DEADROP game details: Dr Disrespect’s removal, NFT controversy, more

The very first game from Dr Disrespect and his Midnight Society studio was revealed back in 2022. In the years since, DEADROP has been surrounded by controversy. With Doc no longer involved, the ‘Vertical Extraction Shooter’ (VES) faces difficulties in its public development cycle. From release details to a gameplay overview, here’s what you need to know.

Less than a year out from the formation of Midnight Society, the team of veteran developers pushed its first project out in the wild, to some degree. Officially titled DEADROP, moving on from the earlier ‘Project Moon’ moniker, the game is an FPS with a mix of PvP and PvE combat all in one.

While it’s still early days yet, with players actively engaging in each update cycle, we already know plenty about the ambitious title. From its original NFT controversy to the removal of Dr Disrespect as the studio’s figurehead, however, the game isn’t without its fair share of drama.

Here’s an early rundown on Midnight Society’s DEADROP game and its history.

Contents:

• Is there a release date for DEADROP yet?
• DEADROP platforms
• DEADROP gameplay details
• NFTs in DEADROP
• Dr Disrespect’s removal from Midnight Society

Midnight Society

DEADROP was revealed in full on July 30, 2022.

Is there a release date for DEADROP yet?

Currently, there is no concrete release date for DEADROP.

Given DEADROP is the first undertaking from Midnight Society, the team is taking its time iterating rather than committing to a release window years in advance.

So while a rough date for the full release is up in the air, devs are frequently in talks with the player base to update everyone on progress. Initially, a new playable build was set to launch every six weeks without fail.

The first of these ‘Snapshots’ went online on July 30, giving players their first taste of the game in action. After just a few cycles though, this schedule was abolished as devs found the constant pressure to be too much.

DEADROP platforms

For the time being, DEADROP is only available on PC for those with early access through Founders Pass NFTs, more on that below.

Though Midnight Society also has plans to release the game across both PlayStation and Xbox hardware in the near future. Exactly when the game will be available on console, however, remains up in the air.

For those looking to mirror the controller FPS experience on PC in the meantime, that support was made available in the second Snapshot.

DEADROP gameplay details

Described as a ‘Vertical Extraction Shooter’, DEADROP twists the typical Battle Royale formula by forcing players to fight through a towering skyscraper, as opposed to a sprawling island.

Based on Doc’s early comments on the grand vision, a fire spreads from the base of said building, ensuring all players trapped within climb to the top for a safe getaway.

As a competitive title at its core, the goal of DEADROP appears similar to the likes of Escape From Tarkov. Players will seemingly load into a match with their chosen loot and aim to extract with more valuable equipment.

Between games, players are transported to a hub location known as the Hideout. While this area is barebones in the early build, it appears this is where loot can be traded, weapons can be tested, and loadouts can be customized.

“Our high-level gameplay goals are to capture the essence of arena shooter level design with the scale and scope of battle royale player counts, and the session-to-session gameplay mechanics of extraction-based shooters,” a July 8, 2022 blog post explained.

Further updates shared in Snapshot 3 touched on core movement features players can grow accustomed to. Be it sliding mechanics that differ depending on the surface, vaulting, or using ziplines, there are plenty of ways for players to navigate through the map.

Exact player counts, loot rarities, and deeper mechanics are all yet to be nailed down as the game is still in very early development. Though with each new update, we’re sure to learn plenty more about DEADROP’s core gameplay loop, so we’ll keep you updated right here with all the latest details.

How NFTs interact with DEADROP

Before DEADROP was even DEADROP, we knew NFTs would play a key role. Founders Pass NFTs were announced on March 15, giving 10,000 owners early access to Midnight Society’s first game.

In minting one of these Founders Pass NFTs, users also generated a unique Variant avatar which can then be traded on crypto marketplaces.

Dr Disrespect quickly looked to defend this practice amidst backlash stemming from the announcement, assuring no one has to own NFTs “to play the game. You can’t buy your way to win,” he said.

For the time being, that’s the extent of NFT functionality in DEADROP, though it appears to be just the start of a deeper integration moving forward. From in-game cosmetics to tradeable loot, nothing has yet been ruled out so we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for any further developments in that regard.

Dr Disrespect’s removal from Midnight Society & DEADROP

While Dr Disrespect served as the face of Midnight Society since the studio’s inception, the popular streamer was outed from the company on June 24, 2024. Allegations from an ex-Twitch employee claimed Doc, real name Guy Beahm, had been messaging a minor with the intention of meeting up at a TwitchCon event.

No evidence was publicized to support these claims, however, Midnight Society launched an internal investigation. The dev team allegedly spoke with all parties and based on what they heard, decided to remove Dr Disrespect from the company entirely.

In short order, many original fans of the DEADROP project began lashing out. Having supported Doc’s vision for the game, some quickly flocked to sell their Founders Passes, while others argued the game will be “dead on arrival” without Dr Disrespect’s involvement.