Poly Fighter sets October 13 Early Access date… with demo and PAX West hands-on

Montreal-based HeartLoop Games has announced that its debut title, the single-player roguelike fighting game Poly Fighter, will launch in Steam Early Access on October 13, 2026. The announcement arrives with a new trailer and an online demo, plus a playable appearance at PAX West from September 4–7.

What is Poly Fighter?

Developed as a love letter to fighting games and arcade classics, Poly Fighter blends fast-paced one-on-one combat with roguelike progression. Players fight through a high-pressure underground league, stealing moves from defeated opponents and combining them to create different builds every run.

Poly Fighter on Steam

Poly Fighter is a single-player roguelike fighting game. Learn new moves from every opponent you defeat to build your fighter’s unique style. Battle through tense retro-arcade duels with a choice of simple or motion inputs to master your moveset and claim your title!

STEAM

Key features outlined by the studio include…

• Fight, adapt, and repeat… Battle through tense one-on-one fights, choose opponents, climb the ranks and face increasingly powerful rivals and secret bosses.
• Steal moves and build your perfect fighter… Defeat opponents to earn new abilities, then swap, chain and upgrade them to create synergies and fighting styles.
• Create wildly different builds every run… Experiment with super-armoured tanks, relentless rushdown fighters, zoning specialists and chaotic projectile-heavy machines in a roguelike twist on the classic fighting game formula.
• Accessible to newcomers, challenging for veterans… Choose between modern, approachable controls and nostalgic motion inputs, with stylish combos that are easy to pick up and thousands of possible move interactions to master.
• A retro-cool aesthetic built for solo players… Experience high-stakes duels and replayable build experimentation devoid of the pressure of ranked ladders or online competition, brought to life with snappy animations and a banging soundtrack.

Early Access, demo and PAX West

Ahead of its October 13 Early Access launch, Poly Fighter will be playable at PAX West from September 4–7, where attendees can try the game in person. Players around the world can also get hands-on through a new online demo available now on Steam.

"We're excited to finally share that Poly Fighter is coming to Early Access on October 13 as we’re keen to get the community’s input on the game," said Osama Dorias, Creative Director. "PAX West is a great opportunity for us to put the game directly into players' and press' hands, and we're looking forward to seeing how people respond to Poly Fighter as we head toward launch."

Poly Fighter launches in Steam Early Access on October 13, 2026, and will be playable at PAX West from September 4–7. Players can wishlist and try the online demo now via the game’s Steam page.