Neon Machine, the studio behind the highly anticipated extraction shooter Shrapnel, has announced significant leadership changes as it gears up for the game’s free-to-play launch in 2025. In an exclusive interview with Decrypt, Neon Machine revealed that Ken Rosman, a seasoned veteran in the video game industry with a background at Microsoft’s Xbox division working on titles like Halo Wars and Sunset Overdrive, has been appointed as the new CEO of the studio.
Rosman will be leading the charge in bringing Shrapnel to its full public rollout, while Neon Machine co-founder and former CEO Mark Long will transition into an advisory role to support the studio during this leadership transition. Long expressed confidence in Rosman’s ability to drive the game towards success, noting his track record of shipping and supporting live operations for high-profile games.
The Shrapnel project will be overseen by Dave Johnson, while Don Norbury, the CTO at Neon Machine and former head of the Shrapnel studio, will now focus on managing the company’s Moonshot suite of Web3 game development tools. These leadership changes were made to ensure the studio remains adaptable during the game’s lengthy development cycle, with a focus on execution and delivering a top-tier gaming experience to players.
Amidst the leadership shakeup, Neon Machine is also in the process of raising new funding, with a round led by the Blizzard Avalanche Ecosystem Fund, along with participation from Griffin Gaming Partners and Polychain Capital. The details of this funding round are expected to be revealed in the first quarter of 2025, following the studio’s last fundraise in October 2023.
Shrapnel, a first-person shooter for PC, is centered around securing and extracting resources in competitive online matches. Built on the Avalanche blockchain, the game features an L1 instance specifically designed for it, along with the SHRAP token and NFTs representing unique in-game assets. Players can expect a dynamic gaming experience with evolving gameplay and limited-time events.
Neon Machine’s leadership changes come amidst a legal battle with majority shareholder Cort Javarone, CEO of investment firm 4D Factory. Studio founders alleged a “coup” by Javarone to take over the studio, while Javarone claimed that studio leadership had gone rogue. The studio declined to provide an update on the lawsuit but assured that it is not affecting the team’s focus on developing Shrapnel.
As Neon Machine continues to push forward with Shrapnel’s development and upcoming launch, players can look forward to an immersive gaming experience that combines cutting-edge technology with innovative gameplay mechanics. Stay tuned for more updates on Shrapnel and Neon Machine’s journey in the gaming industry.
This article has been edited by Sebastian Sinclair.