Focus Entertainment Publishing and Afterburner Studios have unveiled Elta: Defy All Gods, a new science-fantasy action-platformer combining hard-hitting melee combat, fluid movement, and 3D exploration.
Revealed during gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live on August 25, Elta: Defy All Gods is scheduled to launch in early 2027 for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Before the full release, players will get an opportunity to experience the beginning of the adventure themselves. A free public demo launches October 1, 2026, giving action-platformer fans an early look at Afterburner Studios’ ambitious follow-up to Dreamscaper.
Elta: Defy All Gods Combines Combat and Platforming
Elta: Defy All Gods puts players in the role of Victus, an elite warrior monk searching for their lost god, Elta.
Victus believes restoring Elta’s former power could provide a path toward a brighter future for their civilization. But reaching that goal means battling through corrupted worlds, mastering increasingly powerful abilities, and confronting the gods responsible for their people’s suffering.
The game blends free-form melee combat, fluid platforming, and science-fiction exploration, creating an experience that draws from both traditional brawlers and 3D Metroidvania-style adventures.
Rather than separating combat and exploration, Elta: Defy All Gods is built around using both skill sets together.
Fight Alongside a Dragon-God Companion
At the center of Victus’ journey is Elta, a fallen dragon-god whose lost power could hold the key to changing the fate of their civilization.
As Victus and Elta progress through the game, players will unlock new martial arts techniques, magic abilities, traversal skills, and acrobatic moves.
Combat promises an especially aggressive approach, with players able to combine lethal martial arts with devastating magic attacks during chaotic encounters against groups of enemies.
The goal isn’t simply to survive each encounter. Players will need to master Victus’ growing arsenal and movement abilities to become the divine champion Elta needs.
Explore Three Corrupted Science-Fantasy Worlds
Beyond its combat, Elta: Defy All Gods places a major emphasis on exploration.
Players will journey through three sprawling science-fantasy worlds, each filled with winding paths, hidden secrets, and areas that require increasingly sophisticated traversal abilities to reach.
As Victus’ movement toolkit expands, previously inaccessible locations can become reachable, encouraging players to revisit environments and search for secrets they couldn’t access earlier.
This combination of action-platforming and exploration is intended to give Elta: Defy All Gods a strong sense of progression beyond simply acquiring stronger attacks.
Afterburner Studios Takes Aim at a New Action-Platformer Experience
Elta: Defy All Gods is the second game from indie developer Afterburner Studios, the team behind Dreamscaper.
The studio says its latest project represents a significantly larger undertaking, building upon its experience with combat feel and responsive action while expanding its ambitions into a broader action-platformer experience.
“For our second title we’ve gone much bigger, taking all we’ve learned about weighty combat, satisfying game feel, and fluid action to another level,” said Ian Cofino, Co-Founder and Game Director at Afterburner Studios.
Cofino also praised Focus Entertainment as a partner in helping the studio pursue its vision for the new title.
Bring Down the Gods in Elta: Defy All Gods
The game’s story centers on a civilization that has been wronged and exiled for centuries. As Victus and Elta grow stronger, players will uncover the path toward confronting the gods responsible for their people’s suffering.
That journey will ultimately lead to battles against divine enemies as Victus attempts to help Elta reclaim her power and set things right.
The developers are positioning the game as a power-fantasy adventure where players don’t simply survive against overwhelming forces—they eventually gain the strength necessary to challenge the gods themselves.
Elta: Defy All Gods Demo Launches October 1
Players won’t have to wait until 2027 to experience Elta: Defy All Gods.
A free public demo will launch on October 1, 2026, and will feature the beginning of the game. The demo is planned for all of the platforms where the full game will be released.
That means PC players can get their first taste of the game through Steam, while PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S players will also be able to try the demo.
The demo could give players an early opportunity to see how the game’s melee combat, platforming, exploration, and science-fantasy setting work together ahead of its full release.
When Is Elta: Defy All Gods Releasing?
Elta: Defy All Gods is scheduled to launch in early 2027 on:
- PC via Steam
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S
The exact release date has not yet been announced.
Players can also wishlist the game ahead of launch and follow Focus Entertainment’s official channels for future announcements.
From Dreamscaper to Elta: Defy All Gods
Afterburner Studios was founded in 2018 by Robert Taylor, Ian Cofino, and Paul Svoboda with the goal of creating action-focused games outside the traditional large-studio model.
The team’s debut title, Dreamscaper, launched on PC and Nintendo Switch in August 2021 before arriving on Xbox and Game Pass the following year.
The game has since reached more than 750,000 players, giving Afterburner Studios an established foundation as it moves toward its next project.
With Elta: Defy All Gods, the studio is significantly increasing the scope of its action ambitions.
A New Action-Platformer Worth Watching
Elta: Defy All Gods is shaping up to be an intriguing addition to the action-platformer genre, particularly for players who enjoy games that combine aggressive melee combat with movement-focused exploration.
Its mix of martial arts, magic, platforming, science-fantasy environments, and Metroidvania-inspired exploration gives Afterburner Studios plenty of room to establish its own identity.
The October 1, 2026 demo will offer the first substantial opportunity for players to see whether Victus and Elta can deliver on that ambitious vision.
Elta: Defy All Gods is planned for release in early 2027 on PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
