In mid-July, streamer Dr. Disrespect unveiled a project that his gaming studio, Midnight Society, has been working on. Although he had previously talked about the shooter Project Moon, which has now been officially named Deadrop, no one had seen the game until the end of last week. The first to try it out were those who purchased associated NFTs, granting them access to early versions of the game and a form of community gathering in Los Angeles. From this event, the first videos and impressions have emerged, unlike many other games in development or early playable versions, which are usually kept under non-disclosure agreements. Dr. Disrespect, considering the nature of his work as a streamer and content creator, confirmed in advance that everything would be public, allowing fans – whether NFT owners or not – to follow the development and provide feedback.
The initial playable part of Deadrop focuses on weapon mechanics, recoil, projectile spread patterns, and other aspects crucial for both the streamer, known for his love of shooters, and anyone looking for something new. Midnight Society has mentioned that Deadrop aims to kickstart a new genre called VES – Vertical Extraction Shooter – although this cannot be assessed at this point. The gameplay footage from several videos on YouTube over the weekend only showcases empty corridors, shooting ranges, and a few weapons that have not yet fully convinced the first players. For example, streamer BigfryTV, with nearly 300,000 subscribers, claims that the gunplay is the biggest weakness of the current build. However, initial impressions are not overly negative, and everyone acknowledges that this is an early version on which Dr. Disrespect himself plans to work for several years.
However, those who could not try Deadrop themselves and share their feedback online through comments are not entirely satisfied. Perhaps due to all the promises that Deadrop will redefine the shooter genre and become the ideal game for all streamers, players simply expected more. Criticisms have been directed towards the graphics, with observations that the game looks like a mishmash of free models for Unreal Engine 5 and does not evoke positive feelings due to the starkness of the environment. On the other hand, Deadrop’s attention to detail, such as the customization of gear and various effects, utilizing the latest Unreal Engine features, cannot be denied.
Along with the game’s name reveal, the developers added some backstory that was previously only speculated about. Although it may not have much relevance – as the game is multiplayer-focused – we learned about the so-called Climate Wars, a response to the rapid population growth and overall pollution of the planet. „Cities have become massive refinery states – building megastructures to extract toxins from the stratosphere,“ the developers add, explaining that the concentrate from refined pollutants, simply called Dust, is essentially the only resource people can work with. As such, it is a target for various factions fighting over it by occupying giant towers and seizing resources inside.
Regarding the game itself, players will become members of one of these factions – currently referred to as Skins, Syns, and Cleaners – venturing into the towers to acquire resources and loot. From this description, it is not difficult to understand the meaning behind the genre name Vertical Extraction Shooter. If you are unfamiliar, it will likely be a more technical take on Escape from Tarkov, which, considering the speculation about the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, is likely becoming a model for the new wave of multiplayer action games. The development of Deadrop will be monitored in 6-week waves, with additional builds released for NFT owners or early access holders. It can be expected that Midnight Society will soon allow players to experience the action against others for the first time, which will be crucial for the game’s future. If you want to be directly involved, you must be patient. The first wave of accepted players, totaling 10,000, has already been filled, and there is currently no scheduled date for the next wave, at least according to the studio’s official website.