Kot-in-Action Creative Artel
An American independent video game developer best known for the Steel Storm series.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Kot-in-Action Creative Artel is an American independent video game developer associated primarily with Steel Storm, an arcade-oriented shooter series built with the free and open-source DarkPlaces engine. The studio's work belongs to the independent and open-source-friendly game development scene rather than to the traditional large-publisher model. Its best-documented project is Steel Storm, a top-down science-fiction shooter in which players pilot an armed hovercraft against extraterrestrial enemies. Steel Storm is structured as two episodes. Episode One was distributed at no charge, while the commercial follow-up, Steel Storm: Burning Retribution, expanded the project into a larger paid release. Both episodes provide single-player missions centered on combat, power-up collection, navigation, and mission objectives. The series also supports online and local-area-network multiplayer, including competitive deathmatch and cooperative play; the second episode adds capture-the-flag support. The games permit up to sixteen players in supported multiplayer modes and offer an adjustable camera perspective, with Burning Retribution including an unlockable first-person view. Development of Steel Storm began in 2008. The first episode appeared as a beta in September 2010, establishing the project as an independent experiment in fast-paced, freely accessible PC game development. Steel Storm: Burning Retribution followed on May 11, 2011. It was sold through digital channels including Steam, Desura, the Ubuntu Software Center, and the developer's own website. The series was subsequently included in Humble Indie Bundle 3 on August 1, 2011, giving it exposure beyond its original niche audience and placing the studio within a prominent independent-game distribution event. The project received a mixed but sometimes favorable critical response. Reviewers commonly praised its polish, accessibility, multiplayer options, and suitability for fans of arcade shooters, while less positive assessments criticized repetitive gameplay and limited variety. Reported distribution figures cited more than 295,000 downloaded copies, although the available reference does not establish a current commercial performance picture. A spin-off first-person shooter inspired by Doom and Quake was reported as having entered development in 2011, but the supplied material does not establish its final release or the company's present operating status. Because publicly available information in the supplied references is concentrated on Steel Storm rather than on the company's corporate structure, its founders, executives, ownership, headquarters detail, later releases, and current status are not confirmed here.
History
Kot-in-Action Creative Artel is documented primarily through its development of Steel Storm, an independent science-fiction shooter series. The project began development in 2008 and was made with the DarkPlaces engine, a free software engine derived from technology associated with the Quake lineage. This technical choice placed the game within a tradition of independently developed PC shooters and open-source game experimentation. Steel Storm was divided into two episodes with different distribution models. Episode One was made available without charge and reached beta status in September 2010. It presented a top-down arcade-shooter format in which the player controls a hovercraft, fights extraterrestrial opponents, collects power-ups, and completes mission objectives. The game included a complete single-player campaign as well as online and LAN multiplayer. Competitive and cooperative modes were supported, and the game allowed as many as sixteen players in each supported mode. The second episode, Steel Storm: Burning Retribution, was released on May 11, 2011 as a commercial product. It retained the core top-down combat design while adding features including capture-the-flag multiplayer and an unlockable first-person camera perspective. The title was distributed through Steam, Desura, the Ubuntu Software Center, and the developer's own website, giving the project availability across several digital PC storefronts and Linux-oriented distribution channels. The series gained additional visibility when it was included in Humble Indie Bundle 3 on August 1, 2011. Contemporary responses were uneven. Several reviewers highlighted the game's polish, accessible arcade action, multiplayer features, and value, while other critics found the gameplay repetitive and monotonous. The supplied reference reports more than 295,000 downloads and estimates that 7% to 10% of users were active players, but it does not provide a date, methodology, or independently verifiable business context for those figures. It also records a 55 percent Metacritic score based on four professional reviews and a mixed Steam community response. In 2011, the company was reported to have started work on a Steel Storm spin-off designed as a first-person shooter in the spirit of Doom and Quake. No confirmed launch information for that project is included in the available material. Similarly, the references do not establish the company's current product portfolio, corporate ownership, leadership, or whether it remains active. Accordingly, Steel Storm remains the principal documented contribution of Kot-in-Action Creative Artel.
- 2011
Burning Retribution launched
[1]Steel Storm: Burning Retribution was released as the commercial second episode on May 11, 2011.
- 2011
Humble Indie Bundle 3 distribution
[1]Steel Storm was added to Humble Indie Bundle 3 on August 1, 2011.
- 2011
First-person spin-off entered development
[1]A spin-off inspired by classic first-person shooters such as Doom and Quake was reported to be in development.
- 2010
Episode One beta released
[1]The first Steel Storm episode entered beta distribution in September 2010.
- 2008
Steel Storm development began
[1]Development of the Steel Storm project reportedly began, using the free-software DarkPlaces engine.
Products and positioning
Independent PC game development focused on fast-paced arcade shooting, multiplayer play, and development using free or open-source technology.
Video game · 2010
Steel Storm: Episode One
The first episode of the Steel Storm series is a top-down arcade shooter distributed at no charge. Players operate a combat hovercraft while fighting extraterrestrial enemies, gathering power-ups, navigating maps, and completing mission objectives. It includes a single-player campaign and multiplayer through online or LAN connections, with competitive deathmatch and cooperative play. The episode reached beta distribution in September 2010 and established the core mechanics later expanded in Burning Retribution.
Video game · 2011
Steel Storm: Burning Retribution
Burning Retribution is the commercial second episode of Steel Storm, released on May 11, 2011. It combines top-down arcade shooting with single-player missions and multiplayer modes available through online and LAN play. In addition to deathmatch and cooperative formats, it supports capture the flag and includes an unlockable first-person camera view. The game was sold through Steam, Desura, the Ubuntu Software Center, and the developer's website.
Video game project
Steel Storm first-person shooter spin-off
A spin-off of Steel Storm was reported in 2011 as being in development in the style of classic first-person shooters such as Doom and Quake. The supplied reference does not confirm its title, launch date, final release, or current development status.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Humble Indie Bundle 3
International digital distribution
Steel Storm was included in the third Humble Indie Bundle, a digital distribution event that exposed the independent game to the bundle's international audience.
Outcome. The reference confirms inclusion but does not provide a campaign-specific sales or audience result.
Brand decisions
2011
Commercialize the second episodeProduct launchBackground
After the free first episode, the studio expanded the project into a paid release with additional multiplayer and camera features.
Action taken
Steel Storm: Burning Retribution launched commercially on May 11, 2011 through multiple digital stores and the developer's website.
Aftermath
The game received both favorable and unfavorable reviews, with praise for its features and criticism of repetition.
2010
Release Episode One as a free betaProduct launchBackground
The studio developed Steel Storm as an independent PC shooter using the free-software DarkPlaces engine and began public distribution with its first episode.
Action taken
Episode One was released as a no-charge beta in September 2010.
Aftermath
The episode built the foundation for the series and was followed by a commercial second episode.
Recent events
- 2011
Steel Storm: Burning Retribution released[1]
Product launch
The commercial second episode of Steel Storm was released on May 11, 2011, with distribution through Steam, Desura, the Ubuntu Software Center, and the developer's website.
- 2011
Steel Storm included in Humble Indie Bundle 3[1]
Campaign · Other
The game was added to Humble Indie Bundle 3 on August 1, 2011, expanding its reach through a major independent-game bundle.
- 2011
Steel Storm spin-off announced in development[1]
Product launch · Other
Work reportedly began on a first-person shooter spin-off influenced by Doom and Quake. The supplied reference does not confirm a subsequent release.
- 2010
Steel Storm Episode One entered beta distribution[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The first episode of Steel Storm was released as a beta in September 2010 after development had begun in 2008.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/kot-in-action-creative-artel · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled