Web3 gaming company DPS secures $30.5 million in funding to launch an open-world shooting game

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

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

DPS's ability to secure significant financing in the current environment is closely related to the 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 fields.

Founder John Smedley is one of the representative figures in the American gaming industry, having served as the CEO of Daybreak Game Company for a long time, leading the development and operation of several classic games including EverQuest and PlanetSide 2. Before joining DPS, Smedley also 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 been deeply involved in the online gaming field for many years and has participated in the design and operation of several well-known games. Chief Artist Tramell Ray Isaac is a key artistic member of the "Fallout" series and has served as art director in 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 take on the role of mercenary soldiers engaged in ongoing conflict with other players and AI-controlled faction forces. Core gameplay elements include base building, resource gathering, faction alliances, and large-scale raid battles.

The game's unique gameplay features include an open world with faction conflicts, base building and resource management, a player-driven economic system, as well as dynamic quests and collision objectives. These mechanisms allow players' decisions and actions to directly influence the development of the game world.

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

DPS has chosen to deploy the game asset market on Etherlink, which is an EVM-compatible Layer 2 scaling network based on the Tezos blockchain. The advantages of Etherlink include fast transaction confirmations, low costs, high security, and energy efficiency. In addition, the Tezos Foundation, as a strategic investor, has participated in the financing of DPS, which may also be one of the important reasons for choosing Etherlink.

Despite having a luxurious development team background and considerable financing scale, "Reaper Actual" is still in its early stages. The current Web3 gaming industry faces many challenges, including players' acceptance of on-chain assets, regulatory and compliance risks, and the integration of on-chain and off-chain gameplay. In the coming years, the open beta progress of "Reaper Actual", its on-chain economic model, and user retention rates will be key indicators to judge its success.

The strategy of DPS designing Web3 features as optional modules also indicates that the team does not fully rely on blockchain technology. Even if the on-chain version does not meet expectations, players can still enjoy a complete gaming experience, which provides a certain level of risk hedging for the project.