Game industry stalwart John Smedley – best known for his work on EverQuest, PlanetSide and at Amazon Games – has announced a web3 shooter titled Reaper Actual.
The debut title of his brand-new studio Distinct Possibility Studios, the game is described as “an open world persistent shooter”, where players build and conquer user-owned bases for blockchain-based rewards.
In the announcement, Smedley revealed that his team have raised $30.5 million USD to bring Reaper Actual to life, with the game expected to fully release in early 2026.
Key Insights
- John Smedley has revealed Distinct Possibility Studios, and their first title: web3 shooter Reaper Actual
- Smedley is a game industry veteran, best-known for titles including EverQuest, PlanetSide and H1Z1
- Reaper Actual is a first-person “open world persistent shooter” where players built and loot bases
- Distinct Possibility Studios have raised $30.5 million USD to bring Reaper Actual to life
- The game is expect to become available in the “near future”, with a full release expected in early 2026
What is Reaper Actual?
Reaper Actual is a first-person open world shooter, built with on-chain features – though the exact blockchain is yet to be revealed – and expected to be available on PC.
Developed by Distinct Possibility Studios – and the debut game from this John Smedley-led studio – players drop onto a persistent island and build their own base, either alone or with other players. By raiding other bases, players can steal NFTs from assets from other players, with the game a persistent battle for control and rewards.
The game will have identical web2 and web3 variants, with players free to choose whether or not they wish to engage with the blockchain-based features – similar to titles such as Off The Grid.
When can I play Reaper Actual?
Distinct Possibility have revealed that Reaper Actual will become available in the “near future”. No exact date has been revealed so far, though a full-release is slated for early 2026.
To enter the experience before anyone else, players will need to purchase a limited-edition base, which will be bundled with a unique character – though the price for this package is yet to be revealed. Once the game is fully-released, a similar purchase system will be in place before free-to-play begins 6 months post-launch.
Smedley claims that the map within Reaper Actual will be the largest map found in any first-person shooter – reportedly four times larger than Call of Duty: Warzone’s Al Mazrah map.
“The game can best be described as if Call of Duty: DMZ or Escape from Tarkov were set in a massive open world, and it had a baby with Rainbow Six Siege. That would be our game.” stated Smedley.
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