John Smedley’s Studio Secures $30.5M for Etherlink-Based Shooter Game
John Smedley, a veteran in the gaming industry and former CEO of Daybreak Game Company, is stepping into Web3 gaming with a new AAA shooter built on Tezos’ layer-2 blockchain, Etherlink. His studio, Distinct Possibility Studios (DPS), has successfully raised $30.5 million in a funding round. Leading the investment were Bitkraft, a venture capital firm focused on gaming, and Brevan Howard, a European hedge fund management company.
Introducing Reaper Actual: A New Era in Web3 Gaming
The investment will fuel the development of Reaper Actual, an open-world massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS). This game stands out by integrating Etherlink, enabling players to trade Web3 components such as characters, bases, and skins. “Aligning with the Tezos Foundation and the Etherlink development team, we share a unified vision where the game takes center stage,” Smedley shared with Cointelegraph.
The Legacy Behind the Vision
Smedley’s reputation in gaming is built on co-creating EverQuest, a pioneering 3D fantasy MMORPG, and developing PlanetSide 2, known for its expansive battles accommodating thousands of players.
What’s Next for Reaper Actual
With the new funding, Reaper Actual is set to accelerate its development, targeting releases on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and its official website, reaperactual.com. Players can look forward to the “Foundation” Alpha release announcement in the coming weeks, offering a first look at the game and its on-chain tradeable assets.
