Gunzilla Games, the visionary minds behind the highly anticipated battle royale game Off The Grid, have announced a significant milestone in their journey toward revolutionizing the web3 gaming industry. The company has successfully raised $30 million in funding, with leading contributions from Avalanche's Blizzard Fund and CoinFund. This substantial investment is poised to reshape the landscape of blockchain-integrated gaming experiences.

More About Gunzilla Games?

Gunzilla Games, with Neill Blomkamp as Chief Creative Officer and Vlad Korolev as CEO, leads a team of around 260 employees. The studio brings forth Off The Grid, an ambitious project that goes beyond the conventions of traditional gaming. Notably, Neill Blomkamp is an award-nominated film director behind hits such as Chappie, Elysium, District 9, and most recently Gran Tourismo.

The game sets itself apart by integrating blockchain technology without compromising the core multiplayer shooter experience. Gunzilla Games envisions a 60-hour narrative campaign and a 150-player battle royale with an extensive arsenal of over 300 guns and 30 different cyberlimbs. This ambitious vision aims to redefine player engagement in the gaming landscape.

“Off The Grid is a traditional multiplayer shooter [that] puts all its economy and progression on-chain,” Korolev said, adding that "Blomkamp is overseeing all of the game’s visuals, creative materials, and animation effects on a daily basis."

More About Off The Grid?

Set against the backdrop of a free-to-play model, Off The Grid promises to deliver an immersive gaming experience unlike any other. Players will delve into a dynamic world where complete asset ownership and a player-driven in-game economy reign supreme. Scheduled for release on Sony PlayStation, Microsoft's Xbox, and PC platforms, the game marks a significant step towards mainstream adoption of blockchain technology in gaming.

Gunzilla Games' co-founder and CEO, Vlad Korolov, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, "With the forthcoming launch of 'Off the Grid' and GUNZ to the public, we are not just advancing towards a new horizon in AAA gaming but also establishing a new standard in the blockchain space." Korolov's vision underscores the company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation within the gaming sphere.

Avalanche Subnet

Gunzilla Games has also launched the test network for Gunz, a dedicated Avalanche-based blockchain subnet. Alongside, the studio released Technocore, a companion game enabling players to find items transferable as NFTs on Gunzilla's marketplace. “We chose Avalanche because we couldn’t make it work on any other chain,” Vlad Korolov stated, referring to the game’s wide-ranging blockchain features. 

Off The Grid's availability extends to PC gamers on the Epic Games Store, as well as soon-to-be-available PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and X consoles. Multiplayer matches unfold on Teardrop Island, a sci-fi locale offering both player-vs-player (PVP) and player-vs-environment (PVE) battles, featuring many unique points of interest.

“We’ve been working so hard for the last four years to make the world which will never be boring for users to spend so much time there,” Vlad Korolov said. “In the era of TikTok, experienced users—it’s too boring for them to even watch YouTube. It’s too boring for them to wait on the map for 10 minutes until they experience some interaction with the world,” the CEO added, highlighting a challenge many FPS game developers face with multiplayer BR titles.

Fresh $30 Million Funds

The infusion of $30 million in funding represents a strategic move for Gunzilla Games, following a previous $46 million funding round in August 2022. This substantial financial backing underscores the industry's growing interest in blockchain-based gaming experiences, as developers seek to blur the lines between traditional and decentralized gaming ecosystems.

Evan Feng, Partner and Director of Research at CoinFund, highlighted the convergence of traditional and blockchain gaming paradigms, stating, "the gap between traditional and on-chain games is rapidly closing and will invert as game developers choose to leverage the full power of blockchain technology." Gunzilla Games' strategic approach to integrating blockchain elements seamlessly into gameplay positions Off The Grid as a frontrunner in this evolving landscape.

Blockchain Powered Ecosystem

Central to Gunzilla Games' vision is the GUNZ platform, a blockchain-powered ecosystem that enables players to retain full ownership of in-game assets as tradable NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) on an on-chain marketplace. This innovative approach empowers players and fosters a decentralized community-driven economy within the game universe.

Lydia Chiu, Executive at Ava Labs and head of Blizzard Fund, lauded Gunzilla Games' efforts to democratize blockchain gaming experiences. She noted, "'Off The Grid fully dissolves tricky web3 elements like complex wallets and NFT acquisition into the natural gameplay, giving everyday console gamers a blockchain gaming experience without necessarily realizing they’re having one." This seamless integration of blockchain technology into gameplay mechanics represents a significant leap forward for the industry.

Final Thoughts

Gunzilla Games' commitment to innovation is further underscored by its strategic partnerships and engagement with top-tier gaming influencers. The gameplay walkthrough trailer for Off The Grid, featuring prominent gamers such as Dr Disrespect, Clix, and ImperialHal, has garnered widespread attention, amassing over 400,000 views on YouTube. This outreach strategy speaks to the company's dedication to fostering community engagement and anticipation for its upcoming release.

As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, Gunzilla Games remains at the forefront of innovation, poised to redefine the intersection of blockchain technology and AAA gaming experiences. With the support of Avalanche's Blizzard Fund and CoinFund, Off The Grid is set to captivate audiences worldwide, ushering in a new era of immersive and decentralized gameplay.