Gearing up to ascend the Tower, Bonfire Studios announces Arkheron, a PvP title with 15 teams battling to reach the top using items known as Relics, strategy, and determination.
Following its tease in January 2025, Bonfire Studios revealed exciting details about their upcoming debut title, Arkheron, set in a mysterious Tower as players battle to reach the top. Coming soon on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5, the upcoming title is an asymmetrical PvP experience, as 15 teams of three embark on a challenge to reach the top of the Tower by collecting Relics, battling against other teams, claiming a Beacon to escape the Abyssal Storm, and many more.
With 17 years of experience working as a Blizzard Entertainment game designer on the original StarCraft and World of Warcraft, Rob Pardo founded Bonfire Studios in 2016. Entering the gaming world with an ambitious idea, the team focuses on building a fun and rewarding gameplay experience, crafting a unique world, and promoting welcoming communities.
Taking place in a tower shrouded in mystery and rich lore, Arkheron is a battle royale with a twist. Its core game mode, Ascension Royale, features 15 teams of three spawning in various locations to collect relics with special abilities from treasure chests, slay monsters and rival players, and complete quests. With these powerful relics, players must reach limited beacons to escape the Abyssal Storm and ascend. If contested, a team must eliminate its opponents to progress to the next floor.
As teams climb higher in the tower, each floor becomes harder with fewer beacons and more eliminations. In the final round, the two surviving teams face off at the top of the tower to be crowned the winners of the match.
One of the core mechanics of Arkheron gameplay is the Relics system, as they are the heroes of the game. In each match, players will have four item slots to build their character, including a crown, an amulet, and two weapons. Each of the items wields a special ability to assist the player and their team, ranging from piercing an enemy with a sword to unleashing ice projectiles from the slam of your hammer. With the various items available, players will have the opportunity to mix and match their build to suit their playstyle.
In addition to mixing and matching their build, some of the Relics will be part of an item set. If a player has at least two of the set, they will receive a set bonus. However, if a player collected all four of the sets, they will have the chance to transform into an Eternal, the inhabitants of the Tower and unlock a fifth ability based on the sets collected, lasting for the remainder of the match.
Stepping into Arkheron, players will have three modes to choose from. The modes included are:
- Ascension Royale Mode – The core game mode for 15 teams of three to battle to the top of the Tower.
- Training Mode – A separate dungeon area for players to test various Relics and find the perfect build. In addition to mixing and matching the Relics, players can practice their skills against a training dummy or against other players in the sparring room. Supporting up to six players, the sparring room features 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and more.
- Practice With Bots – For new players to learn the Ascension Royale Mode against bots.
Before wrapping up, PC players will have the opportunity to playtest Arkheron on Steam from September 19 to 21. The playtest will be available in North America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, and Korea/Japan through their partners at DRIMAGE. The times the playtest will be running are:
- September 19, 2025 – 11:00 am – 11:00 pm (PT) | 2:00 am – 2:00 pm (EST)
- September 20, 2025 – 11:00 am – 11:00 pm (PT) | 2:00 am – 2:00 pm (EST)
- September 21, 2025 – 11:00 am – 11:00 pm (PT) | 2:00 am – 2:00 pm (EST)
Quite an exciting update regarding Bonfire Studios’ upcoming title, Arkheron. To learn more about the game or studios, players can visit the Bonfire Studios website and sign up for the playtest on Steam from September 19 to 21.
