Changing the GameFi Game: An Interview with Don Norbury of Shrapnel

GameFi has exploded into a multi-billion dollar industry, driven especially by Play-To-Earn models. However, Don Norbury, Head of Studio at Shrapnel, the world’s first blockchain-enabled moddable AAA first-person shooter game, argues that blockchain offers much more than a way for gamers to make a quick buck. We talk to Don to understand what Shrapnel is all about, and how it is changing the GameFi game!

Hi Don! Could you tell us something about how Shrapnel came into existence and the team behind it?

Shrapnel is the world’s first blockchain-enabled moddable AAA first-person shooter game. Our aim is to combine the adrenaline-pumping, high stake thrills of AAA gameplay with opportunities for real ownership and rewards. Designed to empower players and creators, it is being created by our BAFTA and Emmy award-winning team of game industry veterans who have unmatched experience in transmedia, virtual production, and gaming-as-a-service. Having worked at some of the world’s leading game companies including Xbox, Electronic Arts, and HBO, creating titles including Halo, Call of Duty, Star Wars, and many more, we are well-positioned to make a blockbuster game that’ll break the mold of what’s been done before. Our team is still building out positions for a number of roles, anyone looking to join the adventure should get in contact.

How is GameFi different from regular gaming, and what makes Shrapnel stand out?

GameFi is the merging of gaming with new rewards and trading mechanisms as facilitated by blockchain. In this new medium, blockchain offers a system of interlinked microservices that enable novel player experiences. The common thread between these services is player empowerment, whether that's through true ownership of their in-game assets or more consistent involvement in-game governance and development.

As well as being an extraction-based shooter, Shrapnel will give creators the chance to engage in world-building and game-asset creation. We believe that it's important that creators truly own what they make and get rewarded for the time and effort they expend in the game. In many conventional game economies, players spend hours modding and trading new items, but they don’t ever really own them - Shrapnel will be different.

Are there any pluses to building games on the blockchain?

The beauty of building games on the blockchain is the ability to involve and incentivize community members in every aspect of development. There’s a real appetite from players to close the feedback loop between them and studios and blockchain allows for this through decentralized expression.

Our Shrapnel community is key in helping us decide on everything from asset development to different storylines. Through voting mechanisms, our Discord channel has already helped us decide on the shape and design of different in-game assets. We are turning the traditional AAA announcement roadmap on its head and are excited to see where we end up.

How does Shrapnel empower and reward players?

Modding, a process wherein players create new aspects of games, has been popular since the 90s in games like Doom. Looking to harness this appetite for creation, Shrapnel will empower and reward players by enabling them to create, mint, trade, and get rewarded for the new features of the game they generate, whether that be weapons, gameplay visuals, or anything else. We believe that players, creators, and curators should ultimately own the platform in which they participate and contribute.

What do you think is the future for GameFi in general and Shrapnel specifically? What can users expect in a few years?

Blockchain games have a lot to prove when it comes to quality and seamless game design. There’s no hiding from the fact that a huge proportion of players are skeptical about blockchain integration in gaming, and rightly so. Poor UX and history of microtransactions in regular games have left many skeptical that the technology will be used for anything but to simply extract more money from players. In order to bring players onboard, studios will have to work hard to showcase the utility of blockchain for the benefit of players. They need reassurance that it won’t take away from what they already know and love about gaming but instead will be used to enhance games. At Shrapnel, we know that reducing frictional elements and minimizing risk for players will be key. By bringing high-stakes AAA gameplay to players, bulked out with new reward and creator elements, we hope to showcase what these new technologies can bring to the table.

What type of people do you see working with you to build Shrapnel?

The Shrapnel project itself is about exploration and growth and our team is a reflection of those qualities. Our team is seeking bright minds from every culture, discipline, and background to join us on our adventure. We have a host of roles open in the development, artistic, product, and corporate sections of the team. Anyone looking to join the adventure should get in contact here.

How does Shrapnel build the digital economy?

Shrapnel will have a tokenized economy that will incentivize players to participate and create. Full details on this and the wider game will be released soon. To find out more, be sure to join our community on Discord and Twitter.