Upcoming first-person shooter game Deadrop is continuing to make major strides, adding high-speed car battles to its latest update revealed at a flashy event in Las Vegas on Friday.
Deadrop developers at Midnight Society—led by YouTube personality Herschel “Dr. Disrespect” Beahm, co-founder Quinn Delhoyo, CEO Sumit Gupta, and Studio Head Rob Bowling—hosted a live event for the “Snapshot VII” game update at the HyperX Arena.
Fans attending Midnight Society’s Snapshot VII event were whisked off a hectic, carpeted casino floor at the pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel and into a slick, modern space. Deadrop merch hung around the entrance, which ushered guests toward a darkly-lit, two-tiered space that felt like a futuristic nightclub-turned-esports arena.
“When we set out to create Midnight Society, one of the things was we wanted to change and redefine the industry,” said Delhoyo, who previously worked as a game designer on Halo Infinite and Gears of War: Judgment, before the matches began.
“We wanted to get the best in the industry talent, which we’ve talked about—the game team—and combine that with the very best community in gaming,” DelHoyo added.
Dr. Disrespect and a group of gamers and creators—including Dr. Lupo, Z Laner, Aims, and Cryptostache—played Deadrop before a large, standing audience. Among the crowd, a cosplayer sported Dr. Disrespect’s signature getup of a long black wig, matching mustache, reflective sunglasses, and a red combat vest.
Another attendee dressed up as the avatar from his Midnight Society Founders NFT, with a custom-built light-up helmet, blazer, and synthetic wig ponytail, telling Decrypt that he paid someone to build the helmet to exactly match his avatar.
Someone dressed up as their Midnight Society Founders NFT avatar. Image: Kate Irwin/Decrypt
In the new Deadrop game loop, players must drive from their “Hideout” garage to their matches, where they’ll have to eliminate other players, swipe loot, and successfully make their way on foot to an extraction point.
“It’s not just your standard racing game,” DelHoyo told the crowd. “We want to make something that when people look at this, they’re like, ‘What is this? I thought they were making a first-person extraction shooter. What is this car shenanigans?’”
“We don’t just want to do shooting stuff all the time,” DelHoyo added.
In an interview with Decrypt, Bowling explained that cars were added to Deadrop because the game’s early community (primarily Founders NFT owners) saw a garage in the first game’s snapshot—and immediately wondered if cars could be added to what’s otherwise a very boots-on-the ground first-person shooter, albeit with lots of ziplines, ladders, and climbable pipes.
Players try out Deadrop’s Snapshot VII build in Las Vegas. Image: Kate Irwin/Decrypt
Only players—such as early access pass buyers and Founders NFT owners—currently have access to the game and are eligible to purchase Deadrop’s new Drivers’ Key packages, which includes a car wrap, license plate, and five exotic crates to include cosmetics available at a later date, according to Deadrop’s website. Early access to the game can be purchased for $10, and vehicle packages cost $30 (neither are NFTs).
Bowling shared that Deadrop will offer plenty of user-generated content (UGC) opportunities for enthusiastic players who want to see their own game modes come to life, like a “Capture the Flag” mode—but with cars.
You ready to ride? Cuz we’re giving you the keys. UGC is here in #SnapshotVII with DEADROP Creator Modes!
The Existence is yours… pic.twitter.com/xhgpjJkheC
— Midnight Society (@12am) October 21, 2023
“We want to 100% enable our creators to monetize their creations in whichever way makes sense for them,” Bowling told Decrypt, when asked if gamers might be able to sell their Deadrop UGC as NFTs in the future.
“Our approach—especially to like crypto and NFT—has always been like, there are people who love it and there are people who want nothing to do with it, and we are a community for both,” Bowling said.
“We don’t force anything on anybody. If you want to monetize through in-game things that have nothing to do with crypto, great,” he continued. “If you want to find other ways to monetize, we’re gonna be exploring and trying to support a freedom of choices, and that’s really our goal.”
Right now, the vehicles in Deadrop have been designed by its team and aren’t from any real-world car brand. But could Lambos and McLarens, for instance, pop up in Deadrop in the future?
While Bowling predicts that most Deadrop UGC will be original IP from creators, luxury car brands could jump into the game if they want.
“Once UGC comes out, anybody can be a creator,” Bowling said. “They’re free to do that.”
Edited by Andrew Hayward
