Starward Industries brings volcanic extraction survival into focus
Into the Fire from Starward Industries has grown into one of the more unusual survival projects to watch, combining rescue work, volcanic disaster, extraction pressure, and supernatural fire phenomena into one dangerous world.
Originally revealed as an action-adventure RPG about surviving nature’s wrath, the game is now positioned as a cataclysm extraction survival experience. Players are sent into the shadow of an erupting volcano to rescue people and animals, manage scarce resources, carve escape routes through ash and lava, and decide how far they are willing to push before the island buries everything behind them.
Updated for 2026: Into the Fire is planned for release in 2026, with public Steam playtests starting on May 20, 2026. Players can request access through the official Steam page.
Into the Fire – Official Steam Playtests Trailer
Video credit: Starward Industries.
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Into the Fire
Release: Planned for 2026
Public Playtest: Starts May 20, 2026 via Steam
Genre: Cataclysm extraction survival, action, adventure, indie, RPG, Early Access
Developer / Publisher: Starward Industries
Platforms: PC — Steam
Fire is not just the backdrop
Into the Fire stands out because the disaster itself is the main threat. Ash clouds swallow districts, pyroclastic flows cut off routes, earthquakes split the ground, and lava can turn familiar paths into death traps. Every run is built around pressure: rescue who you can, gather what matters, and decide when to get out.
That rescue-first angle gives the game a stronger identity than a standard survival shooter. You are not simply clearing enemies or collecting loot. You are entering an unstable disaster zone where every extra minute could mean saving someone else, losing resources, or not making it back at all.
A strange mix of science, survival, and myth
Starward Industries is also giving Into the Fire a stranger edge. The game mixes volcanic disaster with fire spirits, unexplained phenomena, rituals, and retro-futuristic rescue equipment. Players use tools such as suppression pistols, extinguishing shotguns, ziplines, and other experimental gear to control fire, open routes, and survive long enough to bring people back.
That supernatural angle could be the part that makes the game memorable. A grounded disaster rescue game would already have a strong premise, but fire anomalies and mythic threats push Into the Fire into stranger territory. If the systems come together, it could turn each extraction into something tense, unpredictable, and visually striking.
The HUB gives every rescue more weight
Between runs, players return to the HUB, a living settlement shaped by the survivors they rescue. The people you bring back can unlock new tools, missions, systems, and ways to improve your chances in future extractions.
That gives the survival loop a clearer emotional hook. You are not only building a base for upgrades. You are trying to keep a community alive while the world around it keeps collapsing. If the game delivers on that idea, the people you save should matter beyond a simple reward screen.
What makes Into the Fire interesting
- High-risk extraction survival built around rescue instead of simple looting.
- Dynamic volcanic hazards, including lava, ash, earthquakes, and collapsing routes.
- Retro-futuristic rescue tools such as extinguishing weapons and ziplines.
- HUB progression shaped by rescued survivors and mission outcomes.
- Supernatural fire phenomena that give the disaster a stranger identity.
- Replayable rescue runs where every route can change under pressure.
A rescue game with serious heat behind it
Into the Fire looks like one of Starward Industries’ most ambitious projects so far. The studio already proved with The Invincible that it can build a distinctive world with atmosphere, mood, and strong visual identity. Here, the focus shifts from philosophical sci-fi to survival pressure, emergency rescue, and the terrifying force of nature.
The big question now is how readable and satisfying the game feels once everything starts burning at once. Fire, ash, lava, collapsing buildings, resource pressure, and supernatural threats can create brilliant tension, but only if players can still understand the danger and make meaningful decisions.
With the public Steam playtest starting on May 20, 2026, players will soon get a better look at whether Into the Fire can turn that impressive concept into a gripping extraction survival experience.
You can wishlist the game and request playtest access through the official Steam page.
Into the Fire Screenshots
Related Reading
- The Right Way to Playtest: Safe Access, Useful Feedback
- Top 5 Hidden Gem Indie Playtests You Can Play Right Now
- The Invincible: Voyager Update Adds New Features and Fixes
Written by Ronny Fiksdahl, Founder & Editor of Fix Gaming Channel.
Send corrections, tips, interview pitches, or developer stories to contact@fixgamingchannel.com.
