Dr Disrespect’s NFT-based game, Deadrop, shuts down

Dr Disrespect’s Deadrop, the highly anticipated NFT-driven game from Midnight Society, has officially been shut down after three years of development. The closure of the game studio, co-founded by the popular video game streamer Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm, marks the end of an ambitious project that was initially met with much fanfare and community interest. The announcement, made on Thursday via X (formerly Twitter), detailed the decision to shut down the studio and cease work on its only title, Deadrop.

Midnight Society was founded in 2021, with Dr Disrespect partnering with veteran game developers Robert Bowling (a former Call of Duty franchise lead) and Quinn Delhoyo (who worked on Halo) to bring their vision of an innovative, community-driven game to life. The studio’s goal was to create a groundbreaking multiplayer experience that was deeply intertwined with its community, allowing players to have an active role in shaping the game’s development and features.

Deadrop was envisioned as a PvPvE extraction shooter set in an alternate world where “the 80s never ended.” The game was designed to be a hybrid of competitive multiplayer and survival, with players engaging in intense shootouts while also dealing with environmental challenges and other threats. The game, which was funded by selling NFTs like the Founders Access Passes, was meant to offer an early glimpse into the game’s development and give players unique in-game identities. These NFTs, including items like visors that could be used as player avatars, were sold through platforms such as OpenSea and were intended to be tradable, giving holders a sense of ownership in the game’s world.

Unfortunately, despite the high hopes surrounding the game, Deadrop never reached the level of success its creators envisioned. The studio faced multiple challenges during development, and the project started to hit serious turbulence in 2024. One of the key setbacks was the departure of Dr Disrespect himself. He left the project after admitting to sending inappropriate messages to a minor on Twitch, which led to a significant shift in both the studio’s internal culture and public perception. This scandal undoubtedly contributed to the eventual shutdown of the studio and its primary project.

The closure of Midnight Society has not only left the Deadrop project in limbo, but it has also raised questions about the future of the NFTs associated with the game. These NFTs, which had gained significant attention when first launched, are now effectively worthless, and players who invested in them are left wondering if they will receive any form of reimbursement. The situation highlights a growing concern in the gaming and NFT spaces: the risks associated with investing in digital assets that are tied to projects that may not reach completion.

In the wake of the studio’s shutdown, Midnight Society has expressed its gratitude to the community and acknowledged its inability to meet the high expectations it set for Deadrop. In a statement, the studio wrote, “We express our sincere gratitude to each and every one of our community members and deeply sorry we were unable to reach our ultimate goal.” While the closure marks the end of the studio’s work on Deadrop, Midnight Society has stated that it is committed to helping its developers find new opportunities within the industry. The studio even offered support for its team by assisting them in securing new jobs, which highlights the studio’s efforts to ensure that its developers are not left behind in the wake of the game’s failure.

Ultimately, the shutdown of Midnight Society and the cancellation of Deadrop represents a cautionary tale about the intersection of NFTs, gaming, and community-driven projects. While the idea of integrating blockchain technology and NFTs into video games seemed promising for many, Deadrop’s failure reveals the many complexities and challenges involved in creating such a project. The legacy of the studio and its founders will likely be remembered for their ambitious vision, but Deadrop itself will go down as an example of a failed attempt to bring the worlds of gaming and NFTs together in a meaningful way.

With the rapid growth of NFTs and blockchain-based games, Deadrop’s closure serves as a reminder of the volatility and risks involved in emerging technologies. For those involved in future NFT-based gaming projects, the failure of Deadrop may encourage a more cautious and thoughtful approach to integrating blockchain into the gaming experience, ensuring that the focus remains on delivering high-quality, engaging gameplay rather than relying solely on digital asset sales and speculative investments.