Press Kit

Son of Thanjai is a cinematic action-adventure set in an alternate-history 11th-century Chola Empire. Vinnendhira Chola (a spoiled prince, betrayed and exiled) is remade into an operative who dismantles his enemies from within, through brutal close combat, fear, and intrigue. From Chennai's Ayelet Studio. Coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Son of Thanjai is a cinematic action-adventure set in an alternate-history reimagining of the 11th-century Chola dynasty, one of medieval Asia's great maritime empires. At nineteen, Vinnendhira Chola is a spoiled prince who knows everything about privilege and nothing about the kingdom he is meant to rule. Betrayed and exiled, stripped of his name and title, he must remake himself into something more dangerous than a king: an operative who takes the empire apart from within, through combat, observation, and political manipulation. Combat is built around enemy morale. Every kill, dismemberment, and execution shifts how guards fight, flee, and break. Weapons include the Surul Vaal (a flexible whip-sword rooted in South Indian martial tradition) alongside the Aruvaal and Valari, with combat motion-captured from real martial artists. The world is rendered using photogrammetry of real Chola-era temples in Thanjavur. From Chennai-based Ayelet Studio. PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Son of Thanjai is a cinematic action-adventure set in an alternate-history reimagining of the 11th-century Chola dynasty of South India, one of the most powerful maritime empires of medieval Asia. At nineteen, Vinnendhira Chola (Vinna) is a spoiled prince: he knows everything about privilege and nothing about the kingdom he is meant to inherit. His father is dying, enemies gather beyond the borders, and traitors whisper inside the court. Then everything is taken from him. Betrayed and abandoned, stripped of his name and his title, the prince is cast out into a kingdom that does not care whose son he is, and forced to remake himself into something far more dangerous than a king. Unable to raise an army, Vinnendhiran must take the empire apart from within. At the heart of the game is a combat system built around enemy morale: every kill, dismemberment, and execution shifts how guards fight, flee, and break. He can disrupt patrols, isolate targets, and exploit fear to turn even outnumbered encounters in his favor. The most dangerous enemies are rarely killed outright, but manipulated, framed, or broken from the inside. Weapons are drawn from real South Asian martial traditions: the Surul Vaal, a flexible whip-sword, alongside the Aruvaal short blade and the Valari throwing weapon, with combat motion-captured from real martial artists. Son of Thanjai is the second title from Ayelet Studio, a Chennai-based independent team whose prologue game, Unsung Empires: The Cholas, released in 2024. It is the studio's flagship project: a deliberate attempt to introduce the Indian warrior to global gaming as a recognizable, exportable action-hero archetype. Coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Wishlist now on Steam, the PlayStation Store, and the Xbox Store.