Mark Yeend, a representative from Shrapnel, emphasizes the immense benefits that blockchain integration can bring to AAA gaming experiences, a claim reflected in his insights shared in the Metaverse Post.

AAA FPS game  Shrapnel  The early access gameplay titled Shrapnel Training Exercises One (STX1) has recently debuted, now accessible on the  Epic Games  Store.

Shrapnel is taking a community-first approach in its development process, actively engaging with players at every stage as they prepare for a free-to-play launch slated for 2025. With a community of over 100,000 on Discord and 350,000 followers, gamers' feedback has been instrumental in shaping the game, including contributions of artwork for the cinematic trailer.

Additionally, the company secured $20 million during its Series A funding round in late 2023, significantly boosting its total capital. funding  raised to $37.5 million.

Mark Long, the CEO of Shrapnel, expressed to Metaverse Post, \"From the beginning to now, the feedback from our community has been vital—it’s what has shaped Shrapnel into its current form. Our goal was to revolutionize traditional game development, and through early access gameplay, we’re putting players in control, guiding us towards creating a top-tier AAA first-person shooter.\"

"This journey holds both excitement and apprehension, but with our community supporting us, we’re committed to honoring our promise of listening to and rewarding our players and creators as we navigate the various phases of Shrapnel Training Exercises,\" Long elaborated.

STX1 features characters that are maxed out in terms of progression, includes three types of firearms, a grenade, and introduces a special ability known as Sigma Wave. The developers plan to enhance these features in upcoming versions.

Talking to Metaverse Post —- Mark Yeend The marketing lead at Shrapnel shared insights about the game's blockchain integration and how it enhances the overall gaming experience.

"By leveraging blockchain technology, we can introduce novel functionalities that empower players to have shared ownership of the game and influence its development trajectory,\" noted Mark Yeend from Shrapnel. \"From day one, our focus has been on creating an adrenaline-fueled extraction shooter that would appeal to any AAA fan.\"

The inclusion of  NFT  The implementation of collectible items amplifies the gameplay mechanics by introducing actual stakes; anything looted from defeated opponents can be retained indefinitely and may hold real-world value. Additionally, the SHRAP token facilitates community governance, enabling players to play an active role in shaping the game's future.

Shrapnel’s Professional Creator Tools for Game Customization

The development team prides itself on its distinct approach to game creation, maintaining close ties with the community for over two years. They actively engage through various platforms to gather feedback on artwork, along with encouraging fan fiction and direct interactions on  social media  platforms.

"We’re taking a fresh and sincere approach to player involvement, which we hope will expand our following as we progress. I'm thrilled because our 'early access' phase will continue for some time, offering substantial value to players who join now. Our intention is to transition to a free-to-play model in 2025 as our player base grows. Meanwhile, our 'Shrap-fam' is witnessing the behind-the-scenes of AAA game development firsthand, and they’re really excited about it,\" explained Mark Yeend from Shrapnel to Metaverse Post.

Shrapnel plans to utilize the launch of STX1 on the Epic Games Store to engage its worldwide audience and collect vital feedback for future enhancements. They aim to expand the Shrapnel community while testing the waters for potential developments. game and gather feedback from players.

Furthermore, the studio has been impressed by the players' feedback, emphasizing the importance of engagement metrics such as lobby waiting times, player preferences, and evolving play styles.

Concerning the in-game element Sigma, which serves as a mysterious resource powering various abilities and gear, Mark Yeend clarified, \"The term 'Sigma' relates to enhancements such as the Sigma Wave ability and the enhancement of grenade explosions. Our future game iterations will incorporate additional Sigma abilities as we evolve our players’ Operators.

"With blockchain, players can truly own game assets—it allows for taking skins or items off the platform, ensuring that inventories don’t vanish or reset with sequels. Player engagement can also increase the value of assets, including aspects like provenance, rarity, and asset history,\" Mark Yeend elaborated.

"If you eliminate me and loot my character, you keep that gear permanently. It holds real-world value, making it transferable either on our Marketplace or through third-party platforms. This change represents a thrilling shift for the gaming community.\"

During the early access phase, amassing Sigma is vital for climbing the Leaderboards and winning a share of the prize pool. The studio encourages players to jump in early, refine their skills, and adapt to successful play strategies within the game.

 \"Our advanced creator tools, designed with the Unity Game Engine, empower players to rapidly create and customize shapes, from weaponry to skins, maps, audio effects, and events,” Yeend remarked. \"Content creators can then market their creations in Shrapnel’s marketplace, where they can also trace the ownership and history of assets on the blockchain.\"