There’s a new web3 game in town and it has all the makings of a banger. AAA shooter Reaper Actual looks a cut above the current crop of web3 games, which is no surprise given the studio behind it. Distinct Possibility Studios, led by John Smedley – he of EverQuest and Planetside 2 fame – has set its sights on Tezos, where its shoot-em-up is set to be deployed on Layer 2 Etherlink.
Production values are sure to be high in Reaper Actual, particularly given the budget its team has at their disposal. Distinct Possibility Studios have just completed a $30.5M raise and are now intent on showing that they can repay their investors’ faith and delight web3 gamers in the process.
Distinct Possibility of a Blockbuster
The $30.5M round closed by Distinct Possibility Studios was led by Bitkraft and Brevan Howard Digital, but a host of other VCs also participated including Hashed and Delphi Ventures. With the financing in the bag, the studio can now focus on its forthcoming game, where expectations are already riding high. Reaper Actual is described as an open-world persistent AAA shooter, which translates to “endless baddies to blast.”
Like all studios releasing a web3 game, Distinct Possibility is aiming to ensure that the blockchain elements don’t overshadow the gaming experience. In selecting Etherlink, it seems to have picked a suitably scalable chain to ensure this happens: the Tezos L2 is fast, cheap and secure, providing a solid foundation on which to anchor the web3 components.
The best summary of the current mood concerning Distinct Possibility’s decision to deploy on Etherlink comes from Tezos co-founder Arthur Breitman who said: “‘Holy smokes, it’s the EverQuest guy with an AAA team and they’re building an immersive world with AI, are you kidding me!?’ were my initial thoughts, and I’ve remained as excited since!” If that enthusiasm is reflected among players once they get their hands on the game, it’s destined to be a smash.
Island Mayhem Awaits
Even AAA shooters need a backstory and Reaper Actual’s takes the form of a sprawling island known as Marova where two factions are enmeshed in a never-ending conflict. Players take on the role of Reapers, who need to not only fill their foes with lead but do so while extracting resources, navigating varied terrain, and keeping their own base secured. While details of the web3 components are scarce at this time, it’s been confirmed that tokenization will be involved in crafting and trading resources and weaponry.
If the premise behind Reaper Actual sounds solid, the team behind it sounds top-notch. Distinct Possibility Studios’ core team includes experienced industry figures who’ve worked for the likes of Sony Online Entertainment, Amazon Game Studios, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft, and Epic. With a track record of contributing to such acclaimed titles as Call of Duty and Fortnite, there’s a distinct possibility that Reaper Actual will actually slap.
