In Heavy Gear Assault, players venture to the distant planet Terra Nova and pilot giant, highly customizable Gears. Featuring a range of dynamic combat, customizations, gameplay modes and esport features, Heavy Gear Assault offers players a wealth of gameplay that brings the Heavy Gear universe to life. Various gameplay modes keep things fresh with advanced dueling in team battles, like the standard Deathmatch and more strategic Brunes Ball.

The core of the game features Duelists -- who pilot war machines known as Gears -- battling for fame and fortune in the highly competitive, action packed sporting arenas on the interstellar planet Terra Nova.  Pilots can use their winnings to invest in more advanced Gears, weapons and equipment that allow them to participate in more dangerous, hence more profitable, events.

The Steam release of Heavy Gear Assault is a video gaming David & Goliath tale for developer MekTek Studios and publisher Stompy Bot, who originally looked to Kickstarter to fund its ambitious project back in 2013. It cancelled the campaign when it became clear that it would not be a success, but remained undeterred, beating the odds and finding support from loyal game fans, angel investors, and capital markets.

Vince McMullin, CEO and Producer, Stompy Bot, said: “Heavy Gear Assault found great support through our communities who shared their love and passion for the Heavy Gear franchise. Stompy Bot’s independence has enabled us to deliver an outstanding game, which is still closer to the characteristics of the mech genre than anyone has offered before. However, we’re not resting on our laurels and will continue our relationship with the community during Early Access, as we want their feedback as we roll out new features.”

Joe Kreiner, Epic Games' head of Unreal Engine licensing for the Americas, said: “As one of the first mech sims built with Unreal Engine 4, it's great to see Heavy Gear Assault make its way into players' hands. This shows how a small team can use our tools to get ahead, realize their vision and ship a fun game.”

Heavy Gear Assault will be launching on December 15, 2016 for PC through Steam Early Access.

Heavy GearAssault’s development will continue to follow a modular release strategy while in Early Access on Steam. Additional features and content will be released regularly throughout the first half of 2017.

Gears are also extremely customizable from their weapon loadouts to their paint schemes.  There are over ten different stock Gears that players can choose from, and every piece from shoulders to torsos to lower legs are interchangeable, resulting in hundreds of thousands of different combinations. Layer dozens of weapons into the mix that range from lasers, sniper rifles, and automatics and you have a recipe for complete and utter madness. Each Gear can also be equipped with jetpacks, grenades and other features, but defense will also be important as each individual part can be damaged, so a leg or arm may be rendered useless quickly in battle.

Heavy Gear Assault will stay true to the legacy established by the original games by focusing on action oriented, personal combat.  The title balances the long range battles that mecha titles are known for with the devastating melee combat Heavy Gear fans expect. Pilots will be able to unleash shocking combos to demolish their opponents as well as thrill the crowds.

The game utilizes a dynamic destruction engine that shows visible, physical damage to Gears and the environment.  Damage to specific body parts affects performance which creates tactical options.  One pilot might choose to target an opponent’s leg to slow them down.  Another player could blow off an enemy’s arm to force them to drop their main weapon. Even the arena can become a weapon for cunning players that use firepower to level obstacles or create their own cover.

Key Features:

• Dynamic Combat – Rip apart the arena with fully destructible Gears. Blow an opponent’s limb off and use their weapon against them.
• Fully Customizable Gears – Come check out the Gear Bay Module allowing you to select your favorite pilot and fully customize your arsenal, armor and paint.
• Made in Unreal Engine 4 – Battle for dominance in photo-realistically beautiful arenas. Enjoy performance that scales to high and low-spec PCs.
• Built For eSports – Compete in tournaments and organized matches for fame and fortune.
• Community Dedication – Host your own dedicated servers and collect stats for your own private tournament. Take the power in your hands and join or create your own Heavy Gear Assault team.