Summary
The audacious action-platformerAntonblast, from developer Summitsphere, has recouped its entire production budget less than one month after its initial release.Antonblast, which serves as a sequel to the brick-breakingMario Bros./BreakoutmashupAntonball, was developed by a small team led by designer, co-coder, and composer Tony Grayson.
Released for PC on Jun 03, 2025,Antonblasthas been ranked among the best games of the year, enjoying critical and commercial success. The game puts players in the shoes of an enraged demolition worker, Dynamite Anton (or his female counterpart Dynamite Annie), pitting them against a jealous Satan in a quest to regain their stolen booze. Relying on aggressive dash mechanics, the game leans into a rabid mix of chaotic action and rampant destruction.
Grayson took to his Bluesky account to announce that, afterAntonblast’s delayed release on Nintendo Switch, the game has gone on to recoup its entire development, production, and marketing budget. Drawing on titles as far ranging asCrash BandicootandWario Land, the relentless pace and bold, colorful visuals have found a happy home with gamers, making the game profitable in notably short order.
Antonblast Rides Growing Wave of Popularity to Financial Success
The popularity of Summitsphere’s output was already building before the launch ofAntonblast, as evidenced by its clear-cut Kickstarter win.As reported by GameMaker, the campaign for the new game, without which the studio would have been, as Grayson puts it, “on the streets”, was fully funded in just three days. Fueled by healthy word of mouth and a buddingAntonballfan base, the Kickstarter ultimately went on to collect almost twice its stated $75,000 goal.
DespiteAntonblast’s early performance issues on Switch, the game’s success is a major win for the small team behind it, ensuring that, according to Grayson, it’s “going to be making a lot more games for a lot longer.” That’s good news for fans of the studio, which it seems is determined to mine the enduring game design principles of early classics likeQ*bert,Bubble Bobble, and more for all they’re worth. Summitsphere has also produced the 2D platformerAnnalynn, which likewise takes inspiration from a number of 80s arcade games.
With its newfound success,Antonblast’s developer is claiming its place in the neo-arcade canon. What Summitsphere chooses to spin its recent accolades into next is yet to be announced. It claims to have some major plans in the works but has yet to share any details. For now, fans will have to sate their appetite for Satan-thwarting destruction with the current title and keep their fingers crossed for further installments in the burgeoning franchise.
