SunderBound News

[h3]Attention, Citizens of Haven!
[/h3][p]We are beyond excited to finally bring SunderBound into your hands! As of today, you can request access to the SunderBound playtest from the game’s page on Steam! The playtest will be accessible and playable starting today, November 5th, 2025.  [/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Let’s go through some questions that might pop up regarding the playtest:
[/p][p]Q: When will I receive access to the game?[/p][p]A: We will allow the first wave of players to access the game as soon as this week, and will allow additional waves of players every update cycle.
[/p][p]Q: There will be updates?[/p][p]A: Yes, we commit to updating the playtest build every two weeks to adjust balance, add bugfixes, and optimize performance. (so we will allow a new wave of playtesters every two weeks). Additionally, we commit to at least two larger content patches that will add new enemies and other goodies ;)
[/p][p]Q: For how long will the playtest be available?[/p][p]A: For as long as we feel that we are getting actionable feedback from you, the players. That means at least two months. After that, if we still need to test out various features of the game, we may keep it open for longer; otherwise, we will close down the playtest to prepare for a demo release.
[/p][p]Q: How can I provide feedback?[/p][p]A: Please join our Discord server if you haven't already. There, you will be able to write down your thoughts, report bugs, and find buddies to play co-op with. We will also be posting bi-weekly (so, once every two weeks, right?) feedback forms there, where you would be able to go into more detail, if you’d like. You can also post on Steam’s Community Hub - we will also monitor that space closely.
[/p][p]Q: I am a content creator. Can I make content for the game, and discuss it freely online?[/p][p]A: Absolutely, in fact, we would be very happy if you shared your thoughts. If you are a creator and you would like expedited access to the playtest, do reach out to us on Discord, and we will consider providing one for you.
[/p][p]Important notice: SunderBound is a project that is still under development. This means that there is a lot of missing content, and you may experience bugs, glitches, and/or inconsistency in gameplay. This is a large part of this playtest, and we ask you for your patience if you experience them, and for your cooperation in reporting these issues on our Discord server, or in the feedback forms that the team will share there.
[/p][p]Thank you very much for your interest in SunderBound and we sincerely hope you enjoy the playtest. See you in Haven![/p][p][/p][p]- Kipi Interactive[/p][p]
[/p]

[p][/p][p]We are beyond excited to finally bring SunderBound into your hands! As of today, you can request access to the SunderBound playtest from the game’s page on Steam! The playtest will be accessible and playable to everyone starting November 5th, 2025. [/p][p][/p][p]For a limited time, we will be putting SunderBound into your hands and will be testing out some of its fundamental features, together with you. This is your chance to experience the game early, become a crucial part of its development, and help us shape its future.
[/p][p]How to Join the Playtest Earlier:[/p][p]For now, we already offer access to this playtest to our official Discord members. If you would like to join the playtest before November 5th, these are the steps you need to take:
[/p]

1. [p]If you haven't already, join our official Discord server.[/p]
2. [p]Find your way to the forums channel and request access in the “Playtest Access Request” thread. [/p]
3. [p]Whenever you indicate that you want to join the playtest, a member of our team will reach out to you with a key and instructions on how to redeem it.[/p]

[p][/p][p]See you in Haven![/p][p]
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[p]Hi everyone! [/p][p]We are Kipi Interactive, the developers behind the upcoming game SunderBound, and this is our first dev log! Today, we’d like to briefly introduce ourselves, our game dev philosophy, and discuss why we believe we are best suited to create a game like SunderBound.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Who are we?[/h2][p]10 years ago, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Kipi Interactive was born. We are currently a small team of 12 passionate full-time developers, supported by several freelancers. From our humble beginning in 2014, we’ve had a vision for what design pillars we want to build our games on:[/p]

• [p]Readability over Graphical Fidelity: tight controls, snappy animations, and reactive combat is what we’re after. Realism will be sacrificed if it means delivering a responsive experience. Function over form.[/p]
• [p]System-driven over Linear experience: a variety of systems working together like a well-oiled machine, driving the players to adapt to new challenges, bringing replayability up.[/p]
• [p]Multiplayer over Singleplayer: real players bring new and unpredictable interactions that NPCs just cannot deliver. Whether it’s cooperative or versus - together is better.[/p]

[p]The road to SunderBound was paved by multiple games we’ve co-developed over the last decade. The biggest one is Cryowar - a PvP isometric arena brawler that we developed from start to finish for a client. We gained a ton of experience in the action top-down space, as well as real-time multiplayer know-how. We’ve also been partially involved in the development of Gate Zero, a story-rich action-adventure, where we accumulated a variety of skills we are now bringing to SunderBound. Additionally, some of our senior team members have 20+ years of experience in the game development industry, having worked on AAA action franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Crysis, Arena of Fate, and others.[/p][p][/p][p]“There is growing demand for co-op games, but there is also a growing number of games trying to capture that audience. Where Sunderbound differs is in the focus on 2-player co-op through mechanics, narrative, and progression. I believe our team has the passion, experience, and commitment to build such a game.”[/p][p]- Viktor Ketipov, CEO of KIpi Interactive[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Feeling like a two-man army[/h2][p]From the get-go, we wanted to craft a co-op experience, as we are all big fans of the original Helldivers, Darktide, and Army of Two. We also have devs on our team who have experience in developing co-op games and deeply believe that gaming should be a social experience. We found ourselves invested in the 2-player aspect in particular, which we think is a space with a lot of potential to explore. The success of such games in recent years convinced us that there are many gamers out there who are looking for exactly that.[/p][p][/p][p]For us, a strictly 2-player experience means that there is a much higher emphasis on mutual reliability and trust - compared to other co-op titles that are designed in a way that can also be played solo. Playing on the couch with a friend or a family member is a feeling that our team deeply cherishes (especially since some of us are parents), so we wanted to make couch co-op an integral part of SunderBound.[/p][p][/p][p]Therefore, our game requires a partner, and if you don’t have one, an AI companion will be assigned to watch your back. Many mechanics will require the input of the other player or some kind of coordination (timing of abilities, positioning, etc.), and we are very interested in pursuing that design space within SunderBound.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We hope these insights were interesting for you! It was definitely interesting for us to go back through our decision-making process and see how far we’ve come since early development.[/p][p][/p][p]We plan to make these dev logs a monthly occurrence until launch, but this might change if more content or demand pops up. You’re more than welcome to discuss these topics in the comments or over on our Discord server. If there is a topic regarding SunderBound that you’d like us to cover, you can let us know there, too - we’d love to hear feedback![/p][p][/p][p]In the meantime, wishlist SunderBound on Steam if you haven’t yet, and stay tuned for news on upcoming playtests![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Best,[/p][p]- Kipi Interactive[/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][p]SunderBound is a co-op top-down shooter with roguelite progression, set in a crumbling mega-tower. Survive floor by floor with a partner you trust, or an AI companion if you’re climbing solo. It's developed by us - Kipi Interactive, and we can't wait to get it into your hands and see you play! For now, here's our first Reveal Trailer:[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Expect news on a playtest soon, and in the meantime, stay tuned right here for a series of dev logs that will reveal more details about the game, its world, and its mechanics. [/p][p][/p][h3]How can I learn more about the game now?[/h3][p]Join our official Discord server! There, you can ask any questions that pop up, chat with the team, provide feedback, and be the first to find out about news and announcements.[/p][p][/p][h3]How can I support the game?[/h3][p]The best way to give us a small boost is by wishlisting us on Steam! We would be super grateful and it helps a ton:[/p][p][/p][h3][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/h3][p][/p][h3]How else can I connect?[/h3][p]Check out the Kipi Interactive website: https://kipiinteractive.com/[/p][p]Follow SunderBound on Twitter: https://x.com/sunderbound[/p][p]Follow Kipi Interactive on Twitter: https://x.com/kipiinteractive[/p][p]Visit the SunderBound subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/sunderbound/[/p][p]Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunderbound/[/p][p]Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunderbound/[/p]