Cleared Hot Early Access Release Date Announced: MicroProse's Helicopter Shooter Arrives November 2025

Cleared Hot, the anticipated helicopter action game from MicroProse and indie studio Not Knowing Corporation, has secured an official release date for its Early Access debut on Steam.

Set to launch on November 20, 2025, Cleared Hot draws heavy inspiration from Electronic Arts' 1992 classic Desert Strike, continuing a legacy of top-down helicopter shooters tailored for modern audiences. Originally announced by game director Colin Karpfinger in 2021, Cleared Hot represents over four years of dedicated development.

Players will assume control of an armed attack helicopter, navigating expansive maps teeming with hostile forces and destructible environments.

The early build launching next month marks a significant milestone for both the development team and fans eagerly awaiting a revival of this arcade-style genre. In a detailed breakdown of core features, MicroProse highlights a robust single-player campaign, spanning three distinct biomes—Desert, Jungle, and Arctic—that challenge players with both day and night missions.

Customization is central: through an in-game economy, pilots can purchase and upgrade helicopters, assembling loadouts that suit a variety of playstyles.

Notably, Cleared Hot introduces inventive physics-based mechanics, such as utilizing a helicopter’s rope to redirect enemy missiles or wield vehicles and containers as makeshift wrecking balls, injecting creative strategy into each encounter. For its Steam Early Access launch on November 20, Cleared Hot will offer players the first chapter, set across the Texas region.

Two additional chapters, as well as supplemental contract and side missions, are planned for release throughout the Early Access period.

Ahead of launch, MicroProse and Not Knowing Corporation intend to publish a comprehensive development roadmap to set clear expectations and foster a collaborative environment between the studio and its player community. Addressing their choice to release initially in Early Access, Not Knowing Corporation shared via their Steam page that the studio aims to involve players directly in the shaping of Cleared Hot’s direction while also retaining the flexibility to introduce additional content and features over time.

This approach allows the team to focus development based on community feedback and engagement, ultimately broadening the project’s scope and appeal. Gamers interested in experiencing Cleared Hot’s updated take on the classic helicopter shooter formula can add the game to their Steam wishlist now, ensuring they'll be among the first to dive into its intense, arcade-inspired action this November.

Early Access developer MicroProse Cleared Hot Not Knowing Corporation Desert Strike Colin Karpfinger Steam Nintendo Switch EA