33 Immortals

Lore & Background

33 Immortals is set in a world inspired by The Divine Comedy, with Dante, Beatrice, Virgil, and Charon appearing as supporting characters, though their backgrounds were reworked to meet modern values. Beatrice is reimagined from a guide in Purgatory to the leader of the rebellion, and Virgil becomes a female scholar interested in science, moral values, and the use of weapons. The player assumes control of a damned soul who must fight through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven as they rebel against a cruel God who banishes them.

Gameplay is viewed from a top-down perspective. Players start each session in the Dark Forest, a hub world where they select character archetypes (melee, ranged, support, or tank) before entering the battlefield through the Eternal Gate. The first zone, Inferno, initially splits players into teams of six to explore the map and complete Torture Chambers (mini-dungeons). Completing a chamber unlocks Relics and triggers God's wrath, engulfing the map in fire. Surviving players are then split into three teams, each with one chance to complete Ascension Battles that unlock Legendary Relics providing global bonuses. The session culminates in a boss fight. Enemy placement, gameplay challenges, and rewards are randomly generated.

Players can customize their avatar with cosmetic items. The game features 14 different weapons inspired by the seven deadly sins and the seven heavenly virtues. Players must collaborate to unleash co-op powers, powerful moves that inflict devastating damage. If a player is defeated, others can revive them within a set period; the game has a set difficulty, meaning players are more likely to succeed if all teammates survive.

Reader's Guide

33 Immortals is Thunder Lotus Games' first online video game, following their work on Spiritfarer. To meet the challenges of developing an online game, the studio expanded into two parallel development teams and recruited personnel with prior multiplayer project experience. The team described the game as a pick up and raid experience, streamlining the mission process to allow players to jump into action as quick and seamless as possible. While the team initially experimented with 100 players in a session, the maximum was reduced to 33 because each part of The Divine Comedy has 33 chapters.

The game was announced in June 2023 at the Xbox Games Showcase. It entered early access on March 18, 2025, and as of June 2025, Thunder Lotus aimed to fully release the game in 2026, with the full release occurring on June 10, 2026. The game's significance lies in its attempt to blend roguelike mechanics with large-scale cooperative multiplayer, offering a structured raid-like experience in a randomly generated environment. Its setting, reimagining classic literary figures for modern values, and its focus on streamlined cooperative play distinguish it within the roguelike genre of the 2020s.

Did You Know?

• The maximum player count of 33 was chosen because each part of The Divine Comedy has 33 chapters.
• Thunder Lotus initially experimented with 100 players in a session before reducing the count to 33.