Distinct Possibility Studio, a new development team comprised of industry veterans including longtime Sony Online Entertainment boss John Smedley, has announced its first project: a large-scale persistent online open-world first-person shooter called Reaper Actual. It's in development for PC.
It's a PvPvEvE game – sort of akin to an MMOFPS – set on the fictional island of Marova, which Smedley tells IGN is four times the size of Call of Duty Warzone's biggest map. You play a Reaper – effectively, a mercenary – and work for different factions. Up to 200 players can be on one server, and you'll be able to join Outfits (read: clans), use vehicles, and own bases – and of course raid them. Meanwhile, the AI is also playing against each other, and the human players can choose to get involved. Check out the first trailer for the Unreal Engine 5-powered game above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.
Distinct Possibility describes Reaper Actual's persistent online island as such: "Victories and defeats reshape the island’s control between PvP fights and NPC factions in real-time. Players will have a progression and crafting system to build the best gear, all of which stays in the world." Meanwhile, the studio's chief creative officer, Matt Higby, said, “We are moving toward the next level of persistent FPS combat. Players want a world they can live in and build upon. Having a solid base is only the start in Reaper Actual. Once faction missions interweave with PvP combat, the world becomes a swirling battleground of options for players. Mix that with a full crafting system and Reapers will grow every time you log in to play.”
Core player experiences are being designed around 3-4 player groups, with larger-scale Planetside 2-type scenarios as well. Meanwhile, their Left 4 Dead Director-style AI, Cerberus, will dynamically put players in conflict with each other by dishing out competing objectives for different Outfits.
Finally, they're extending the in-game economy outside of the game with opt-in web3 elements; the Steam and Epic Games Store versions of Reaper Actual won't have any web3 components, but players who wish to participate can opt-in to user-generated content by crafting guns and gear, with renting and modding servers also an option. If you're interested in participating in player testing, you can do so on the official Reaper Actual website.
