A software bug in a pirate game accidentally birthed a Greek mythological epic

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: During the development of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, a glitch turned human crew members into giant cyclopes. This unintended sight inspired Ubisoft Quebec to create an entirely new game centered on Greek myth. The result was Immortals Fenyx Rising, a narrative-driven adventure that trades historical realism for the whims of Olympian gods.

Released in December 2020, Immortals Fenyx Rising follows the journey of Fenyx, a mortal tasked with saving the gods from the titan Typhon. The game’s narrative structure is unique, featuring a meta-commentary style where Zeus and Prometheus narrate the events. This duo was a late addition; the studio originally intended for the poet Homer to serve as the narrator. The humor and bickering between these two figures were heavily influenced by classic comedy films like The Princess Bride and The Naked Gun.

The world of the Golden Isle is a sprawling open environment designed for vertical exploration. Players navigate this landscape by climbing, riding mounts, and utilizing the wings of Daedalus. Combat requires managing stamina while switching between light sword attacks and heavy axe strikes. As players progress, they unlock divine powers, such as Ares' Wrath, to overcome enemies and solve environmental puzzles within the Vaults of Tartaros. The game’s score further grounds the experience in antiquity, featuring authentic lyre and kithara performances recorded by composer Gareth Coker.

While the game earned praise for its progression systems and vibrant world design, it faced criticism for its lack of original mechanics. Many reviewers noted that its gameplay loop and exploration style felt heavily derivative of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Despite this, the game expanded significantly post-launch with three DLC packs, including one that pivoted to Chinese mythology, allowing players to control a new hero named Ku to assist the goddess Nuwa in restoring cosmic balance.

The project's evolution was marked by several shifts, including a name change from Gods and Monsters following a trademark dispute with a beverage company. Lead writer Jeffrey Yohalem aimed to use the game's modern perspective to explore the darker, more human flaws of the Greek pantheon. By highlighting the gods' capacity for evil, the game seeks to reflect contemporary human behavior and the complexities of our current social media-driven political climate.

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