Devlog #1: GZW Lore & Story Teaser Reveal

21 Dec 2023Developer post

Source: Steam Community (opens in a new tab)

Dear GZW Community,

We are thrilled to share more about the Lore and Story of Gray Zone Warfare with all of you today. This is merely a teaser, as our goal for each player is to discover it by themselves and have fun piecing together all the snippets of information that will be scattered throughout the game.

LEARN ABOUT THE DARK HISTORY OF LAMANG

Our goal is for you to uncover many secrets while exploring Lamang, a former British colony marked by a turbulent past. Lamang faced civil war, foreign power influence, and a catastrophic event, setting the stage for gameplay filled with hidden revelations.

UNCOVER THE SECRETS BEHIND THE EVENT

The story begins with an enigmatic disaster in Lamang, shrouded in varying theories from official channels and internet speculations. Following this catastrophe, chaos erupted, prompting the United Nations Lamang Relief Agency (UNLRA) to launch an evacuation mission. Most survivors departed within a week, leaving the island under international quarantine.

As Lamang lay abandoned, criminal groups seized the opportunity to exploit the situation, leading to skirmishes with the Lamang Armed Forces. Three Private Military Companies, hired by their powerful clients, then arrived, establishing their presence and advancing towards exploring what was now known as Ground Zero. However, they were met with a series of unexpected professional attacks, which caused significant losses. To reclaim territory and fulfill client tasks, the PMCs recruited new mercenaries, including you, a former Special Operations Forces member.

JOIN A PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANY

The three PMCs have each arrived in Lamang on behalf of their clients to explore the region, uncover its secrets, and secure anything of value. As a member of one of these companies, you will have to make a choice: either stick to the given orders and earn your pay or dig deeper to unravel the truth behind the scenes. Whatever path you choose, the journey won’t be easy.

The PMCs themselves have varying backstories and starting positions on the map. So far, for Early Access, those are the only differences between them. The gear they provide, characters the players can interact with, and quests are all the same, with minor adjustments here and there. In the future, we plan to make the PMCs more distinct from each other with specific characters and questlines.

MEET THE CAST OF CHARACTERS

A diverse array of characters awaits you, each with their hidden motives. Unravel their secrets, gain their trust, and choose how to interact based on your understanding. Below are just three examples available for early access (out of six total), with more additional characters being added over time.

Anton Jackson - Gunny

A retired US Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, Gunny is an awkward, truculent character who doesn't seem to much like anything or anyone. However, he is extremely good at what he does, hence why the PMC recruited him to help run their operation, and if part of that job means looking after the company's PMC operators, then that's what he's going to do to the best of his abilities.

Laya Hoang - Artisan

Artisan has worked at her father’s workshop since she was a little girl, learning all there is to know about machines and how they work. She blames UNLRA for the chaos their arrival caused and thinks of the PMCs as opportunistic vultures scavenging whatever remains of value in her country. Despite this animosity, she offered her services as a mechanic. Naturally reserved and wary of others, gaining her trust could prove challenging. However, once earned, her expertise and knowledge of Lamang could become a pivotal asset.

James Miller - Banshee

For Banshee, the turbulent events unfolding in Lamang were akin to a gold rush. The widespread chaos proved to be a lucrative market for his trade, attracting a surge of potential clients in dire need of his merchandise. Unfettered by moral reservations, Banshee operates under a simple yet effective principle: anyone with the means to pay is a potential collaborator. He gladly brings in possible business partners for his various plans, setting up deals that promise gains for everyone involved.

EXPLORE A MATURE STORY WITH OVER 150 QUESTS

We are working with a military advisor to create quests that prioritize realism and logic. No mundane item hunts or set events; outcomes vary based on your choices and reactions to unexpected challenges. Branching decisions affect your reputation with the characters and unlock new possibilities, weapons, and gear. More than 150 quests await you in Early Access, with ongoing additions.

Although Gray Zone Warfare isn’t a strictly narratively-driven experience, there is a story that you can engage with if you wish to do so. Even if you don’t want to complete the quests, you can still progress through the game, albeit less effectively. We aim to avoid pressuring players into any particular actions.

Apart from mission briefings and debriefings, we are focusing on environmental storytelling and optional intel items (notes, books, newspapers, etc.) that you can find in the world and uncover more about Lamang’s past and the situation they currently find themselves in.

FINAL THOUGHTS

We strive to create a strong community and stay transparent about our intentions with the game. We’d just like to reiterate that not everything will be in Early Acces. The world we are creating is huge, and we want to populate it over time, so there will always be something to discover and look forward to. :)

P.S. Our website will soon showcase exclusive creator content providing deeper insights into the game's lore and storyline.

ENTER: GZW Website