Rising Tide Publishing and developer Nomadic Games have released Burning Sword: Death Sun in Steam Early Access, marking the launch with an an Arena Mode competition for content creators, which features a US$1,000 prize for the highest score.
The competition, which began on November 17, requires participating creators to livestream a single Arena Mode run, with the highest-scoring player winning the prize. Creators can request a review key without entering the competition, while those interested in competing can indicate their participation when submitting the review copy request form. Full competition rules are available at the official competition page.
The announcement follows the game’s appearance at Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show 2026 in Bangkok, held from October 29 to November 1. Visitors were able to try the Early Access build and compete in an Arena Mode challenge, with the highest-scoring participant receiving a physical Burning Sword and a cash prize.
Five Stages and Seven Bosses at Early Access Launch
According to the developers, the Early Access version includes:
- Five handcrafted linear stages, with secrets to discover off the main paths.
- Five main bosses and two secret bosses.
- The complete combat system, featuring Power Gauge, Ignite, Quick Shot, Qi Drain and three equipped skills.
- A central Hub and character progression system.
- Arena Mode, an endless arcade-style score attack.
Following its initial release, Burning Sword: Death Sun will receive additional stages, bosses and skills through regular updates, each accompanied by a developer log. The planned full release will feature five chapters and 12 handcrafted stages, nine named bosses including Gao Tianqi, two secret bosses and additional elite minibosses.
Burning Sword: Death Sun is out now on Steam for US$19.99.
