Web3 Game Studio DPS Secures $30.5 Million in Funding to Launch Large Open World Shooter

Against the backdrop of an overall downturn in the Web3 gaming industry, the independent game studio Distinct Possibility Studios (DPS for short) has recently completed a financing round of $30.5 million, which is quite rare in the current industry environment. This round of financing was co-led by the gaming-focused venture capital firm Bitkraft and the European hedge fund Brevan Howard, with participation from several well-known investment institutions.

The raised funds will be used to develop the first project of DPS - a large open-world persistent first-person shooter game (MMOFPS) named "Reaper Actual." The game is planned to be released on mainstream gaming platforms and will integrate the Ethereum layer 2 chain Etherlink, allowing game assets to be traded on-chain.

DPS has been able to raise a substantial amount of financing against the odds, primarily due to the strong background of its core team. The company was co-founded by several veterans from the gaming industry, and the core leadership team consists of heavyweight figures in the traditional MMO and large-scale shooting game sectors.

Founder John Smedley is one of the representative figures in the American gaming industry, enjoying a high reputation in the field of online games (MMO). He served as the CEO of Daybreak Game Company for a long time, leading the operation and development of several classic games, including EverQuest and PlanetSide 2. Before joining DPS, Smedley served as the general manager of Amazon's gaming division.

Other key positions in DPS are also held by experienced industry veterans. Chief Creative Officer Matt Higby has over 20 years of experience in the online gaming field, having participated in the design and operation of several well-known games. Chief Art Officer Tramell Ray Isaac is a key artistic member of the Fallout series and has served as art director at several top studios.

"Reaper Actual" is an open-world persistent first-person shooter that combines tactical shooting gameplay with an MMO-style progression system and strategic faction dynamics. The game is set on the fictional island of Marova, where players assume the role of a mercenary warrior, continuously clashing with other players and AI-controlled factions.

The game features the following unique gameplay and mechanics:

1. Open world and faction conflict: Supports free exploration and combat in a large map, with different factions clashing over territory and resources.
2. Base construction and resource management: Players can build and upgrade their own bases for defense, production, and troop gathering.
3. Player-driven economy: There is an economy system led by players that can produce weapons, vehicles, and equipment.
4. Dynamic Tasks and Collision Objectives: Support for mixed PVP and PVE gameplay, where task objectives may overlap or conflict due to the actions of different factions.

It is worth noting that DPS does not fully stake "Reaper Actual" on the Web3 gaming track. The game will offer optional Web3 asset market features at launch, allowing players with demand to use blockchain technology to trade in-game assets while retaining the free-to-play and social experience of traditional games.

DPS chose to deploy the game asset market on Etherlink, mainly considering its advantages of fast transaction speed, low cost, and high security. Etherlink is an EVM-compatible layer two scaling network based on the Tezos blockchain, utilizing Tezos's Smart Rollup technology, and integrating the toolchain advantages of the Ethereum ecosystem with the high-security architecture of Tezos.

However, "Reaper Actual" is still in a very early stage and faces many challenges. The overall environment for Web3 games is still not optimistic, with significant uncertainties regarding player acceptance of on-chain assets, regulatory and compliance risks, as well as the seamless integration of on-chain and off-chain gameplay.

Although the $30.5 million funding has somewhat boosted confidence, the industry should still maintain a cautiously optimistic attitude. In the coming years, the public testing progress of "Reaper Actual", the on-chain economic model, and user retention rates will be key indicators for assessing whether it can truly "break the ice and break through".

It is worth mentioning that "Reaper Actual" incorporates Web3 features as optional modules, which also reflects the team's consideration of risks. Even if the on-chain version ultimately does not meet expectations, players can still enjoy a complete and mature gaming experience, which serves as an effective risk hedging strategy.