The Orange Giant Opens ZHAI Development to Selected Community Feedback Through Early Prototype Testing

Selected community members will review early prototypes, visuals and gameplay concepts as development of the action-adventure title progresses

Abu Dhabi, United arab emirates, Aug. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Orange Giant has opened a new phase of development for ZHAI, inviting selected members of its gaming community to provide feedback on early prototypes, visuals and gameplay concepts as production of the third-person action-adventure game progresses.

The initiative gives small groups of selected participants an opportunity to experience and respond to specific elements of ZHAI while they are still in development. Feedback will be used as an additional reference point as the studio continues refining the game’s world, characters, creatures, gameplay systems and overall player experience.

Rather than developing the game directly around player requests, The Orange Giant plans to use community responses alongside its own research and creative direction. The development team will retain final creative control over ZHAI while using feedback to better understand how selected concepts are being received by prospective players.

“We want ZHAI to feel original while still understanding what resonates with players today,” said Kevin Grunder of The Orange Giant. “Early prototype feedback gives us another perspective on how our characters, creatures, environments and gameplay concepts are being received as they take shape, while the final creative direction remains with our team.”

The selected feedback process forms part of the studio’s broader community-focused development approach. Participants may be shown early gameplay concepts, prototype systems, environmental visuals or other development materials. Community members may also occasionally serve as a creative sounding board for elements such as character and creature names.

The Orange Giant is also continuing to share selected development updates publicly through game-world visuals, gameplay snippets and social media development logs, allowing a wider audience to follow the evolution of ZHAI and the world of Il’Navir.

ZHAI follows a warrior who awakens with his memory stripped and identity erased. As players recover fragments of his past, they uncover deeper truths about both the character and Il’Navir while confronting the resurgence of an ancient adversary and navigating conflict between the tribes of Velkhun and Avarah.

The game takes players across an alien world featuring dense forests, deserts, frozen mountaintops, colossal stone formations and floating islands. Exploration is closely connected to the protagonist’s lost memories and the history of Il’Navir, with discoveries revealing new information about the world and its civilizations.

ZHAI’s progression system also connects narrative discovery with combat development. Recovering memories unlocks forgotten techniques through the Memory Skill Tree, while players develop gravitational abilities, elemental powers, chain attacks, combo systems and tactical options for encounters with alien creatures, rival tribal warriors and major enemies.

The project originated from ideas and images remembered by one of the studio’s founders during recovery from a motorbike accident and coma. Early sketches inspired by those memories later became the foundation for Il’Navir and helped shape the creative direction of ZHAI.

As development continues, The Orange Giant plans to expand the materials shared with selected community participants while continuing to publish broader progress updates for its audience.

Players interested in following ZHAI’s development can connect with the studio through its social channels and mailing list for development news, release information and future early-access opportunities.

About The Orange Giant

The Orange Giant is a game development studio focused on creating immersive worlds rooted in story, emotion, discovery and exploration. Supported by a global network of creative talent, the studio combines game design, storytelling and technology to build interactive experiences while maintaining an open relationship with its growing community.

Kevin Grunder
The Orange Giant
+971 50 421 4491
kevin@theorangegiant.com
www.theorangegiant.com