Key Highlights:
- Solo developer TMS Games will hold the first public A2K: Jet Strikers playtest on September 15 through Steam Playtest and itch.io.
- The third-person arena shooter combines jetpacks, walljumps, bunnyhops, rocket boosts and momentum-based movement with 16 current weapons.
- Ranked 1v1 matchmaking, bots, LAN and online multiplayer, optional roguelike upgrades and extensive modding are all part of the development plan.
Solo-developed arena shooter A2K: Jet Strikers is preparing for its first public playtest on September 15, giving PC players an early opportunity to test its movement, weapons, bots and multiplayer systems.
TMS Games describes the project as a third-person movement shooter inspired by the energy of classic arena games, particularly Soldat and the wider generation of fast shooters associated with Quake. Instead of recreating those games directly, A2K moves that style of combat into a third-person format built around momentum, air control and short high-intensity matches.
The official A2K: Jet Strikers website confirms the September test will be available through Steam Playtest and itch.io. TMS Games has not yet detailed how access will be distributed, but the developer says feedback will help shape movement, weapons, match flow and other systems before release.
Another independently developed PC game preparing for community testing is Isle Goblin, which is also planning a Steam playtest while development continues.
Movement sits at the centre of A2K rather than functioning as a secondary traversal system. Players can combine jetpacks, walljumps, bunnyhops, slides, slidejumps and dodges while preserving momentum between different parts of a route. Rocket boosting and weapon recoil can also contribute to movement, adding another layer to positioning during fights.
The developer refers to another movement option as “superman movement”, allowing players to link ground speed into longer airborne travel using the jetpack.
A2K currently contains 16 weapons divided across Assault, Heavy and Special roles. The arsenal includes automatic rifles, SMGs, shotguns, rocket and grenade launchers, a minigun, pistols, a crossbow and the Barrett M82 sniper rifle. More weapons are planned as development continues.
Multiplayer is being designed around short matches and relatively little downtime between fights.
Planned modes include Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag and 1v1 competition, while ranked 1v1 matchmaking is being developed around focused duels, recorded results and immediate rematches. An in-game social lobby will allow players to find matches, chat, use emotes and see who is available to play.
Bots are also part of the game, allowing weapons, maps and movement routes to be practised without requiring other players. Steam currently lists single-player, online PvP and LAN PvP support.
One of the more unusual additions is an experimental progression layer built alongside the traditional arena structure.
Optional card upgrades can modify weapons, movement and jetpacks during play, allowing different builds to emerge between matches. TMS Games is also experimenting with abilities such as airstrikes, allied bot reinforcements and temporary invisibility, although these systems remain subject to change while development continues.
The developer’s submitted material refers to this broader experiment as Rogue, a roguelite-style mode where players can build up their Soldier during a match.
I think the modding direction could ultimately be more important to A2K’s longevity than adding large numbers of conventional modes, because movement shooters tend to benefit enormously when players can alter the rules and preserve the particular style of play their community prefers.
Some of that customisation is already being built into the project. Movement values can currently be adjusted for testing and custom games, while broader plans include crosshair and HUD customisation, sandbox tools and community-controlled server options. TMS Games also intends to support self-hosted or dedicated servers as part of its longer-term direction.
The current Steam build is still described as being at a very early stage.
TMS Games says the playable foundation includes movement-based combat, 16 weapons, two game modes and LAN and online multiplayer, but stresses that movement, jetpacks, systems and content are still being refined. The Steam page is consequently marked for an eventual Early Access release, with community feedback expected to influence the game’s development priorities.
Steam’s current hardware requirements are relatively lightweight. The minimum specification lists an Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD FX-6300, 4GB of RAM and either a GTX 750 Ti or Radeon HD 7850, with 2GB of storage required. The recommended specification increases that to a Core i5-6600 or Ryzen 5 1600, 8GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 or RX 580.
A wider public demo is also planned for Steam Next Fest between February 22 and March 1, 2027.
A2K: Jet Strikers is targeting a Q1 2027 release on PC, with Windows planned first and Linux and macOS support expected later. Before then, players will be able to try the first public playtest on September 15, followed by a wider Steam Next Fest demo running from February 22 to March 1, 2027.
