FIRESTARTERS Steam Next Fest Trailer: Rocket Skates, Steel, and Early Access

The FIRESTARTERS Steam Next Fest Trailer, Verified

A video titled "FIRESTARTERS – Official Steam Next Fest Trailer" is published on developer Studio Kerosene's YouTube channel, and it's the cleanest way to see the game's rocket-skate movement in action. What isn't available is a public transcript or shot-by-shot breakdown — so anything claiming to describe specific frames, on-screen text, or a scene order in that clip is guessing. The trailer exists; its contents beyond the game's established premise are not documented in the sources reviewed here.

That matters because FIRESTARTERS is no longer just a wishlist tease. It entered Steam Early Access on October 28, 2026 at $9.99, which means the Next Fest trailer now functions as a pitch for a game you can actually buy and play today.

Where to Watch the Trailer and Try the Game

The trailer is hosted by the developer directly, which makes it the most reliable version to share or embed:

• Official Steam Next Fest trailer — posted on the Studio Kerosene YouTube channel, the same studio credited as developer on the store page.
• Store page and current build — the FIRESTARTERS page on Steam carries the live Early Access build, patch notes, and system requirements.
• Earlier announcement trailer — an announcement trailer hosted on Dailymotion describes the project as a "high-speed cyberpunk arcade arena first-person shooter" heading to Early Access on PC in 2026.

One caveat on demos: MonsterVine reported on October 8, 2026 that a demo was available on Steam alongside a release-date announcement trailer. That was a snapshot of the store three weeks before launch — check the Steam page for whether a demo is still listed, since demos routinely come down after a festival ends.

What FIRESTARTERS Actually Plays Like

The Steam page is unusually specific about the design, and it's the best source for setting expectations before you spend $9.99.

The premise. In the future, the world's most-watched livestream is STEEL, a Japanese gladiator bloodsport run by a notorious crime syndicate. You play Kera, a former delinquent from the back alleys of Okinawa who now fights as the designated competitor for a team of prisoners called the Firestarters. Her motivation is freedom for her new friends and atonement for her past. Story beats are delivered through visual novel cutscenes between battles.

The movement. Kera wears a performance-enhancing STEEL Battlesuit and a custom pair of rocket skates. Arenas double as skateparks: you skate, slide, grind, and ground pound across them while dodging mechanized claws. Movement isn't a garnish here — it's the survival mechanic.

The combat. Six weapons, no pickups. There are no health, armor, or ammo drops in a STEEL arena; resources come from the androids you kill. Lead developer Alex Harte framed it to MonsterVine as a design with no safety nets: "Hunting is the path to survival."

The scoring layer. Clearing an encounter ("Storm") the first time in Story Mode unlocks it in Arcade Mode, where you chase a personal best, then your Steam friends list, then the global leaderboard.

The tech. FIRESTARTERS runs on a custom in-house engine, and the studio states plainly that no generative AI tools were used in its creation — a claim it repeats in the store page disclaimers.

Early Access Roadmap: Four Episodes, 18 to 24 Months

The developer's own Early Access FAQ lays out the plan more clearly than most.

• Launch state: Episode One only — the first part of Story Mode plus unlockable Arcade Mode. The studio describes the base gameplay, story, and combat systems as already complete and functional.
• Planned scope: four total "Episodes" (major content releases) before version 1.0, a number the studio says could change.
• Timeline: an estimated 18 to 24 months in Early Access, ending when the final story episode ships.
• Pricing: the plan is to raise the price gradually as content lands. Anyone who buys during Early Access gets all subsequent pre-1.0 content updates free.

MonsterVine's October 2026 report describes the three post-launch episodes as free updates during Early Access, which lines up with the store page's promise to early buyers.

Price, Languages, and PC Requirements

At $9.99, FIRESTARTERS is priced like a small Early Access project, and the spec sheet matches — the footprint is tiny.

• Interface and subtitles: English, Japanese, Russian. No full audio language is listed on the store page.
• Steam Deck: compatibility listed as unknown.
• Minimum: Windows 10, 4-core CPU (Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3), 2 GB RAM, DirectX 12, 1 GB storage.
• Recommended: Windows 11, 6-core CPU (Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5), 2 GB RAM, 1 GB storage.

The developer explicitly notes that both requirement sets are not final and may change at any time — reasonable for a build that's expected to grow for up to two years.

Two content warnings worth flagging before purchase: the store page carries a photosensitivity warning for flashing lights and stroboscopic effects, and the mature content descriptor lists blood, intense violence, strong language, mature and suggestive themes, and tobacco use.

FAQ

Does FIRESTARTERS have a Steam Next Fest trailer? Yes. A video titled "FIRESTARTERS – Official Steam Next Fest Trailer" is published on Studio Kerosene's verified YouTube channel. No public transcript is indexed, so treat detailed shot-by-shot descriptions of that clip with suspicion unless you've watched it yourself.

When did FIRESTARTERS come out, and how much does it cost? It launched into Steam Early Access on October 28, 2026, priced at $9.99. The studio has said the price will rise gradually as new episodes ship, so early buyers lock in the lowest price and receive all pre-1.0 content updates free.

Is there a demo I can try instead of buying? MonsterVine reported on October 8, 2026 that a demo was live on Steam alongside the release-date announcement trailer. Demo availability changes with festival windows, so confirm on the Steam store page before planning around it.

How long will FIRESTARTERS stay in Early Access? The developer estimates 18 to 24 months, ending with the release of the final story episode, which will mark version 1.0. Four episodes are planned in total, with Episode One available now.