'Deadrop' Gets First Update Since Dr. Disrespect Dismissal—Only for NFT Holders

Midnight Society, the studio behind extraction shooter Deadrop, has launched an update for the game exclusively for its NFT holders. This is the first major move the studio has made since co-founder and popular streamer Dr. Disrespect was booted from the company, after he was alleged to have inappropriately chatted with a minor.

This limited build only allows players to test the game playing a team deathmatch mode, with each team embodying either a human Claw or a metallic R.A.T. (Robotic Acquisition Teams). These two characters have very distinct and contrasting play styles thanks to varying abilities, movement speed, and more.

Among other differences, R.A.T.s are quick to travel but low on health, while Claws are slower but much more durable. The robotic R.A.T.s are an evolution of the “Synthetics” featured in previous Deadrop builds.

Other new features include an overhauled movement system, improved gunplay, and a new “adrenaline” system for Claws that grants bonuses based on in-game actions.

This update is exclusively available to owners of Founders Access Pass NFTs, which originally sold for $50 apiece back in November 2022. Players who bought into Deadrop via the later $20 Tower Key passes, which are not NFTs, aren't currently able to access it.

In the official blog post, the team stresses that this is a “development build”—so players will experience bugs and are encouraged to provide feedback. But that's been the whole vibe around Deadrop, which launched in a bare-bones format and has gradually been expanding while relying on guidance from early supporters.

The update comes less than a month since Dr. Disrespect (aka Guy Beahm) was alleged to have inappropriately chatted with a minor. After Midnight Society conducted its own investigation, the company announced that it was “terminating” its relationship with Beahm. Since then, Dr. Disrespect admitted to having conversations with a minor that “leaned too much in the direction of being inappropriate,” although he claimed that “nothing illegal happened.”

Some gamers and industry observers believed that Deadrop was “dead in the water” now that the popular streamer had been dropped by the company, given his strong presence in the game’s marketing and visual style. But many in the game’s faithful community remained hopeful for the game’s next updates.

In the future, the recent blog post explains, players will be able to play as R.A.T.s or Claws in the main extraction shooter game mode. This development build is a way for Midnight Society to refine the R.A.T. vs. Claw interactions—carving out two distinct playstyles.

R.A.T.s are powered by a battery that drains as they navigate and scavenge the world. While players can recharge their batteries in a number of ways, it's recommended that R.A.T.s look to extract as early as possible.

When dropping in, R.A.T.s are given randomly assigned “loan” weapons and aren’t able to extract any loot aside from the in-game currency “Dust;” this makes them the lower-risk gameplay choice. Meanwhile, Claws spawn in with their own decked-out gear and can extract anything they pick up—high risk, high reward.

Normally, Deadrop updates are rolled out in “Snapshots,” with the last major update coming in October 2023, with the enhanced Snapshot 7.5 following in January. In a February blog post, Midnight Society explained that it plans to roll out fewer updates this year with a higher overall level of polish.

Edited by Andrew Hayward