Awesomenauts Starstorm expansion coming Dec. 12

Starstorm, the Kickstarter-funded expansion for Ronimo Games' Awesomenauts, will launch Dec. 12, the developer announced today.

The expansion was funded earlier this fall, with the crowdfunding campaign pulling in $345,835, well over its $125,000 funding goal. Starstorm's release later this week — for Windows PC, Mac and Linux — will include the first of five new playable characters planned for the expansion, the hand cannon-wielding and pantless Ted McPain.

In a press statement, Ronimo founder Jasper Koning noted that the studio wanted to launch the DLC as soon as the first character was done. Starstorm will launch as an "early access package" with Ted McPain and the first batch of custom game settings, which include a new deathmatch mode.

"This early access package is only the tip of the iceberg for all the content that will be in the Starstorm expansion," Koning noted.

All Starstorm content is expected to be released by the end of 2014. This includes the four additional characters, one new map, a replay system, custom games browser, match customization features and a full-featured spectator mode.

A PlayStation 4 version, Awesomenauts: Assemble, is expected to be released within the console's launch window.