Neon Machine, a web3 gaming developer, has successfully raised $20 million in Series A funding for the development of its highly anticipated extraction shooter game, Shrapnel. This funding round follows a previous seed round of $10.5 million completed in June of 2021. The leading investor in this round was Polychain Capital, with participation from Griffin Gaming Partners, Brevan Howard Digital, Franklin Templeton, IOSG Ventures, and Tess Ventures.
Shrapnel is an ambitious gaming project that Neon Machine describes as a AAA game, meaning it has top-tier production value, budgeting, and marketing. The game is a first-person shooter with multiplayer components, and early gameplay footage suggests that it incorporates mechanics similar to Call of Duty: Warzone, a popular extraction shooter developed by Activision Blizzard. However, what sets Shrapnel apart from its competition is its use of Web3 and blockchain technology.
In contrast to other games where players can “extract” valuable items for character and profile enhancement, the assets in Shrapnel are connected to the blockchain. This unique feature gives players full ownership over their in-game assets. Neon Machine also plans to include a modding toolset in Shrapnel, which would enable players or developers to introduce other blockchain assets into the game world for interaction. This opens up possibilities for seasonal competitions and tournaments using a variety of blockchain assets.
The game is scheduled for early-access testing in December, available to paid subscribers. Following the initial evaluation period, Neon Machine intends to launch Shrapnel as a free-to-play title sometime in 2024. In addition to the game’s development and launch, Neon Machine aims to eventually license its Web3 developer’s API platform, GameBridge.
This funding round and the development of Shrapnel highlight the growing interest and investment in blockchain-based gaming. Neon Machine’s innovative use of blockchain technology in a AAA game demonstrates the potential for ownership and interoperability in the gaming industry.
Sources:
– [Neon Machine Youtube page](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPBeF5Unkg)
– [Neon Machine documentation on Shrapnel](https://cointelegraph.com/news/behind-the-scenes-of-the-first-aaa-shooter-game-built-on-the-blockchain)
– [Cointelegraph: Shrapnel Web3 shooter won’t let US users cash out, thanks to Gensler](https://cointelegraph.com/news/blockchain-game-shrapnel-restrict-us-players-fearing-securities-laws)
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About the author - J-S Tremblay
I've been involved in the cryptocurrency world since 2016 and trading since 2019. I started Moon and Lambo in 2021. I'm passionate about crypto and love to share my knowledge. I hate bankers and I hope that cryptocurrency will change the financial world for the better. View full profile...
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