Shrapnel: The game in GDC that everyone is talking about
As the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco came to a close last week, there was one game that stood out from the rest. Shrapnel, a highly anticipated first-person shooter in the Web3 space, was the talk of the conference thanks to its stunning graphics and immersive gameplay.
Select visitors were given a hands-on experience with the pre-alpha version of the game. Set in the year 2044, Shrapnel takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Players must navigate the "sacrifice zone", where they collect NFT gear and a compound called Sigma. They can win by reaching an extraction point where they can escape with their loot. If they die, they lose their loot.
Shrapnel founder Mark Long told Cointelegraph at GDC that for his team, gameplay comes first. He added that while the demo was held behind closed doors this time around, more people will be able to play Shrapnel next month.
โAnyone at ConsenSys will be able to play it on the show floor,โ he says, referring to the conference in Austin, Texas, at the end of April.
EVE Online, MapleStory to get Web3 treatment
While Shrapnel was hogging the spotlight, the creators of EVE Online CCP Games announced they raised $40 million in a round led by a16z to develop a new AAA title set in the EVE universe.
EVE Online is a space-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Released in 2003, its game includes more than 7,000 solar systems and two decades of player-created history. Players can choose their own paths and professions in the game, focusing on battles, mining, exploration, and industry, while interacting with its complex in-game economy and hierarchy.
Not a game for the faint of heart: Some describe playing the game as having a second job. Additionally, the ever-increasing cost of playing EVE Online has long been a point of contention between players and CCP Games.
Like every time a Web2 game studio expresses interest in Web3, think neopets metaversefor example, the concern among players is that it is little more than a cynical cash grab.
Details of what the EVE blockchain game will look like are still under wraps, but the company has made it clear that it won't affect EVE's global server, known as Tranquility. Last year, the company came out and said it had no plans to add blockchain technology to Tranquility.
โWhile we remain intrigued by the technology, to us, NFT stands for 'Not for Tranquility,'โ company chief executive Hilmar Veigar Petursson said at the time.
Related: What are Web3 games and how do they work?
The website for this project, which suggests the name is "Project Awakening", states that the game is "separate from current and previously revealed projects, including EVE Online".
It's not the only traditional game brand to recently announce it's jumping on the Web3 bandwagon. Gaming company Nexon is bringing its popular game, MapleStory, to the blockchain.
With over 260 million players, the game allows players to explore deserts, tundras, underwater kingdoms, lost civilizations, and more. The South Korean firm follows other players in the region, such as Square Enix and Bandai Namco, who have previously dabbled in Web3.
Related: Justin Sun vs. SEC, Do Kwon Arrested, 180 Million Player Game Touches Polygon: Asia Express
Bazooka Tango wants to revive the indie card game Shardbound
The indie game Shardbound is also getting a revival from Web3, from game studio Bazooka Tango. Shardbound, a tactics card game, was initially launched via Kickstarter. But a full release was never made and interest waned.
That's when Bazooka Tango came along and decided to give it a new lease of life, according to company co-founder Stephan Sherman.
โThe SpiritWalk developers had been very close friends of ours and we had always been fans of the product,โ Sherman tells Cointelegraph.
Once we had the chance, we talked to them about picking it up where it left off and taking it to the last mile, so it had a chance to reach a global audience.โ
The Shardbound beta will be open to the public in mid-2023 and will be available for mobile devices in 2024.
Otherside's second trip to Fortnite
Yuga Labs' Otherside returned for their second tour on March 25. The event saw over 7,200 concurrent players on the platform, with Improbable, the company behind the technology, once again showcasing its impressive capabilities.
Unlike the first ride in the summer of last year, the most recent iteration had a bit more gameplay beyond running avatars and doing backflips. The Second Voyage participants came together to collect drops. The winning team, Team Glacia, got virtual winged helmets.
Over on Crypto Twitter, it wasn't long before Fortnite comparisons started popping up, both positive and negative. The company received praise for everything it has managed to achieve in such a short time; this time last year, Otherside was nothing more than a rumour, having been officially released at the end of April, but others were quick to respond that the comparisons were inaccurate and useless.
It is not yet clear what Yuga Labs has planned for the game. But then again, there are so many ways one can collect virtual items before everything starts to feel the same. Game Fund partner Jonah Blake tweeted:
The other side does not compete with the creativity of Fortnite. They are 2 different things. Both are competing for attention, and attention will be whatever is on a fortnite deed or island. Creators will drive that attention. Brands will publish on all of them.
After the second ride, Yuga Labs announced several new updates. First, it looks like the company will be teaming up with Gucci for something Other Side related.
Legends of the Mara was also released, which Yuga Labs said is a collection-based 2D strategy game that picks up where the events of Second Trip end.
"With him, we'll learn more about Kodas, including his origins and primary relationship with Otherside, find some new apprentices in the form of Mara, and learn more about Otherside's history throughout LOTM," Otherside tweeted.
Related: Otherside Metaverse Demo Kicks Off With 4,500 Participants: Highlights
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Magic Eden Game Center
The NFT Magic Eden market started turning towards gaming last year, and this month it finally launched its gaming hub.
The idea, according to gaming CEO Chris Arkhavan, is to turn the platform into a hub for Web3 games where users can find new games, buy NFTs, and view leaderboards. It doesn't host games on its platform, but has plans for more community-focused integrations in the future.
Hot Take - Undead Blocks
"So, Bitcoin today?"
It's not the first thing you expect to hear as you nervously walk through the neighborhood of Sanborn, New York, expecting the zombies to inevitably descend on you, but it does help to release some of the tension. Your character yelling "to the moon" as the hordes descend is as good a rallying cry as any I guess.
The beta version of Undead Blocks, from Wagyu Games and Kevuru and released on ImmutableX, launched last month. Dubbed a "kill to win" game, Wagyu Games CEO Grant Haseley is a former Goldman Sachs analyst who set out to create an addictive and easy-to-learn game that can be played with friends.
Easy for everyone but me. I have the hand-eye coordination of a drunken three-year-old and am much more comfortable hanging around Stardew Valley planting potatoes than trying to survive the apocalypse.
Being able to control the unwieldy gun improves slightly when I turn the mouse sensitivity down to about 90%. At least I stop dying after killing a single zombie.
That being said, I can still appreciate that it looks good. And I've heard positive reviews from people who have used a game controller (you can use the ones from your Xbox or Playstation) instead of a Mac.
In general, the overall look and gameplay of blockchain games is much better than it was a year ago, and Undead Blocks is no exception. It has sharp graphics, a great soundtrack in the intro, and mildly amusing musings from the avatar on cryptocurrency.
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what's coming
Amazon NFT and gaming platform โ In January, it was revealed that Amazon was building a gaming and NFT platform. The e-commerce giant has kept quiet about the plans, but unconfirmed reports suggest something could launch on April 24.
impostors โ This Among Us-style social deduction game will launch a beta version for verified holders on March 31. It was pushed back from the original date of March 24 due to issues with porting the game to Unreal Engine 5.1.
Online GTC โ The Crypto Gamers Conference is back for another year on April 17-18. Tickets for the virtual event are available for free online and the deadline for speaker requests closes on April 10.
eternal dragons โ Blockchain game Eternal Dragons will hold its first official PvP tournament from March 31 to April 2. There is a prize pool of over $15,000 USDC up for grabs.
the glow โ Blockchain-based Dungeons and Dragons game The Glimmering will launch its gaming platform on March 30. NFT holders will be able to sign up to play virtually.
immutable passport โ Immutable is set to launch its gaming passport in April. The non-custodial wallet and authentication solution aims to streamline user onboarding to your games.
Do you have tips, questions or comments? Direct all vitriol, abuse and declarations of love at me on Twitter @quinnishvili.
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