By: Stella L (stella@footprint.network)

Original article: Click this link to read. This article was first published on July 5 in the CoinGecko column of Footprint Analytics.

Latest news: SHRAPNEL announced that it will participate in the China International Digital Interactive Entertainment Expo (ChinaJoy 2024) held in Shanghai, China from July 26th to 29th.

Key Points

• From the BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning veterans of Neon Machine, SHRAPNEL is an action-packed AAA escape-and-shooter.

• SHRAPNEL’s blockchain system runs as a subnet on Avalanche, but players will have to wait a bit to fully experience the blockchain functionality in the game.

• SHRAPNEL officially launched an early access version of the game on Epic Games in February 2024.

• The player's core mission is both simple and challenging: survive, collect, and evacuate safely.

SHRAPNEL Introduction

SHRAPNEL is a AAA evacuation shooter set to launch on PC in 2025 and has been in Early Access since February 2024. Crafted by the veterans of BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Neon Machine, the game combines high-stakes skill challenges, creative modding tools, and a vibrant community marketplace. SHRAPNEL supports both solo and teamwork, with a strong focus on user-generated content, allowing players to create and mint their own in-game items as NFTs on its Avalanche-based blockchain network.

SHRAPNEL

Avalanche, launched by Ava Labs in 2020, uses a unique three-chain architecture, including X-Chain, C-Chain, and P-Chain. The platform enables developers to create customized blockchains, or subnets, with specific rules and functions according to their needs. SHRAPNEL uses this technology to run its blockchain as a subnet on Avalanche.

As an Early Access game, SHRAPNEL will continue to evolve, providing players with the valuable opportunity to participate in the game's development first-hand and provide direct feedback to co-shape its future.

SHRAPNEL Studio: Neon Machine

SHRAPNEL studio Neon Machine was originally part of HBO Interactive and later operated independently. The studio brings together top award-winning experts from AAA game and platform technology projects. Team members have rich industry backgrounds and have worked for well-known companies such as Xbox, HBO, EA, ConsenSys, Microsoft and Amazon, bringing rich knowledge and professional experience to SHRAPNEL.

Neon Machine is a unique combination of designers, producers, artists, and programmers who work at the intersection of games, television, film, and animation to create iconic franchises in entertainment including Halo, Call of Duty, and Westworld.

SHRAPNEL Financing

SHRAPNEL has gone through three rounds of financing and successfully raised a total of US$37.5 million.

SHRAPNEL Financing Event

The first round of financing was announced in November 2021, led by Griffin Gaming Partners and supported by Polychain Capital and Forte, raising a total of $10.5 million, which was mainly used for team expansion and game development. At the same time, Forte also provided technical support for the project. In April of the following year, the second round of financing successfully raised $7 million through token sales. This fund was specifically used to build the infrastructure of SHRAPNEL's gaming subnet on Avalanche - SHRAPNEL Subnet. By October 2023, the Series A financing was successfully completed under the leadership of Polychain Capital, raising $20 million, aiming to promote the in-depth development of the game and fully prepare for the upcoming early access version release.

Why is SHRAPNEL popular?

SHRAPNEL’s journey from conception to early access has been accompanied by many significant milestones and strategic achievements along the way. The following is a condensed review of SHRAPNEL’s key development stages:

• November 2021: Neon Machine successfully raised its first round of financing of $10.5 million.

• April 2022: Neon Machine completes $7 million token sale.

• June 2022: Operators NFT series officially released.

• October 2022: The first gameplay trailer is released, built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5, showcasing the world's leading real-time 3D creation technology.

• December 2022: SHRAPNEL is approaching 100,000 followers on social media.

• April 2023: At Consensus 2023, SHRAPNEL publicly demonstrated the MPX.1 prototype for the first time.

• September 2023: Web3 developer platform Mercury (formerly Gamebridge) is officially launched.

• October 2023: SHRAPNEL successfully completes $20 million Series A funding round.

• December 2023: SHRAPNEL reaches 100,000 registered users.

• December 2023: SHRAPNEL pre-release community expands to over 100k Discord members and 370k X-platform followers.

• February 2024: SHRAPNEL game launches in Early Access on the Epic Games Store.

• February 2024: The first early access event, SHRAPNEL Training Exercises (STXs), launches on February 8 and will be held monthly in the initial phase.

• May 2024: SHRAPNEL trading market V1 version is launched.

SHRAPNEL's popularity is the result of a carefully planned development process, excellent graphics quality, and cutting-edge technology, all of which are the result of a long period of polish by a team with deep experience in AAA game development. The gameplay cleverly combines the elements of risk and reward to bring players an exciting and strategic experience. In the game, players need to skillfully balance the temptation of obtaining rare loot with the deadly threats they may encounter before evacuating. This tense and strategic design undoubtedly enhances the game's appeal and playability.

SHRAPNEL game trailer screen

The seamless integration of traditional AAA game development and blockchain technology is another cornerstone of SHRAPNEL's success. The game cleverly uses platform partners in the security field such as Fireblocks and Subsum, as well as partners committed to improving user experience such as Layer Zero and MoonPay, to jointly build a safe and convenient gaming environment. This perfect combination of high security and low-friction gaming experience has won the favor of not only traditional game players, but also deeply attracted blockchain enthusiasts.

In addition, SHRAPNEL's commitment to community engagement and its efforts to expand its series into multiple narrative media (such as comics and short films) have greatly enhanced its appeal and influence.

SHRAP Token

The SHRAP token is an ERC-20 token created on the Avalanche C-Chain and used in the SHRAPNEL subnet. At the Token Generation Event (TGE), a total of 3 billion SHRAP tokens were issued. According to the SHRAPNEL official whitepaper, no more tradable SHRAP tokens will be created or issued in the future.

SHRAP tokens have multiple uses in the SHRAPNEL ecosystem.

• Content Release: It acts as a bridge to facilitate the release process of all player-generated content (PCC) on the platform, including code names, badges, skins, maps, and decorations. These unique creations are converted into NFTs and put on the chain through the support of SHRAP tokens.

• Governance and Promotion: Token holders are not only game players, but also active participants in community governance. They have the right to participate in the decision-making process of DAO proposals and other important matters through voting. In addition, token holders can also vote to promote their favorite maps or virtual items, increase exposure for these contents, and promote the diversification and prosperity of ecological content.

• Transaction medium and payment function: As a Gas token, SHRAP enables seamless payment between validators within the subnet, eliminating the additional cost burden for players and creators during use, and providing a smoother gaming experience. At the same time, in the SHRAPNEL trading market, SHRAP tokens, as a medium of exchange, promote economic interaction between players and between players and the platform, and promote the healthy development of the in-game economy.

SHRAP tokens are allocated to seven groups: Community Rewards (33%), Team & Advisors (27%), Seed Token Holders (20%), Ecosystem Fund (8.5%), Market Makers & Liquidity (3%), and Public Allocation (1.5%). These tokens will be unlocked gradually over a maximum of 60 months starting from the TGE on April 29, 2024.

In March 2024, the unlocking plan was adjusted, significantly reducing the number of tokens scheduled to be unlocked in April 2024 by nearly 75%, while the token issuance of the community reward pool and the allocation of the ecosystem fund remained unchanged. This non-linear unlocking scheme divides the overall unlocking cycle into four stages, with a low initial unlocking rate, and then gradually accelerating as the user base grows and SHRAP becomes more practical.

SHRAP Token Unlocking Plan

In May 2024, SHRAPNEL announced an important update: players can directly obtain SHRAP tokens through credit and debit cards. This change breaks the traditional practice of purchasing tokens through cryptocurrency exchanges. Players can use payment gateways such as Moonpay or Stripe to quickly and easily convert fiat currency to SHRAP tokens.

HOW TO PLAY SHRAPNEL?

Before you download and register for SHRAPNEL, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, as an early access game, you will need to purchase the "Extraction Pack" to be eligible to participate. The monthly early access event STX will last for approximately five days, during which you will be able to play the game. Please note that the game servers will be shut down after the event to allow the Neon Machine team to make necessary optimizations and improvements in preparation for the next STX event. Second, to ensure that you can enjoy the best quality AAA gaming experience, please make sure that your device system configuration meets the game requirements.

SHRAPNEL System Requirements

CREATE SHRAPNEL ACCOUNT

• Visit the SHRAPNEL official website and click GET GAME.

• Download the game from Epic Games. If you don't already have an Epic Games account, you'll need to create one first.

Download SHRAPNEL from Epic Games

• Please register a SHRAPNEL account using your email address, you will then be able to log into the game with that account.

Log in to SHRAPNEL

Get early access to SHRAPNEL

"Extraction Packs" are the key to SHRAPNEL's early access. Each "Extraction Pack" contains rich content such as playable characters (Operators), decorations, consumables, etc., which players can purchase in the SHRAPNEL App Market. The basic pack is priced at US$9.99, while the light, medium and heavy packs are available at US$19.99, US$49.99 and US$99.99 respectively, containing more in-game items, consumables and exclusive skins to enhance the gaming experience. SHRAPNEL supports multiple payment methods, including credit/debit cards, bank transfers and Cash APP payments.

SHRAPNEL Marketplace

SHRAPNEL Gameplay

SHRAPNEL is set in the year 2044, when an asteroid collided violently with the moon, sending debris circling the Earth and bombarding the surface, causing a catastrophe. The disaster forced the evacuation of a dangerous area known as the Sacrifice Zone. Once heavily guarded by paramilitary contractors, the area quickly turned into a fierce battlefield for mercenaries to fight for the wealth after the discovery of asteroid fragments of great value.

Scientists discovered that these fragments, named "Compound Sigma", have unimaginable physical manipulation capabilities. This discovery instantly increased their value and ignited a fierce war between mercenary forces. In a blink of an eye, the battle for control and wealth in the sacrifice zone is still in full swing and has not subsided.

In SHRAPNEL, you will play the role of an "Operator". You can start your adventure by simply clicking the "Deploy" button on the home page. This process usually takes only a few seconds, and the system will assign you to the appropriate server.

START PLAYING SHRAPNEL

Your mission is clear and challenging: Survive, Collect and Evacuate. Explore the area to find new weapons and items to improve your survival. Discover Sigma Fragments to increase your abilities and help you defeat other Operators. The ultimate goal is to reach the Evacuation Zone and escape with Sigma to ace the STX leaderboard and win rewards.

SHRAPNEL Player's tasks in the game

For players who are used to popular shooting games, SHRAPNEL's operation and control on the PC platform will be quite familiar. The game uses a standard key setting, where the "WASD" keys are used to control the character's movement, the left mouse button is responsible for shooting, and the "shift" key is used to accelerate running.

SHRAPNEL game default control keys

Now you can explore areas and find new weapons and items.

SHRAPNEL GAMEPLAY: DISCOVER NEW WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT

Once you find Sigma, quickly press the "F" key to pick it up. During this process, be sure to stay alert to avoid being attacked and eliminated by other Operators. Your goal is to survive as long as possible!

SHRAPNEL Gameplay: Pick up Sigma

After successfully defeating other Operators, you can collect their Sigma, weapons and items, which you need to drag and drop into your own pockets or backpack to ensure that they are not intercepted by other Operators.

SHRAPNEL Gameplay: Collect other players' weapons and equipment

Finally, you need to reach the extraction zone and escape. A successful extraction will secure your collected Sigma and items, helping you climb the STX leaderboards and earn rewards.

As you play SHRAPNEL, you'll likely realize that this isn't your typical early access shooter. Currently, the game only features a single Operator character, a limited selection of weapons, and a map that hasn't been fully built yet. While exploring, you may come across missing textures on buildings and other surfaces, as well as basic geometry that serves as placeholders for future content. The entire game environment has a "grey box" state, with many areas still under development.

SHRAPNEL Gameplay

Neon Machine has adopted this strategy to include the game community in the development process as early as possible. They hope that in this way, they can make detailed adjustments and optimizations to the game map and the evacuation gameplay in SHRAPNEL based on the feedback from the majority of players.

Looking ahead

SHRAPNEL has the charm of a blockbuster FPS game in both visuals and gameplay, especially in its trailers and demos. In the current STX event, players may not even realize that this game is actually built on blockchain technology. This is because the focus of the game is entirely on providing the ultimate gaming experience, rather than Web3 integration features such as connecting wallets or purchasing NFTs. Therefore, players can easily get started with SHRAPNEL and enjoy the fun of the game without having to have Web3 expertise. For the development team, their first priority is to create an engaging FPS game, because the addition of blockchain technology will only make sense if the game itself is interesting enough.

Neon Machine is gradually and carefully expanding SHRAPNEL's blockchain economy, which goes far beyond the SHRAP token itself. According to SHRAPNEL's roadmap, players will soon be able to create and mint unique weapon and equipment skins as NFTs, and even design custom maps. These player creations will be promoted and traded within the community through SHRAP tokens, forming a vibrant creation and sharing ecosystem. As one of the most anticipated AAA FPS games, SHRAPNEL is expected to lead a new round of changes in the blockchain gaming field, bringing players unprecedented gaming experience and interactive fun.

The content of this article is for industry research and communication purposes only and does not constitute any investment advice. The market is risky and investment should be cautious.

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