Simon from Fateless recently posted a solo dev update video previewing the Godforge Sanctum Rework. Unlike a scripted patch note, this update covers three areas at once: the Sanctum hub, summoning, and cutscenes. Simon frames all of it as fast iteration on systems that already work, not building something from scratch.
A few notes before we dig in:
- Simon calls this a prototype phase throughout. Nothing shown has a confirmed ship date.
- The team is running many workstreams in parallel, including art polish and hero roster quality of life changes. This video covers just one slice of that.
- Because the underlying systems already function, Simon describes these changes as a comparatively low lift. It’s more like moving and reskinning existing code than building new features from zero.
Why the Sanctum Is Changing
Two problems are driving this rework. First, the current Sanctum sits far from the camera as a wide 3D scene. Every structure in that scene still costs memory and GPU power, even at a distance and even with fewer polygons. As a result, the current Sanctum runs expensive on mobile devices, regardless of how far away it looks.
Second, the narrative concept never quite landed. The Sanctum was originally meant to feel like a portal leading to the God Forge, a separate realm. However, the God Forge you actually summon from looks nothing like that portal scene. Consequently, the two spaces feel disconnected instead of connected.
From Concept Art to Prototype
To fix this, the team started exploring new looks before touching any 3D prototype. A concept piece from artist Oliver Beck became a key reference point. Notably, Fateless liked his work enough to bring him on for environment concept work going forward.
From there, the team used quick 3D mockups in Unreal Engine, paired with AI assisted iteration, to test ideas fast. This let them explore concepts, like a central room with doors leading elsewhere, without committing serious production time upfront. Once a direction felt promising, artist Jerry built out fuller Unreal scenes to test the vibe in more detail.
A Closer, Room Based Sanctum
The new prototype trades the distant wide shot for a closer, room based hub. Picture a decrepit castle interior. Different doors lead to different parts of the game. Think the God Forge, a combined Smithy and Crucible, a Bazaar, and space reserved for future features like Pantheon Halls.
Importantly, the team’s first priority is simply testing whether moving through this space feels good on a phone. Deeper detail comes later, only once that core navigation feels right.
Zooming into a specific area, like the Bazaar or the God Forge, loads a dedicated 3D scene for that spot. That approach only pays the rendering cost for whichever area a player currently occupies, not the whole Sanctum at once. Existing UI elements, like quick access buttons, stay in place throughout.
There’s also a flexibility angle here. Because the hub is a proper 3D scene, the team could reskin it for events. A Halloween theme, or a celebration scene for a new hero launch, both become straightforward reskins rather than new builds.
Rethinking How Summoning Feels
Summoning itself is getting a visual pass too. In the new concept, the God Forge becomes the dominant visual, and the Aetherstone takes a smaller role. The pitch: the God Forge channels energy into the Aetherstone, which eventually lets a hero burst free from it.
One open question remains unresolved. Should players still land inside a hero’s own realm right after summoning, the way the current build works? Or does landing back in the Sanctum, now that it houses the God Forge directly, feel more natural instead? Simon raised this as a genuine open question, not a decided direction.
Whatever the outcome, some things stay the same. Fateless still plans a quick fire animation for each summon. 10 pulls still reveal as a row of cards, much like today.
Should the Aetherstone Hint at Rarity Early?
One more idea sits squarely in “testing the feel” territory. The team is considering a color shift on the Aetherstone, hinting at rarity before the final reveal. For example, a shift toward blue might suggest a Rare result, while an escalation toward purple could hint at Epic.
This would not guarantee anything. Instead, it would give players a rough steer before the reveal lands. This idea only really works if players stay in the Sanctum after summoning. Fading straight into a hero’s realm would undercut the buildup.
Narrative Cutscene Upgrades
The video also previewed updated visuals for Godforge’s smaller story cutscenes. These are the side narrative beats, not the main red and black story cinematics. These are being rebuilt with fuller Unreal environments behind the same characters, including scenes featuring heroes like Scardy and Var. You can browse those and other heroes on our Heroes Database.
On the technical side, these cutscenes now autoplay in sequence instead of requiring a click through each one. Additionally, the game now shows a given cutscene automatically only the first time. After that, players can rewatch it manually through a replay button instead of seeing it trigger again on repeat clears.
Bottom Line
Nothing here has shipped. Several pieces, especially post summon realm landing and the rarity hint idea, remain open questions rather than settled plans. Even so, the Godforge Sanctum Rework’s direction is clear. A Sanctum that feels connected to the God Forge, a summoning moment built around that connection, and cutscenes with a bit more visual life. We’ll follow up once any of this moves closer to a real build.
This article summarizes design concepts shown in a Fateless Games developer YouTube video. It reflects an early, unreleased prototype. All systems, names, and mechanics described may still change, and may not appear in Godforge in their current form, or at all. This site is not affiliated with or sponsored by FATELESS Games.