Fantasy Strike is designed to be so "radically accessible" (without sacrificing depth of strategy) that even non-fighting-gamers can enjoy the genre. It's also a way to unite fighting gamers; when two friends each play a different traditional fighting game, it's tough for them to have a good match in either game, but they can both get up to speed in Fantasy Strike in minutes.

Fantasy Strike is an accessible fighting game from Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix designer David Sirlin, who has launched a Fig crowdfunding campaign seeking up to $2 million in investment.

Prior to Fantasy Strike's launch in late 2018, a playable version of the game will be available to Deluxe backers in August, months before it becomes available on Steam Early Access.

"Controlling your character is simpler than in just about any other fighting game," says David Sirlin, President of Sirlin Games. "We don't have joystick motions-we don't even have CROUCH. The difficulty all comes from deciding what to do and when to do it. We're very interested in gameplay depth, we just want it to come from your decisions. That approach has allowed us to draw in a much wider audience at trade shows than would usually be interested in a fighting game."

Though pre-selling Steam Early Access is common in crowdfunding, in an uncommon move, Sirlin Games is offering a playable version of Fantasy Strike immediately after the campaign ends in August to those who pledge for the deluxe version ($49 or more). This is months ahead of the public Steam Early Access release.

Fantasy Strike has been in development for two years. The team has cultivated the game's cell-shaded look and labored over the integration of GGPO networking, the best-in-class form of online play in fighting games. Fantasy Strike currently features 8 characters and 4 stages, with more on the way. Arcade, local versus, online play, and training mode will be playable immediately following the Fig campaign, with numerous additional gameplay modes planned for the game's full release.