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Tyndale House releases Bible for gamers Print Email
Written by Taylor Berglund   
Thursday, 04 February 2016 09:56 AM America/New_York

the-aetherlight-bibleTyndale House Publishers and Scarlet City Studios are partnering to create the first Bible designed for young gamers. Themed around the new action-adventure computer game The Aetherlight: Chronicles of the Resistance, this Bible (The Aetherlight Bible: Chronicles of the Resistance) will help players of the game engage with Scripture. The Aetherlight: Chronicles of the Resistance will be available in March 2016, and the companion Bible will be released in summer 2016.

The Aetherlight: Chronicles of the Resistance is the first digital engagement experience of its kind. The game aims to help young people see their story in the context of God’s story via a world grounded in the biblical narrative. The new Aetherlight companion Bible will help families build upon the bridge between the game’s allegory and the words of Scripture.

Blaine A. Smith, associate publisher at Tyndale House, said The Aetherlight can help Tyndale reach out to children in a new medium.

“Tyndale House grew out of the efforts of Dr. Kenneth Taylor as he worked to make God’s Word accessible to his children,” Smith said. “For over 50 years, Tyndale has been focused on providing innovative ways for people to connect to God’s Word. This new partnership with Scarlet City Studios enables us to engage children in a game environment with the truth of Scripture. We are excited to join with Scarlet City Studios to create this Bible and help parents engage with their kids in an environment they understand.”

Tim Cleary, Scarlet City Studios’ world builder, commented on the game’s mission.

The Aetherlight: Chronicles of the Resistance is more than a game,” Cleary said. “It’s an immersive experience that, carefully balancing theology and theatrics, brings to life the biblical narrative for a digital generation. It connects Scripture and real-life application through the world of Aethasia as a high-quality, state-of-the-art game that allows players to experience the mission of God in Scripture for themselves. It’s fantastic, then, to be able to offer a physical, tactile Bible to match this rich experience.”

According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), 59 percent of Americans play video games and more than 50 percent of U.S. households have at least two gaming consoles. In only four years, the gaming industry has seen an increase in sales of more than 200 percent.