SHRAPNEL is, without question, one of the most highly anticipated Web3 games currently in development. It is a project that can wear the AAA badge without dispute, and although this trailer doesn’t show any gameplay footage (though the end looks like a sliver of it!), it demonstrates the caliber of talent involved in and around the game.
What Is SHRAPNEL?
SHRAPNEL is a first-person extraction-style shooter that utilizes blockchain technology, built on the shiny new Unreal Engine 5 by Epic Games. The studio behind the game is “…spun out from HBO, we are the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning talent behind such notable franchises as: HALO, Call of Duty, Madden NFL, Bioshock, Destiny, Star Wars, Hawken, Skylanders, Westworld, and over 30 more titles.”
With an all-star cast behind SHRAPNEL, it’s fitting that they hire a team to create the trailer which is of equal standing. The above trailer is produced in partnership with Plastic Wax who has created for the likes of Fortnite and Hitman, directed by Jerry O’Flaherty, with music by BAFTA-award winning Jesper Kyd, and sound production by Oscar-nominated Alan Rankin. Do you remember when games were underground? Nor can I anymore.
“Producing this trailer was one of the most awesome creative collaborations I’ve ever had. This was my third time working with Jerry O’Flaherty. Like everyone on the team, Jerry is an expert in the cinematic application of Unreal Engine, and Jerry knew how to get the kind of ‘you are there’ immediacy of a handheld virtual camera that the script demanded. The team at Plastic Wax directed a brilliant pair of stunt actors for MOCAP and the creative director there, Nathan Maddams, brought the script to life in a way I never imagined possible. Alan Rankin has a passion for foley that produced an authentic sound design that really sells the action. And Jesper Kyd knocked the score out of the park on the first try. There’s an easter egg with artwork by a Shrapnel community member on a billboard that was fun to slip in. And you’ll notice that the trailer switches to first-person at the end – inviting players to jump in, symbolically. I love everything about this trailer!”
— SHRAPNEL CEO, Mark Long
One feature of this trailer that Long tips his hat to is Epic Games’ MetaHuman which I was introduced to by Victoria VR’s metaverse last December. We are escaping Uncanny Valley and are able to churn out characters of startling realism and emotion, sure to lure players into a more immersive experience.
We at TG have been following SHRAPNEL since its announcement and although we don’t make a habit of sharing non-gameplay trailers (I believe this is the first time in 4 years), we are fizzing with anticipation to play this gem of Web3!
