Gunzilla Games announced on Tuesday that it has raised $30 million in funding to support the development and release of its anticipated cyberpunk-style battle royale shooter game Off The Grid, as well as its Avalanche blockchain-based platform GUNZ.
The funding round was co-led by CoinFund and Avalanche's Blizzard Fund, with participation from Republic Capital and Morningstar Ventures. The combined raise consisted of a $10 million strategic token round, as well as equity and validator sales that were not previously disclosed.
The latest funding will be used in part to fuel marketing around the game’s launch, as well as to further develop the GUNZ ecosystem. Gunzilla previously raised $46 million in 2022.
Off the Grid is a 150-player battle royale game that will be released across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. The game will feature blockchain-based ownership of unique game assets via Avalanche NFTs, and the game is operating its own Avalanche subnet called GUNZ to not only power its own ecosystem, but also for other game developers to build on.
"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," said Vlad Korolov, CEO and co-founder of Gunzilla Games, in a release. "This evolution is supported by the invaluable backing of our funding partners, empowering us to deliver a AAA gaming experience which is set to exceed gamers' expectations."
No release date has been announced yet for Off the Grid, though the team told Decrypt’s GG that a date will be “unveiled at an upcoming event” and that the game will launch simultaneously across all platforms.
It’s still unclear how Gunzilla Games will handle NFT asset ownership on console platforms like PlayStation and Xbox that have not previously allowed games with such Web3 elements.
“Currently, we are not ready to disclose all the inner workings and would like to keep the specifics of these mechanics confidential until the game officially releases,” the team told Decrypt’s GG in a statement. “This decision not only helps us protect our unique 'secret sauce' from competitive pressures, but also aligns with our commitment to providing traditional gamers, who are our primary audience, with an unparalleled quality of gameplay.”
Off the Grid features the creative vision of film director Neill Blomkamp of “District 9” and “Chappie” fame, who is Gunzilla’s co-founder and chief creative officer. The game will also include more storytelling than your average battle royale shooter (aka Fortnite), with some 60 hours of narrative promised across multiple in-game seasons.
The gameplay trailer above, produced in collaboration with popular streamers like Clix and Dr. Disrespect, showcases some of that narrative flair, not to mention the way that the story can shift across play sessions when experienced in matches with up to 150 total players.
“No two missions are alike, thanks to the real-time influence of up to 150 players sharing the same space,” the studio told Decrypt’s GG. “This player-driven variability ensures that every mission, every encounter, and every decision can significantly alter the narrative flow, making each game session a unique experience.”
“This design philosophy marries intense action with layered storytelling, ensuring that players are consistently engaged,” the studio added, “without losing the essence of the fast-paced thrill that defines the battle royale genre.”
Editor’s note: This article was written with the assistance of AI. Edited and fact-checked by Andrew Hayward.