Neon Machine names Ken Rosman as CEO as it drives Shrapnel's launch for 2025

Neon Machine, the innovative studio behind the blockchain-based first-person shooter Shrapnel, has announced a significant change in its leadership as it prepares for the full launch of its free-to-play game in 2025. Ken Rosman, a veteran of the video game industry, has been appointed as the new CEO, while co-founder and former CEO Mark Long takes on an advisory role. This change marks a key moment for Neon Machine, which aims to focus on executing the final stages of Shrapnel's development.

Shrapnel: A unique development experience

Shrapnel is not the multiplayer early access title you're used to seeing. The game features a single operator, a limited selection of weapons, and an unfinished map set in a futuristic Japanese city. Players explore environments in "greybox" - early stage designs with missing textures and geometric shapes that serve as placeholders - reflecting Neon Machine's commitment to engaging the community in the game's development.

This collaborative approach allows player feedback to shape both the map and the extraction gameplay of Shrapnel, making it a highly interactive development experience.

New leadership to drive execution

Ken Rosman, with over three decades of experience in the industry, including prominent roles in Microsoft's Xbox division working on titles like Halo Wars and Sunset Overdrive, takes the helm of the

Operações da Neon Machine. Rosman will focus on global live-ops, retention mechanics, feature evolution, and market partnerships to ensure a flawless launch of Shrapnel.

Reflecting on the transition, Mark Long, co-founder of Neon Machine in 2020, stated: "When we started Shrapnel, we had the dream of breaking the mold of the traditional game development cycle. Now that we are close to the launch, it is time for new leadership."

Supporting Rosman's vision, Dave Johnson will lead the Shrapnel project, while CTO Don Norbury will continue to develop the studio's Moonshot suite of web3 game development tools.

Funding efforts to drive development

To support their ambitious plan, Neon Machine has launched a new round of funding led by the Blizzard Avalanche Ecosystem Fund, with participation from Griffin Gaming Partners and Polychain Capital. This adds to the studio's previous success in raising $20 million in October 2023.

The additional funds will accelerate the development of Shrapnel, a PC shooter that combines resource extraction gameplay with Avalanche blockchain technology. The game uses NFTs and the SHRAP token to create a player-driven dynamic economy, allowing for the design and exchange of unique in-game assets.

Avalanche is leading the blockchain-based FPS market with titles like Off The Grid, Shatterline, and Shrapnel, establishing itself as a reference ecosystem in the genre.

Legal dispute with majority shareholder

The leadership transition is happening amidst an ongoing legal dispute between Neon Machine and its majority shareholder, Cort Javarone, CEO of the investment firm 4D Factory. In November 2023,

Os fundadores do estúdio alegaram que Javarone tentou organizar um "golpe" para assumir o controle da empresa. Javarone, por sua vez, acusou a liderança de se recusar a colaborar com o conselho de administração.

Embora a Neon Machine tenha se recusado a comentar sobre o estado atual da ação judicial, enfatizou que os procedimentos legais não estão afetando seu foco em oferecer um jogo de alta qualidade. Uma atualização sobre o caso é esperada no início de 2025. Esforços de financiamento para impulsionar o desenvolvimento

Para apoiar seu ambicioso plano, a Neon Machine lançou uma nova rodada de financiamento liderada pelo Blizzard Avalanche Ecosystem Fund, com a participação da Griffin Gaming Partners e da Polychain Capital. Isso se soma ao sucesso anterior do estúdio ao arrecadar 20 milhões de dólares em outubro de 2023.

Os fundos adicionais acelerarão o desenvolvimento do Shrapnel, um jogo de tiro para PC que combina a jogabilidade de extração de recursos com a tecnologia blockchain da Avalanche. O jogo utiliza NFTs e o token SHRAP para criar uma economia dinâmica impulsionada pelos jogadores, permitindo o design e a troca de ativos únicos dentro do jogo.

A Avalanche está liderando o mercado de FPS baseados em blockchain com títulos como Off The Grid, Shatterline e Shrapnel, consolidando-se como um ecossistema de referência no gênero.