Exodus trailer spotlights Jun Aslan in sci-fi epic

Wizards of the Coast and Archetype Entertainment unveiled a new trailer for EXODUS at The Game Awards, centred on the character Jun Aslan.

The trailer offers a closer look at Jun, a central figure in the sci-fi role-playing game's story, as he travels across the universe to try to save a world facing collapse.

Jun comes from modest beginnings but carries the legacy of a Traveller dynasty. He also has a genetic inheritance that gives him powers other humans do not share.

That premise sits at the heart of EXODUS, which is set 40,000 years in the future and asks players to guide Jun through a story shaped by moral choices. Those decisions are intended to affect not only the immediate plot but also later generations within the game's world.

Players can choose how they approach encounters, with both stealth and open combat available. As the story unfolds, the game introduces new weapons and abilities, along with companions whose relationships with Jun open up additional lore, quests and side stories.

Character focus

The new footage also features another appearance by C.C. Orlev, an influential figure in Jun's journey. The character is portrayed by Matthew McConaughey in his first video game role.

Orlev is presented as a widely known but poorly understood figure within the game's universe. His appearances in the trailer suggest he will return to guide Jun at key moments.

The trailer marks another stage in the public rollout for EXODUS, which is being developed by Archetype, an Austin-based studio formed in 2019. Archetype operates within Wizards of the Coast, which is owned by Hasbro.

Archetype says its development team includes staff with experience at major game studios including BioWare, Naughty Dog, 343 Industries and Blizzard. EXODUS is positioned as the studio's new science-fiction role-playing franchise.

Game direction

Narrative choice is central to the project. The companies say player actions will determine who Jun becomes as conflicting agendas unfold around him.

That emphasis on consequence has become a familiar feature of big-budget role-playing games, where publishers are seeking to build long-running series around player-driven stories and repeat engagement. For Wizards of the Coast, EXODUS also represents a video game push beyond the tabletop brands it is best known for, including Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.

Wizards has expanded its games studio network in recent years through internal teams and external partnerships. Archetype is one of several studios in that network, alongside Invoke Studios, Atomic Arcade and Skeleton Key.

The trailer's debut at The Game Awards gives EXODUS a prominent platform among major upcoming releases, at a time when publishers are increasingly using live industry showcases to reveal story details and cast involvement. Featuring McConaughey adds a mainstream entertainment name to a title seeking to establish a new science-fiction setting in a crowded market.

Two executives used the trailer launch to underscore the game's story and setting.

"EXODUS is a story about humanity's resilience and the heroism that can emerge in our darkest hours," said Chad Robertson, VP of Game Development at Archetype Entertainment.

"Jun's journey of discovery will shape entire worlds both now and for generations to come," Robertson added.

John Hight, President of Wizards of the Coast, also commented on the game's premise.

"EXODUS transports us through time and space to a future where technology is so advanced that humankind has reshaped itself to harness godlike powers," said Hight.

"Archetype is crafting an epic tale set in a faraway galaxy where your choices impact worlds," he said.

EXODUS is scheduled for release in early 2027.