Industry veteran John Smedley has officially announced his next big game, Reaper Actual, under his newly formed studio Distinct Possibility Studios. Known for his work on EverQuest, PlanetSide, and H1Z1, Smedley is now stepping into web3 with a first-person shooter that combines base-building, open-world exploration, player-driven missions, and optional blockchain tech.
The PC-based title is billed as an open-world multiplayer shooter set on a large war-torn island named Marova. The map is set to be four times the size of Call of Duty: Warzone's Al Mazrah, making it one of the largest environments ever created for a game in this genre.
Distinct Possibility Studios has secured $30.5 million in funding to support the making of Reaper Actual. The funding round was led by Bitkraft and Brevan Howard Digital and includes backing from the Tezos Foundation, Hashed, Delphi Ventures, Shima Capital, and more.
Smedley's goal is to build a persistent, engaging FPS with blockchain support that is entirely optional. The game is being set for release on major platforms, including Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the studio's official site. A Foundation Alpha version will launch first, giving players early access by purchasing a limited base and unique character combo. The full release is planned for early next year, with a free to play model expected about six months after.
In Reaper Actual, players take on the role of Reapers: elite operatives drawn from global intelligence agencies who arrive on the island seeking fame and glory. Marova is in constant turmoil, controlled by five rival AI factions engaged in non-stop war over territory. This environment sets the stage for PvP encounters, AI combat, and story-driven missions that players can choose to complete for or against the factions.
As Smedley described it, the game plays like "Call of Duty: DMZ or Escape from Tarkov set in a massive open world, and it had a baby with Rainbow Six Siege." Missions are designed to create natural conflict between players, ensuring a high level of tension and unpredictability throughout the game.
A core feature in this game is the use of player-owned bases. These range from small bunkers to luxury apartments and even old submarines. Players can build, upgrade, and fortify their homes using crafted defenses. Bases also serve as a player's central hub in the game world.
"We view bases as the thing that we're actually selling. It gives you access to your home in the world," said Smedley. Early adopters will be able to purchase these bases in the Foundation phase. They will be available as both traditional digital items and blockchain NFTs, giving players the choice to engage with web3 or not.
If players who share a base location join the same match, a phasing system will keep them apart. Unused characters in a player's account will act as base defenders, adding another layer of strategy.
Raiding other bases is a major gameplay mechanic. To loot a base, players must navigate traps set by the owner and reach the vault. The raiding system rewards careful planning and risk-taking while encouraging competitive play.
Players can explore Marova to collect resources for crafting gear, weapons, and base upgrades. The world includes access to vehicles across land, sea, and air. Players will get to choose different combat and mobility styles depending on their strategy.
The economy in Reaper Actual is designed to support both web2 and blockchain marketplaces. Items can be traded through the Steam community market or as NFTs on an in-browser platform built on Etherlink, a Layer 2 network running on Tezos.
Smedley believes players will appreciate the ability to trade freely. He shared a scenario where two players find the same rare weapon skin during a mission, and one sells it for $500. "A lot of players will look at that and go, 'Hey, that doesn't suck!' They'll like it. We think that we can migrate people [that way]."
At launch, the studio expects around 8% of players to use the crypto marketplace. That figure is projected to grow to 30% within two years.
The web3 features in Reaper Actual are fully optional. Players can choose not to engage with any crypto elements and still enjoy the full game. For those who do, Etherlink and Tezos were selected for their low fees, energy efficiency, and robust smart contract support.
"The Tezos Foundation and the development team behind Etherlink share our vision about the game being the most important thing," said Smedley. "We view Etherlink and Tezos as a very forward leaning blockchain ecosystem."
Players can trade items, skins, bases, and characters as NFTs, but traditional payment systems will remain available to all.
Reaper Actual will launch with full modding support. Streamers and community creators can host private servers, apply custom rule sets, and create new game modes or assets. The studio plans to allow monetization of custom content, excluding season passes.
Server rentals will also be possible, allowing groups to create their own persistent versions of Marova with unique rules and progression.
Smedley's interest in player economies and digital ownership dates back to his time on H1Z1, where he saw players buy and sell skins through the Steam marketplace. That experience influenced his vision for Reaper Actual, where a similar system is used but with more open trading possibilities.
Recent games like Off the Grid have shown that blockchain features can succeed with the right audience. Streamers such as Shroud and TimTheTatman have compared NFT trading in such games to Steam's marketplace, offering encouragement to builders like Smedley who are pursuing hybrid models.
"This is the type of game that can bring millions and millions of people in, if the history of the games I've worked on are any evidence," said Smedley. "We're going to be able to sell web2 players on this idea of web3 done right."
The Foundation Alpha will launch soon, offering limited access to early players who purchase base bundles. The full game is expected in early 2026, with a free to play version arriving later that year.
As development continues, the team aims to build a strong community of Reapers who shape the game's world, economy, and strategies through both gameplay and creation tools.
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