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The online game store boasts a PC user base of over 230 million players.

Shrapnel will compete with other high-profile blockchain-backed video games like Star Atlas and Illuvium, which are also available on the store in “early access” form. Early versions of games are often released under the “early access gameplay” classification, allowing companies to build a community around the title while continuing to develop and refine the gaming experience.

Neon Machine, the game studio behind Shrapnel, describes the game as a “AAA first-person extraction shooter” set in a dystopian world. According to the company’s statement, the team behind the title includes former employees of well-known companies like Xbox and Electronic Arts.

Shrapnel

The developers find the early access game concept unique. “Unlike traditional AAA game release schedules, where studios keep their communities in the dark about gameplay and design until the game is fully completed, ‘Shrapnel’ will involve its community at every stage of development until its free-to-play launch in 2025,” said Mark Long, CEO of Shrapnel, who previously led HBO’s digital products group.

“The implementation of early access gameplay puts players directly at the wheel and helps steer us towards our goal of making a AAA first-person shooter,”

While no blockchain game has yet to establish a solid foothold in the mainstream gaming world, a multi-billion dollar industry per year, Neon Machine sees Shrapnel‘s early interest as solid, considering the game’s development stage. The company stated that its online community on Discord has over 100,000 members.

Measuring online communities may not be a definitive indicator of enthusiasm or gaming activity, but it’s worth noting that “Illuvium” and “Star Atlas” each have over 170,000 registered members on their Discord servers.

Last October, the Shrapnel team raised $20 million in a Series A funding round led by Polychain Capital. Griffin Gaming Partners, Franklin Templeton, and Brevan Howard Digital were also among the investors. The project has raised a total of $37.5 million, according to a statement.

Shrapnel‘s native token, Shrap, has a market capitalization of around $68 million, according to CoinGecko.

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