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© Mad Moon Studios
Starfox meets Doom. a fusion of the classic arcade flight genre and the modern arena shooter.
OVERVIEW
GENRE: Flight Arcade Arena Shooter
THEME: Sci-Fi, Stylish Combat, High-Octane Action
ENGINE: Unreal Engine 5
PLATFORMS: PC
TARGET AGE RATING: Teen (TBC)
LAUNCH / EARLY ACCESS: 18 Months from Contract Signing
MODEL: Premium Title, ~£20
OUR ASK: £305,000
STEAM TAGS: Action, Shooter, Flight, Sci-fi, Arena Shooter, Movement, Singleplayer, Fast-Paced, Action Roguelike
VISION
SOL DRIFT’s vision is to deliver Kinetic Satisfaction - the catharsis of overcoming overwhelming odds through pure, skilful dexterity.
This is an arena shooter in a starship format. Our Advanced Aerial Movement takes the expressive, high-skill combat loop of games like ULTRAKILL and places it in a full six-degrees-of-freedom environment. We blend the raw, satisfying combat of the modern arena shooter with the customization of Armored Core and flight fantasy of Starfox, creating a new kind of aggressive, kinetic dance.
OPPORTUNITY
The arena shooter genre is thriving, driven by players who crave a high skill ceiling. However, the market is dominated by on-foot movement. There is a clear gap for an experience that takes this proven, skill-based loop into a full three-dimensional battlespace, offering a new axis of mastery.
We addresses this opportunity by delivering a USP centered on unparalleled freedom of movement. We provide a deep, expressive combat system that allows for an aerial fusion of evasion and attack, something no on-foot shooter can replicate. This is a pure, cathartic combat loop that respects the player's time and rewards their skill, serving the clear market need for a focused, next-generation arena shooter experience.
PROGRESS to date
Our vision has been validated and refined by hundreds of players at major events like BAFTA London and Dublin Comic Con. We strategically pivoted from our original "Ace Combat in space" concept after receiving unanimous feedback: players wanted the core combat loop without the padding. This pivot to a pure, cathartic arena shooter has de-risked our core premise and proven our commitment to building what our audience truly wants.
Crucially, as part of the NI Screen Platform Program, we have a proven track record of meeting milestones and delivering on our promises for each round of funding, giving us a solid foundation for full production.
GAMEPLAY
Your success depends on chaining an arsenal of movement abilities to evade overwhelming odds and create openings for attack. You will Drift around projectiles, Lunge through enemy formations for melee strikes, and Parry incoming rockets with a perfectly timed backspin. In SOL DRIFT, aggressive, perpetual movement is your primary weapon, defence, and the only path to survival.
YOUR MOVEMENT ARSENAL
Bank Drift: Decouple your aim from your momentum to circle-strafe enemies and slide through incoming fire.
Lunge Melee Ram: Violently close the gap with a high-speed offensive strike. (Spin to win)
Backspin Parry: A high-skill counter to swat attacks back at their sender.
Evasive Rolls & Quick-Pivots: Instantly reposition with sharp dodges and 180-degree turns to stay unpredictable and in control.
THE LOOP
THE DESCENT BEGINS
A run begins when you enter a Layer: a five-room gauntlet where our handcrafted combat arenas appear in a randomised order.
SURVIVE THE ESCALATION
Your minute-to-minute gameplay is a battle against an Escalation Meter that ramps up enemy difficulty over time. This creates constant pressure, forcing you to play efficiently to maximize your chances of survival in later rooms.
EVOLVe mid-run
You evolve during the run. Leveling up offers instant, on-the-fly upgrades, while clearing a room grants a powerful Augment. You care about this because these temporary, synergistic upgrades are your key to surviving the escalating difficulty and achieving a faster clear time.
CHOOSE YOUR PATH
After clearing a room, you choose one of three doors, each showing the reward type you'll receive after completing the next room. This gives you strategic control over your build as you progress through the Layer.
GROW STRONGER
The foundation of the long-term loop is permanent progression. Currency earned during runs is invested into permanent upgrades for the ship's core systems; boosting base stats and unlocking new starting Augments. This system provides a tangible sense of growing power over time.
MARKET RESEARCH
Who’s it for?
The Mastery-Driven Competitor
Our core player is the Mastery-Driven Competitor. This player isn't just playing to win; they are playing to improve. They are motivated by the intrinsic reward of mastering our complex movement and combat systems to achieve a fast and flawless run.
They value a high skill ceiling and are not deterred by difficulty.
They dissect gameplay systems to find optimal strategies.
They are active in communities, sharing high-level play, speedruns, and score-chases.
Their ultimate goal is self-improvement, proven by their rank and performance.
The "Plug & Play" Power Seeker
This player seeks immediate, cathartic fun. They want an accessible, "plug and play" experience where they feel powerful from the first minute, driven by the visceral thrill of combat.
They value intuitive controls that lead directly to "cool moments."
They often play in shorter, high-energy bursts to de-stress and have fun.
They are less likely to deeply analyse mechanics, preferring to experiment with what feels most impactful and spectacular.
Their primary goal is the immediate satisfaction of completing a successful, action-packed run.
TAPPING INTO THE COMMUNIITY
Our live public leaderboards tap into the proven community-as-marketing model of games like ULTRAKILL. By turning a single-player game into a competitive social hub, we directly serve the motivations of our Mastery-Driven player profile. This fosters a dedicated community, fuels content creation, and drives the long-term, replayable investment that our audience craves.
MARKET FIT: Evolving the Arena Shooter
An Evolution of the Arena Shooter: Our core market is the thriving, high-skill arena shooter audience. Our key innovation is taking the genre's proven formula of fast-paced, skill-based combat and evolving it into a full six-degrees-of-freedom experience.
Expanded Audience Appeal: By using a flight format, we capture the core arena shooter player while also attracting action-oriented flight combat fans who are underserved by the slow release of games within the genre. We aren't just a hybrid; we are expanding the boundaries of the arena shooter genre.
Player Validated: This approach has been validated by hundreds of players at major events (BAFTA, Dublin Comic Con, RENDR Festival, etc.).
De-Risked & Backed: The project's potential is further validated by initial funding from Northern Ireland Screen.
Net Revenue Calculations based off data Steam DB and Steam Rev Calculator
Estimated sales required to reach the thresholds above at £20 per unit. Platform costs, VAT, and estimated sale/refund deductions applied.
BUDGET & PRoduction
OUR ASK: £305K
PRODUCTION COST: £427K
Further Support
We have poured our passion and established the core of SOL DRIFT's gameplay. Now, we're looking for more than just funding; we are seeking a partner to help us navigate the crucial stages of launch and growth, ensuring the game reaches its full potential.
Strategic Marketing: SOL DRIFT's hybrid nature requires more than a generic campaign. We need a partner with the expertise to speak authentically to both movement shooter and flight arcade communities, showcasing the "Kinetic Satisfaction" at the soul of our game.
QA & Localisation: To deliver the polished experience our players expect, we expect the need to go beyond our local testing. We're seeking a partner with access to rigorous QA resources, along with the support to localise for key languages and capture the global flight game market.
Platform & Distribution Guidance: Our immediate focus is a successful PC launch, but we are building SOL DRIFT with future console potential in mind. We are realistic about the challenges and seek a partner's expertise to guide a smart porting strategy when the time is right. We would also greatly benefit from mentorship in leveraging the full backend marketing and sales toolkit of platforms like Steam.
THE CORE TEAM
As an emerging team, we are acutely aware of our limitations. To bridge the gaps in our experience, we’ve been building strong relationships with a network of trusted industry mentors and advisors. Their guidance in areas from business development to core game design has been invaluable, and the confidence we have in our project today is a direct result of their generous support and experienced judgment.
We would not be here without them.
GET IN TOUCH!
We're excited to discuss how we can partner to bring SOL DRIFT to market. Reach out to see our current build!
COMPANY EMAIL
info@madmoonstudios.co.uk
OR CONTACT US DIRECTLY
Josh@madmoonstudios.co.uk
Zach@madmoonstudios.co.uk