Shrapnel Secures $19.5M for Global Launch
Neon Machine raised $19.5M to advance Shrapnel’s global rollout and China entry. Funds back a GalaChain migration and a TCC bridge, with China access planned for 2025–2026.
Neon Machine, the Seattle studio behind the web3 first person shooter Shrapnel, secured 19.5 million dollars across two funding rounds. The latest was led by Gala Games with participation from existing investors Griffin Gaming Partners and Polychain Capital. The studio targets a staged rollout that includes closed access in China in late 2025 and open access in early 2026, alongside a global launch plan.
Shrapnel Key Visuals
Funding and Ecosystem Strategy
The capital is earmarked for development, publishing, and live operations while Shrapnel aligns with Gala’s infrastructure through a migration to GalaChain. Consolidating accounts, asset ownership, royalties, and marketplace functions on GalaChain is intended to streamline onboarding and provide a single technical stack for the game and its creator tools.
Gala has also outlined a cross border bridge between GalaChain and China’s Trusted Copyright Chain, with a public launch targeted for the first quarter of 2026. Every cross chain transfer is set to use GALA as gas. “This funding is a testament to the passion and potential of Shrapnel,” said Neon Machine CEO Ken Rosman. Gala Games CEO Eric Schiermeyer called the connection “a milestone for global gaming,” positioning the bridge to pair performance with compliance ahead of Shrapnel’s staged China rollout.
Shrapnel Secures $19.5M for Global launch
China Entry and Compliance
Shrapnel’s China strategy is anchored to the Trusted Copyright Chain, where the title is billed as the first licensed web3 game approved for launch on the national system. The initiative is positioned to reach a market of roughly 600 million players through compliant registration, royalty enforcement, and renminbi settlements. Xuan Hongliang of the Trusted Copyright Chain described the Gala–Shrapnel collaboration as a “strategic partnership” designed to “bridge the two major digital ecosystems.”
Community Momentum and Live Operations
The roadmap emphasizes live service readiness and creator tools alongside core combat tuning. Ongoing playtests and Early Access feedback are being used to refine extraction pacing, respawns, and Sigma driven utility as the project advances toward the 2025 to 2026 access windows.
Final Thoughts
The raise strengthens Neon Machine’s runway at a pivotal moment for web3 shooters. Investor backing from Gala Games, Griffin Gaming Partners and Polychain Capital, combined with a defined route into China via the Trusted Copyright Chain, gives Shrapnel a clear technical and regulatory path. If the studio maintains development cadence, lands the GalaChain bridge on schedule and sustains its Early Access engagement, Shrapnel will be a closely watched test of whether a competitive FPS can pair modern live operations with compliant digital ownership at global scale.
