In the Valley of Gods: Everything We Know

Ever since Firewatch developer Campo Santo was picked up by Valve back in 2018, In the Valley of Gods has been pretty quiet. Like, stupidly quiet—to the point of making just about anyone who's ever touched it come up with the assumption that it's dead and buried. Well, turns out, it's still in the pipeline, and while it isn't on the verge of being released anytime soon, it is, for what it's worth, still in development.

“In The Valley of Gods development is on hold—but it certainly feels like a project people can and may return to,” Jake Rodkin, co-founder of Campo Santo told Polygon. “And when that happens, we’ll find an exciting way to let fans know.”

So, if it's not on the horizon, then where exactly is it? Well, here's everything we've been able to gather based on the data both Campo Santo and Valve have provided to date. In the Valley of the Gods: what is it, and when is the earliest we can expect to see it arrive on consoles and PC?

What Is In the Valley of Gods?

In short, In the Valley of Gods is an upcoming single-player first-person adventure game by Campo Santo, creator of the award-winning walking simulator Firewatch. In the latest journey, players take on the role of a disgraced explorer—a photographer, of sorts, given one last chance to redeem themselves by way of providing a one-way trip to the archaeological discovery of a lifetime.

“From the team that brought you Firewatch, In the Valley of Gods is a sprawling narrative experience in remote, 1920s Egypt,” the elevator pitch reads in part. “You are Rashida, a disgraced former explorer and filmmaker given one last shot at the adventurous life you desperately miss. Somewhere, beyond the endless miles of dunes, ruins, and tombs lies an incredible archaeological discovery—but it can't be found without the help of Zora, the former partner you vowed never to work with again.”

Story

In the Valley of Gods will transport you to Egypt—a dusty corner of the world that just so happens to bear a long-lost secret beyond copious amounts of miles. As Rashida, a “disgraced” explorer, you will use your final opportunity to reach the archaeological site and unearth the treasure that will not only clear your name, but bring you a lifetime supply of fame and fortune.

In Campo Santo's own words: “Explore a remote and ancient valley in the Egyptian desert, uncovering treasure and treachery in pursuit of a discovery that could bring you fame and fortune—or leave you for dead, buried beneath the sands.”

In addition to featuring a tale based on disgrace, fame, and fortune, In the Valley of Gods will also delve into a fractured relationship between the protagonist and her companion, Zora, “the former partner you vowed never to work with again.” How will this unfold? Only time will tell on that one.

Gameplay

From what we've seen so far, In the Valley of Gods will contain a gameplay style very similar to Firewatch; mostly walking, exploring, and uncovering the secrets of a long-lost corner of the world. It's doubtful, then, that the game will contain any form of combat or high-pressure challenges. On the contrary, Campo Santo is known for developing games with a more relaxed aesthetic — so expect a story-driven experience over anything, basically.

As well as featuring plenty of climbing, scrambling, and hiking, In the Valley of Gods will also incorporate a 35mm film camera—a key item that you will need to utilize to help document your expedition across Egypt. As for what events you'll be capturing remains unclear. Treasure, hopefully.

Development

Campo Santo had initially planned to bring In the Valley of Gods to consoles and PC back in 2019. With Valve purchasing the studio back in 2018, however, work on the game eventually came to a halt, with all remaining assets being transferred over to alternative IPs. Since then, development on In the Valley of Gods has been slow, with Jake Rodkin of Campo Santo blaming the lack of work on “Valve time.”

So, what's next for the game? Well, judging by the fact someone over at Campo Santo did update the release date on Steam to December 2029, clearly there's still interest in it. As for when it will finally launch is still, sadly, anybody's guess. Hopefully not 2029, though!

Trailer

In spite of Campo Santo's radio silence these past few years, the studio has, if only just about, released a relatively short trailer to win any potential fans over. And while it doesn't quite touch base on the narrative side of things, it does paint a pretty clear image of the game's rustic aesthetic and gameplay mechanics. Intrigued? You can see it for yourself in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Weirdly enough, the current release window stapled to the game's Steam handle is December 2029. Is this a definite release date, or a simple placeholder? Honestly, it's hard to say at this point, though the latter seems the most likely at this moment in time, given the lusciously drawn-out time frame.

If what Campo Santo has been saying is true, then In the Valley of Gods will arrive on all major platforms. And while the studio has yet to specify which consoles the game will be coming to, it's safe to say that it'll be coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Planning on staying in the loop for the foreseeable future? If so, then be sure to check in with the official social feed for additional updates here. Should anything change ahead of the game's laughable 2029 launch, then we'll be sure to let you know all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of In the Valley of Gods when it eventually releases? Let us know over on our socials here.