestone: our vertical slice. The vertical slice will feature a small portion of our game that reflects the final version.
With many of the core components now in place, we’re excited for what 2025 holds as we head into full-fledged production!
Another milestone this quarter is that Friends of BCC Media Inc., doing business as NextGen Bible Media—the nonprofit established to support fundraising for the Gate Zero project—has officially been granted 501(c)(3) status in the US. We’re well on our way with fundraising, having raised ~11% of our budget this year alone.
Our team has grown to 30 members, including the NextGen Bible Media admin team. Happy New Year from all of us! We’re incredible grateful for your continued support and patience as we work to create one of the world’s first high-quality Bible video games.
Keep reading for an update from the past months!
New Team Members
We’ve expanded our team this past year to include talented developers with experience at studios like Rockstar Games and Ubisoft, who have worked on iconic games such as GTA, Red Dead Redemption, and Assassin’s Creed, ensuring that Gate Zero continues to push the boundaries of quality. New additions include a producer, level designer, texture artist, game designers, game writers, and an art team.
“I am really looking forward to helping bring this fun and unique experience to everyone. I think that this is something really special.” – Liam, Senior Producer
“I’ve always loved history and truth be told, I am looking forward to the struggle of trying to present this historical/biblical past in a way that is fun to experience and explore.” – Race, Lead Game Designer
“I’m more than excited to join this amazing team of talented people and to help create this innovative Bible-based project that’s bigger than myself. I look forward to crafting memorable experiences for players all around the world!” – Gabriel, Level Designer
“Upon joining the team I see a group of incredibly passionate people all with one goal in mind, bringing the word of God to the gaming industry. I can honestly say that I’ve never been more excited than now to partake in something as big and important as this and I'm looking forward to helping contribute to this incredible project!” – Justin, Texture Artist
Art
Capernaum 3D Models
With a lot of the concept art for Capernaum completed, our artists have moved on to creating 3D models of the different locations.
Capernaum Dock
Interior of the dock
Watchtower
We’ve also been working on 3D models of dock area props.
And here’s a look at the progress of the synagogue in Capernaum. Any guesses what stories will take place here?
Capernaum Synagogue
Capernaum Synagogue
Capernaum Walkthrough
Check out an early look of the different components of Capernaum coming together in the game world!
Crowd Characters
This quarter, we’ve completed 15 high-resolution models of crowd types that can be made into countless different variations. We’re now working on technical implementation to give you an optimized experience of a lively, populated 1st century Capernaum.
Technical Art
In addition to constant performance testing and improvement, our technical artist has also been working on testing lighting.
Lighting Exploration in the Capernaum Synagogue
Lighting Exploration in the Capernaum Synagogue
Lighting Exploration in the Capernaum Synagogue
Materials & Textures
Lots of realistic textures are being added to the collection! Here is a small selection from the Capernaum area.
Capernaum Residential Area Textures
Capernaum Synagogue Textures
Ground Textures
Game Mechanics
Alongside refining the stealth and action elements of our game, we’ve been working on defining the moment-to-moment gameplay – systems like damage, health, stamina, upgrades, rewards and progression.
We’ve also been detailing the discovery elements, as well as the currency, skills, equipment and resources players can use to fully immerse themselves in the ancient world.
Story
Our game writers have wrapped up in-depth research of the Context, Message and Development for all Main Missions, filling our research database with rich, detailed profiles of characters, events and stories.
This lays the foundation for crafting immersive and impactful scripts that will bring the gospel stories to life in Gate Zero!
Reading Plan for the Dev Team
Last month, our team began an exciting journey together to read all the core biblical texts describing the events in Release 1 of Gate Zero.
Prepared with care by our game writers, the Gate Zero Daily Reading Plan contains stories packed with interesting narratives, monumental events, and growing tension as forces intent on resisting Jesus gain momentum.
To enrich the experience, each day’s reading includes a fascinating fact or insight that provides deeper context to the Bible passages, reflecting the script team’s depth of research.
We end off every week with a team game of Kahoot, and the winners get pride of place in our virtual office.
Fundraising
These past months, we have held two campaigns: the October Matching Gift Campaign and the Giving Tuesday Matching Campaign, both offering the opportunity for every dollar donated to be matched by an anonymous donor.
A project of this scale and quality demands a budget that reflects its excellence. With Christian projects traditionally suffering from low budgets and and thus quality, we are determined to turn the tide and create something the Christian community will be proud of, and in addition captures the attention of the wider gaming community.
Do you want to join us in making an impact in the lives of millions of youth worldwide with the gospel in the gaming space?
Back in September, we hosted some special guests at our office in Moss, Norway – a reward promised to our high-tier backers.
The visitors got to meet the team, playtest our latest gameplay features (top secret!) and participate in an exclusive motion capture session where they saw themselves as NPCs within the game.
We were proud to be part of the first-ever Reach Conf in Orlando, FL in September showcasing Gate Zero.
The conference was a reward for the content creators who had organized Alpha groups to share the gospel prior to the event. Creators could invite their community to the conference, and it was a uniting time with lots of games, food and encouragement.
We loved meeting the familiar faces of Christian streamers who love and support our game, as well as new people enthusiastic for what we’re creating. Already looking forward to next year!
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Summer is slowly making its exit, and while things usually slow down during this time, the important work on our game has not stopped, with a good part of our team working hard through the warm months. Here is a look at our progress in the last bit! Art In the past months, we hav
Summer is slowly making its exit, and while things usually slow down during this time, the important work on our game has not stopped, with a good part of our team working hard through the warm months. Here is a look at our progress in the last bit!
Art
In the past months, we have expanded and strengthened our art team and made significant progress on this front. We have also established collaboration with a team of professionals who have worked on several Assassin’s Creed games, which we hope will take the quality and consistency of our art to the next level.
Capernaum Concept Art
With the exterior concept art done, we have now moved on to designing the interiors.
Concept Art: Rich Building Interior Living Room
Concept Art: Rich Building Interior Living Room
Concept Art: Residential District Kitchen
Capernaum Residential Modular Set
As we work on building out Capernaum, we have also developed a modular system to improve efficiency and ensure optimized performance.
Capernaum Residential Modular Set
Materials & Textures
Our artists have also been hard at work with the details, creating materials and textures of building façades like roofs and walls, props such as carpets and pottery, and clothing textiles and fabrics. A lot goes into creating high-quality, realistic graphics which are at the same time optimized for an open world game.
Texture on a building façade
Carpet samples
Textiles
Game Mechanics
Recently, we’ve made major improvements to the stealth elements of Gate Zero, with the goal of making it fun by incorporating lighthearted, humorous moments. You may just find Max with lots of new tricks up his sleeve as you find creative ways to evade enemies and danger!
We have also been seriously prototyping some action elements for the game, working hard on making them balanced, responsive and fun. The goal is that these new elements will be easy to learn and rewarding to master. We’ve spent a good amount of time getting this right, and we can’t wait to show you more when we’re ready! Stay tuned!
Level Design
Level design is also an important part of game development, and one aspect of it is defining heights and spaces between buildings and other environment assets.
Rules for horizontal and vertical traversal ie. jumping and climbing distances defined for the environment art and level design will ensure a unified, clear and positive player experience.
Vertical Traversal Rules
Horizontal Traversal Rules
Story
Our scriptwriters have been doing extensive research into the gospel stories that will be featured in Release 1, determining the context and main messages we aim to bring out through the stories in each mission.
They have also been working on character development of the various people that Max (the player character) will be meeting in the game. It’s shaping up to be incredibly interesting!
Overview of the gospel stories we plan to feature in Release 1
Fundraising
In case you missed our last blog post or email messages, we are still actively fundraising for Gate Zero.
Our goal as one of the world’s first Bible video games is to create a product of excellence. The more resources added to the project, the greater impact we can make on millions worldwide with the life-changing message of the gospel.
Creating a video game of this scale and quality with care, respect and attention to the source material takes a considerable amount of resources, and we are grateful for any support you can provide!
At the end of June, we attended a large youth conference in Georgia where 13,000 young people were gathered. Our Gate Zero booth was a hit with the crowd, and it was so fun to see these young Gen Zers' interest in our game!
Gate Zero booth at Forward Conference 2024
Gate Zero booth at Forward Conference 2024
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Time has flown by and although it’s been a quiet few months with fewer updates, our team has been working a lot in the background especially on the game design and programming side, getting the mechanics polished and tightened up so we can create a fun, cohesive and excellent exp
Time has flown by and although it’s been a quiet few months with fewer updates, our team has been working a lot in the background especially on the game design and programming side, getting the mechanics polished and tightened up so we can create a fun, cohesive and excellent experience for all of you!
Here’s a summary of our work and achievements since March in one BIG update!
Game Mechanics
So far, our team has completed 10 prototyping sprints this year. A sprint is a short, focused period where different design elements are prototyped, tested out and validated before further work is done to incorporate them into the game.
Through this process, our development team has iterated on the dialogue system, discovery and meta loop, traversal, time, stealth and combat elements of our game.
Yes, you read it right – we’ve experimenting with non-lethal combat mechanics. What do you think about that?
Lots of new mechanics have been tested in the past months, and we’re looking forward to revealing more once we’re ready to! We’ve been conducting rounds of playtesting among members of our community, and we’re getting closer to the result!
Art
We’ve made a lot of progress on the art front in recent months. One big milestone we’ve reached is that we’ve now completed concept art of the Capernaum rich district, residential district and Simon Peter’s house, and we’re now moving on to designing landmarks.
Concept Art: Capernaum Residential District
Concept Art: Capernaum Rich District
Concept Art: Capernaum Rich District
Concept Art: Simon Peter's House
Concept Art: Simon Peter's House
We’ve also started implementing the Capernaum rich district buildings into the game world. Check out an early look below!
To prepare for further world-building, we’ve been developing a modular system for buildings, structures, materials and textures to have centralized control over the art, improve efficiency and optimize memory and performance.
Aside from buildings, we’ve also been working closely with our history consultants to develop a solid basis for 1st century characters and clothing as we begin to create concept art for the crowd.
Concept Art: Jewish Rich Male
Concept Art: Jewish Regular Female
Concept Art: Fisherman
Another thing we’ve been prototyping that we haven’t shown much of yet are World State Effects – alternative renderings to the normal world that indicate a different state the player is in. The world effects are connected to the time travel element of our game and bring yet another exciting dimension to gameplay.
Concept Art: Time World
Concept Art: Corrupted World
Research
In the past months, we have established a tight, solid collaboration and workflow with our history consultants. Their insight and research is invaluable to the game we are creating, and we are constantly in awe over the rich depth there is to the Bible’s stories both from a historical and archaeological standpoint.
Besides offering input to ensure historical accuracy, we’ve experienced that the amazing teamwork we’ve got going with these historians extends beyond getting the facts right. Knowledge of archaeology and history can also add fun elements to the game’s design and mechanics, for example with the addition of maps, artifacts, caves and environmental obstacles, as well as daily-life habits and tasks of the locals.
Research board of characters and clothing
Research board of various elements in 1st century Capernaum
Team Updates & Office Fun
As development progresses, we have also been actively hiring to recruit the necessary talent to complete the game. New additions to the team include a game designer, associate producer, technical artist, texture artist, two level designers, and most recently, a senior game designer.
As our remote team grows, we’ve found different ways to collaborate and communicate. We now work together in a virtual office using Gather Town.
Some fun on the office Slack chat
Events
Game Developers Conference 2024
In March, we brought a Gate Zero booth for the first time to the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback and met many awesome people genuinely interested in what we are doing!
In March, we hit an exciting milestone: 500,000 followers across all social media platforms and 50M combined views! We are overwhelmed with the attention Gate Zero is getting, and humbled and motivated to keep working hard. Thank you SO much for all your continued support and encouragement!
And with that, we leave you with an awesome piece of fan art created by VoxVulpes from our Discord community.
We're looking forward to being at the Game Developers Conference in a week! 🚀 Come meet us at the South Hall, Booth S2026 to check out our video game Gate Zero 🎮✨ We'd love to: 👫 Meet talented game developers interested in joining our project! 🤝 Explore potential partnerships
We're looking forward to being at the Game Developers Conference in a week! 🚀
Come meet us at the South Hall, Booth S2026 to check out our video game Gate Zero 🎮✨
We'd love to: 👫 Meet talented game developers interested in joining our project! 🤝 Explore potential partnerships and collaborations within the gaming community 📣 Showcase our unique project merging gaming and faith
Hi everyone! It's been a hot minute but here we are with a comprehensive update! First of all, we'd like to announce that we'll be attending the Game Developers Conference (GDC) next month in San Francisco with a Gate Zero booth . If you plan to be there, be sure to stop by and s
Hi everyone!
It's been a hot minute but here we are with a comprehensive update!
First of all, we'd like to announce that we'll be attending the Game Developers Conference (GDC) next month in San Francisco with a Gate Zero booth. If you plan to be there, be sure to stop by and say hi!
Research Efforts
What's unique – and challenging at the same time – about making a historical video game as compared to a TV series like The Chosen, is that players get to explore locations just as they were.
From a geographical point of view, this requires much more research to ensure the map is accurate as you can technically choose to run anywhere you like, while in a TV series, the viewer only sees the locations the camera shoots, and from limited angles at that.
We've taken this unique challenge seriously by doing due diligence in research, at the same time being mindful of the balance between historical accuracy and making a video game that is fun.
Historical Consulting Sessions
Last week, we invited archaeological architect Leen Ritmeyer to hold a talk with our team about daily life in Capernaum. Leen's reconstruction drawings of Capernaum and designs of 1st century homes have been an big source of inspiration for us.
One piece of advice he gave: "Do not look at life in 1st century Capernaum with your 21st century ideas." It was an incredibly insightful talk, and we're looking forward to incorporating the knowledge in our script, art and game design!
In addition, we've received over three hours of video research from historical consultants in the past week about character references and clothing from the 1st century, so our art team has been busy!
Members of our team attending a talk with archaeological architect Leen Ritmeyer
Our script team was visiting from the UK and also got to attend the talk at our office in Norway
Capernaum Art + Fun Facts
These days, our small but hardworking art team has been working closely with our archaeological consultants to ensure accuracy as they continue building the town of Capernaum.
Fun facts about Capernaum:
The 1st century synagogue of Capernaum where Jesus taught at was never excavated, so no one knows for sure what it looked like.
Fishing was quite a profitable industry. It was an elaborate business that could involve employees mending nets, maintaining boats, preserving, transporting and selling fish.
Torah scrolls were often kept in the house of the Ruler of the Synagogue and brought in a cart to the synagogue where they were read.
We've learned an innumerable amount of detail concerning architecture and life in Capernaum during Jesus' time, but we won't bore you with the nitty-gritty... Instead, we'll show you some results!
A redesigned version of the Capernaum synagogue following feedback from historians
Mood exploration for the streets of Capernaum
Mood exploration for the streets of Capernaum
WIP concept art of the residential district in Capernaum
Models of fishing nets
Capernaum docks
Game Mechanics Prototype
Our prototype team has been working hard experimenting with game mechanics, and this past week, we had a new round of closed testing among members of our community. We'll show more of what we're working on when we're ready!
In the meantime, here's a funny bug our head of studio Arve discovered...
New Executive Game Consultant
We started this year off welcoming John Gibson as our new Executive Game Consultant and Gate Zero Development Board Member.
John brings two decades of experience and expertise in game development and publishing to our team. As former CEO, co-owner, and co-founder of Tripwire Interactive, he led the team that brought hit games like Killing Floor, Maneater, and Chivalry 2 to market, selling tens of millions of copies and winning multiple game of the year awards.
John has been offering support and counsel to our team in the past months, and will continue to provide guidance throughout our project's milestones and pivotal decisions. Following advice from John, we have also evaluated increasing the budget and quality of Gate Zero to ensure the highest possible success.
This month, we hit another milestone on Instagram: Reaching 5.2 million and gaining 65,824 followers in just one week!
In total, we have reached over 14 million unique accounts on Instagram since we first went viral in October last year. Word about our game is spreading more than we can imagine, and we're so excited to see where all this is headed in the coming year!
Happy New Year! Just like that, 2023 is over. The last couple months of 2023 have been busy and eventful for us here at Bible X, with progress being made on all fronts especially art, game design and marketing. Here's an update on what we've been working on! Game Mechanics – Trav
Happy New Year! Just like that, 2023 is over. The last couple months of 2023 have been busy and eventful for us here at Bible X, with progress being made on all fronts especially art, game design and marketing. Here's an update on what we've been working on!
Game Mechanics – Traversal Experimentation
In the last update, we announced that we’ve been intensely prototyping and working on improving the game mechanics in Gate Zero. This has been the focus of our design and programming teams for the past few months with one goal: to make the moment-to-moment gameplay so fun that players want to engage with our game again and again.
One of the areas we’ve been testing out are traversal actions for the player character. Here’s a clip from a little test of Max using a shepherd’s staff. What do you think?
Capernaum is a crucial location mentioned multiple times in all four gospels. It is the home base of Jesus when He began His public ministry, and is often referred to as His second home. Some key places include the house of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, the Sea of Galilee and the synagogue where Jesus taught.
Our art team has been busy moving from the concept art stage to building Capernaum in Unreal Engine 5. Throughout the process, we consult with historians to ensure historical accuracy. Many elements here will need a lot more work, but we wanted to share the beautiful art our team has been creating so far!
Capernaum Docks
Concept art of the boat construction facilities
Capernaum Synagogue
Models of the synagogue
Sea of Galilee
We also recently implemented water into the world of Capernaum. Here's an early player interaction test at the Sea of Galilee.
Bible X, as a part of the media organization BCC Media, is a non-profit game studio. Donations to Bible X are tax-deductible. If you would like to make a year-end gift to support our mission to bring the Bible to the next generation, we invite you to check out our giving page here.
And that’s it for now! We hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Thank you for all your support for Gate Zero in 2023, and we look forward to sharing more in the year to come!
Hi G8-0ers! Here's an update on what we've been working on in the past month. New location We've been busy developing a new location where a lot of the gospel stories take place in: Capernaum . Last month, we completed the concept art: We've now moved on to modelling Capernaum in
Hi G8-0ers! Here's an update on what we've been working on in the past month.
New location
We've been busy developing a new location where a lot of the gospel stories take place in: Capernaum. Last month, we completed the concept art:
We've now moved on to modelling Capernaum in 3D. Here are some screenshots from a very early First Pass of our Capernaum art development:
Game Design Sprints
We have entered an intense prototyping phase where the design, animation and programming teams are working on quick iterations to test out new game mechanics to potentially include in Gate Zero. These features are still in the testing phase so we can't show them publicly, but stay tuned!
All the feedback you guys have been sending in after playing our prototype here on Steam has been very helpful!
Below: What happens when a game dev tries playing around with a new feature but the whole thing backfires 😂 (Disclaimer: May not be seen in the final version)
We are hiring!
We have a few open positions available. Check them out here and share them with anyone who may be interested!
Join our social community
Our community is growing on social media. Join our Discord if you'd like to meet likeminded people, contribute to our game in various ways, and participate in contests to win cool prizes!
Long lines were formed at our Gamescom booth every day as people waited to try the demo
Click for a larger image
Narrative Summit at the Templar office
New Key Art coming soon!
Olive orchard outside Capernaum
Driftwood adding realism to the shoreline
Set dressing of the Herbalist Hut
Set dressing of the Olive Press
Jewish female crowd characters with new fabric patterns
Jewish male crowd characters with new fabric patterns
Roman fabric patterns
Roman crowd characters with new clothing & patterns
Eon World: Lumen Hardware Raytracing OFF/ON
Mikvah: Lumen Hardware Raytracing OFF/ON
UI work in progress
That's all for now! We're so excited for you to see our big reveal in August, where we will finally show more of what we've been working on. Until then, we leave you with a fun little Easter Egg challenge :)
Spot 8 things that don't belong
Spot 8 things that don't belong
Spot 3 things that don't belong
Spot 3 things that don't belong
One of the last group pictures of the Gate Zero team in Norway
Rough blockout of Machaerus
Lighting concepts of Machaerus
Interior of a Mikvah (Jewish ritual bath) in Capernaum’s rich district
Interior of a Mikvah in Capernaum’s rich district
Interior of a Mikvah in Capernaum’s rich district
Boat workshop by the Sea of Galilee
Boat workshop by the Sea of Galilee
Generic head exploration – Jewish male variant
Concept Art: Leper
“I see you! Come out of there or I’ll come get you!”
“Alright then…!”
Example of a branching narrative dialogue flow
Close-up of a branching narrative with player choices (text not final)
John Gibson, CEO of Templar Media, at the booth
Gabriel Fuentes (Level Designer), Andy Anderson (Lead Producer), John Gibson (CEO of Templar Media), Arve Solli (Director) and Deb Vedvik (Associate Producer)
Arve demoing Gate Zero inside the booth
Arve demoing Gate Zero inside the booth
Cana
Jordan River
Set dressing of the Capernaum Rich District
Set dressing of the Capernaum Rich District
Set dressing of the Capernaum Rich District
Set dressing of Capernaum
Set dressing of Capernaum
Bird's eye view of Capernaum
Capernaum Synagogue at sunset
One of our first models of Jerusalem
One of our first models of Jerusalem
Crowd Character Improvements
Ground Texture Improvements in Capernaum
Eon World Blockout
Eon World In-Game
Eon World Blockout
Eon World In-Game
