PLASMA SKY
Press kit and fact sheet, September 2026


FACTSHEET

	Game:           Plasma Sky
	What it is:     Neon arcade shmup, 100+ handcrafted levels, five modes
	Developer:      Spikepit Games (John Dunbar, solo), Seattle, WA
	Release:        Early 2027, Windows PC on Steam
	Demo:           October 2, 2026 (a 20-level sample of the campaign,
	                plus the complete Weekly Challenge mode)
	Next Fest:      Playing in Steam Next Fest, October 19-26, 2026
	The original:   iOS and Android, March 18, 2013. Metacritic 79.
	Steam:          https://store.steampowered.com/app/4951340/?utm_source=press&utm_medium=kit&utm_campaign=site
	Trailer:        https://youtu.be/2rNmtLeZoc4
	Website:        https://plasma-sky.com
	Discord:        https://spikepitgames.com/discord
	Bluesky:        https://bsky.app/profile/spikepitgames.com
	Press contact:  john@spikepitgames.com


ABOUT THE GAME

	Plasma Sky is a neon arcade shmup with over 100 handcrafted levels.
	It's a shooter for everyone, welcoming in early levels with difficulty
	that ramps up as you progress. Flow through alien formations, arm your
	wingmen, ram things with the spike shield, and race the whole world in
	a fresh seeded challenge every week.

	The new challenge mode is what I'm most excited about, it's a new short
	and difficult gauntlet every week. You can finish it in five minutes if
	you survive that long, but finishing requires learning the new patterns
	and drops.

	The art is inspired by glowy vector CRTs, the music is rad, and the
	gameplay is more 1943 than bullet hell.


THE STORY (WHY A 2013 GAME IS BACK)

	I shipped Plasma Sky on phones and tablets in 2013 right after finishing work
	on Torchlight 2. It was an arcade game you could play on your phone, it never
	had any of the mobile game nonsense. The original got great reviews from players
	and critics, and I put out a bunch of free updates.

	Then the tech I used was discontinued, updates were no longer possible, and
	Plasma Sky has been slowly melting into the digital abyss for years.

	I love this little game too, so I'm really excited to bring it back to life.
	I've fixed and modernized its custom engine and gotten it ready for big screens.
	I redrew the art, upgraded UI, rewrote controls, added a new mode, played
	endlessly, added features, and did a ton of retuning to make it awesome on PC.
	That mostly means making it harder. It's remastered and it's alive!


FEATURES

	* 100+ handcrafted levels across five modes: Conquest, Challenge,
	  Hardcore, Survival, and Blockade
	* The Weekly Challenge: a seeded one-hit gauntlet, identical for
	  every player on Earth, fresh every week
	* Global leaderboards in every mode, plus a new board each week
	* The score tracer: live splits racing your current run against your
	  best, and a rank panel counting down the leaderboard as you pass
	  other pilots by name
	* Full controller support, tuned controller-first, no acceleration,
	  with boost and focus on the shoulder buttons. Mouse and keyboard
	  are fine too
	* TATE modes for rotated monitors, plus a Steam Deck mode that
	  rotates the controls to match
	* A framed widescreen presentation that fills the margins with
	  nebula, stars, and reflected glow
	* Custom engine: launches instantly and runs at whatever refresh
	  rate your monitor can throw at it
	* 19 achievements and lifetime pilot stats
	* Redrawn art where the game needed it, original charm where it
	  didn't


WHAT PEOPLE SAID IN 2013

	Metacritic 79. TouchArcade 4/5, Pocket Gamer 4/5, 148Apps 4/5, and a
	4.9 star average from App Store players.

	"Plasma Sky is a rock-solid shoot-'em-up that delivers a short,
	intense experience, plus leaderboard fun."
		Slide To Play

	"It's an exhilarating visual treat that is the best in the App Store
	at delivering the classic Galaga style."
		Apple'N'Apps

	"If you're looking for an accessible, entertaining arcade shooter it
	comes highly recommended."
		Pocket Gamer

	"An almost perfect example of what a modern shmup can be."
		Android Dissected

	"This game is as cool as the other side of a pillow."
		AppAdvice


ABOUT THE DEVELOPER

	Spikepit Games is me, John Dunbar, making games solo in Seattle. I
	was part of the team at Runic Games behind Torchlight, Torchlight 2,
	and Hob. Plasma Sky started as the side project I made right after
	finishing Torchlight 2, which is why a shmup ended up with random
	loot: loot tables are just part of my brain. I started Spikepit
	Games in 2012, shipped Plasma Sky the next spring, and I'm so stoked to
	bring it back to life.


ASSETS IN THIS KIT

	Use anything here in articles, videos, streams, and thumbnails.
	Monetized videos are fine.

	key_art/        The main key art, with logo and text-free, plus wide
	                and vertical versions
	logo/           Transparent wordmark and ship icon
	screenshots/    1920x1080 captures of the desktop build
	gifs/           Loop-friendly GIFs sized for forums and social
	thumbnail_kit/  Transparent ship, wingmen, and boss renders plus a
	                clean nebula background, for building your own
	                thumbnails and header art

	Want something specific (vector logo, 4K captures, a particular
	moment, review builds closer to launch)? Just email, I'm quick:
	john@spikepitgames.com


CREDITS

	John Dunbar     Design, code, art, and everything else
	Imphenzia       Music
	Outstandly      Key art illustration

	(c) 2013-2026 Spikepit Games. All rights reserved.


	Plasma tank's full and blasters are hot. Let's fly.
