‘Exodus: The Archimedes Engine’ author Peter F. Hamilton talks building a brand-new sci-fi video game universe for Exodus (exclusive)

Archetype Entertainment's Exodus is still a ways off, but that hasn't stopped it from rapidly becoming one of our most anticipated upcoming space games.

So far, we've learned a little about its gameplay and ambitious world-building through trailers and videos narrated by Matthew McConaughey, but Peter F. Hamilton's massive Exodus: The Archimedes Engine — the first of two prequel novels — has done most of the heavy lifting in advance.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Hamilton to chat about the process of helping build a new sci-fi universe with a video game in mind, how that experience has differed from his past projects, and where he's at with the sequel. Plus, he had something to say about his upcoming appearance at this month's MCM Comic Con London (May 23-25).

The following interview has been editorialized and lightly edited, and rearranged for flow.

Peter F. Hamilton is a renowned British author who specializes in science fiction space operas. He's best known for the Greg Mandel trilogy which includes his debut novel, Mindstar Rising, along with The Night's Dawn Trilogy. Hamilton's latest work, ‘Exodus: The Archimedes Engine’, is a prequel to the upcoming sci-fi video game Exodus, which he also helped to create the universe and backstory for.

"They wanted it to be more than just the video game. They wanted it to be the tabletop game and books as well," he told us about the start of this collaboration with Wizards of the Coast (publisher of the game) and Archetype. While the basis for the game's story and the universe was already moving when he joined the creative effort, it sounds like he was given the space to tell his "own stories" within that giant sandbox.

"Certain things had to be mentioned about the universe... A lot of [the guidelines] were my own... The story fitted various points in that it explained parts of the universe... the limits of it... There's no faster-than-light travel. There aren't non-terrestrial aliens." The studio provided certain "outlines," and Hamilton says he was asked to "build on" those elements.

For those coming in fresh, the short premise of the game is the following: In the year A.D. 2,200, humanity is forced to abandon Earth to find a new home in Centauri. The ark ships reach their destination in A.D. 18,000, at which point the colonization of several worlds begins. The big issue comes when the first arrivals establish vast interstellar societies and empires that rise and fall over many centuries, while the arks responding to a "Green Worlds" signal that travelled slowly still haven't even arrived yet. By the time most of the late arrivals reach the systems of Centauri, transhumans who call themselves "Celestials" have splintered into many factions. A major war ends with a species known as the Elohim rising to power.

As for our protagonist? They belong to a small human civilization hailing from a long-lost human ark in the game's present-day setting (circa A.D. 41,500). Needless to say, "regular, simple humans" are on the back foot against the might of the Celestials.

Hamilton's two novels, however, are prequels to the "present day" of the game. In The Archimedes Engine, we meet the Crown Dominion, where Uranic humans (descendants from the late-arrival arks) are relegated to a second-class citizen status. "The Celestials that I came up with, the protagonists in the book, are Imperial Celestials... Although you don't have non-terrestrial aliens, these cultures and people, the biological bodies they've created for themselves... are very alien to us," he explained.

Of course, with a story set roughly 40,000 years into the future, there were also several opportunities to have fun with outlandish and almost fantasy-like concepts. Hamilton mentioned the massive setting of King's Nest as an example:

"A gas-giant-sized transparent sphere which has been pumped full of an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere... The interior is completely unknown. Humans have settled reef oaks, they're like circular trees that spin like the space station in 2001 to give you gravity on the inside. You fly between them in what are basically wooden sailing craft." This mix of very advanced technology and an "almost 18th century culture" may or may not make it into the game, according to Hamilton, but it's something we'd love to see on screen for sure.

When asked about his biggest influences going into The Archimedes Engine, he wasn't shy and acknowledged his love for fantasy as well: "A lot of the science fiction which I read when I was growing up was Clarke, Asimov, Heinlein, McCaffrey... So it was nice to blend the sort of high-level engineering with... it's not quite a fantasy element, but I could certainly let my imagination run away for a bit."

About the Celestials themselves, he said both they and the 'regular' humans had to be "relatable to what we are today." However, "you've got to introduce elements that make it very clear that they're not just like us." It wasn't just about the "physical differences," so he spent some time figuring out "the cultural differences" and their "outlook on life."

While I didn't try to extract a tentative release window for the game from him (Why would he know?), he mentioned we'd be "a bit optimistic" to expect it before well into 2026. "I think the bulk of the work is definitely done," he added, mentioning the team still reaches out from time to time asking for input on story beats and scenes as they're being implemented. That said, most of that work was done "a couple of years ago" as the larger structure of the game was being assembled.

Many sci-fi readers and gamers looking forward to Exodus have been wondering about the rollout plan for the books. Were they always meant to release a bit in advance of the game, or has that changed due to the reality of game development? Hamilton didn't sidestep the question:

"I think it's a bit of both. Certainly, the first book was always planned to come out before the game... It's quite a big book, so it took me a long time to write. But I knew nothing about the actual making of games, so I found out they also are monumental undertakings... They want to get it right rather than get it out and rush it into the shops." As for the second book, he tells me it's "done" and "in the middle of editing." No publication date yet, but keep your eyes peeled.

Even though Hamilton's career has been extremely prolific — just ask around about The Night's Dawn Trilogy or the Commonwealth Saga — writing didn't instantly 'click' for him. It was during his later 20s that he really gave it a serious try: "I had to come back home to help look after my mother because she was very ill at the time. And I thought, 'well, if I don't try this now, it's never going to happen.' So I went out and bought a typewriter and started on the short stories."

He also added his appreciation for sci-fi always felt clear: "I lived in a very rural area back in the 70s. I went into the library and found the science fiction shelf, which took me out where I was and what I was doing... When I did start writing, there was never any doubt or possibility that I would write anything else really. I mean, if I came across a good plot line for a conventional novel now, I'd probably try and write it, but I haven't got one at the moment."

Looking back at his very first novel, Mindstar Rising – a combination of detective and sci-fi storylines – he admits his favorite character was Greg Mandel, the protagonist. "It was quite fun trying to build someone relatable, who's been through a lot of traumas... I suppose that reflected what I'd gone through at the time to a very different degree... He came out of the other side and was finally making something of his life again, which I think, hopefully, that appealed to a lot of people." I think it's safe to say many of us relate to such characters, especially with everything that's going down nowadays.

Last but not least, we wanted to inquire about his aforementioned presence at the MCM Comic Con London, where he'll be part of a big panel on May 24 with other authors. So far, he seems to be aware that he'll "get a lot of questions about Book Two and when it's coming out and what's the game like."

Hamilton clearly enjoys interacting with fans and their questions, though he warns that he sometimes finds it hard to remember old details he's written though: "The trouble with that is, although it's very nice and they've obviously read and really enjoyed the books, that if it's something I wrote 15 years ago and they want a definitive answer, I really struggle to remember these days."

Exodus: The Archimedes Engine is now available in hardcover and paperback, as well as on Kindle and in audiobook form. The game Exodus is expected to arrive in 2026 at the earliest, releasing on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.