Inside Reaper Actual: Why This PvPvE(vE) Open-World Shooter Has My Attention—INTERVIEW

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During the month of August, I attended Gamescom and arranged an interview with Distinct Possibility Studios. The purpose was to talk about their first game, Reaper Actual, which appears to be a highly ambitious open-world persistent shooter with the potential to host a large number of players, approximately hundreds, on a single map.

In the game Reaper Actual, a constantly changing world serves as the backdrop for personalized hideaways, proficient Private Military Companies (PMCs), complex factions, and an optional blockchain system incorporating Non-Fungible Token (NFT) elements. The experience resembles Call of Duty’s DMZ mode in terms of gameplay, includes extraction mechanisms akin to Escape from Tarkov, and showcases the massive-scale combat continuity found in PlanetSide.

What exactly is the Reaper Actual, and what has drawn my focus so strongly towards it? After Gamescom, I had a chance to speak with Matt Higby, the Chief Creative Officer and co-founder, to gain some insights.

Here’s the full video interview if you’d rather learn about Reaper Actual that way:

What is Reaper Actual?

Introducing Reaper Actual – a rapidly growing first-person shooter game that takes place in the expansive, continuous world of Marova, an imaginary Mediterranean island.

In the city of Marova, power-hungry groups, including criminal elements, private military companies, and factions driven by greed, have seized control. As a skilled operative known as a ‘Reaper’, players are called upon to infiltrate Marova, establish a stronghold, complete missions and tasks, acquire equipment, and advance in rank, all while navigating a dynamic and transforming environment.

I asked Matt Higby where Reaper Actual came from:

In simpler terms, many members of our team have extensive experience in creating large-scale games, particularly MMOs. However, we all share a common interest – a passion for competitive online shooter games. This shared enthusiasm has led us to focus on developing games like PlanetSide 2 and H1Z1.

Lately, with technology advancements revealing fresh opportunities in the gaming realm and diverse game modes emerging, we find ourselves frequently discussing the establishment of a studio, leveraging our extensive experience in creating large-scale games, and our passion for today’s high-adrenaline, high-risk shooter games that have gained significant popularity.

During my preview at Gamescom, I discovered a game that shares many features with Call of Duty’s DMZ mode and Gray Zone Warfare. This game is an expansive, open-world extraction shooter on a large scale. To verify the accuracy of these comparisons, I posed the question to Matt:

Regarding the rhythm and in-the-moment gameplay sensation, I believe those comparisons hold water. However, our goal surpasses many other games by concentrating on building a continuous gaming world where your ongoing interactions and commitment to the game’s broader progression have significantly greater importance over time.

Games offer ample room for narrative development, character creation, and progressive integration of novel features and rules. The perpetual aspect of these games allows for an abundance of opportunities within their virtual worlds, as compared to traditional games.

In the immediate sense, we share a similarity with those games, yet our realm offers far greater potential for diverse experiences.

Enter Marova as a Reaper

During Gamescom, John Smedley, CEO of Distinct Possibility Studios, guided me through the game, and it was clear that they had chosen to depart from military simulation mechanics and extreme realism in favor of a more user-friendly approach. The game isn’t overly intricate with a multitude of mechanics; instead, it leans towards an ‘arcade-style’ shooter, ensuring players can quickly adapt to the mechanics.

I asked Matt Higby, Chief Creative Officer, why these elements had been settled on:

We’re definitely aiming for an increased tempo in the gameplay. Compared to games like Escape from Tarkov and Arma, it will have a more dynamic, action-packed feel. Our goal is to deliver a much quicker, fast-paced experience from one moment to the next.

In other words, Reaper Actual incorporates various movement techniques such as sliding, strategic running, and jumping over obstacles. Gamers can collect weapons and fire while moving, safeguard themselves with armor shields, and traverse the expansive landscape swiftly by driving vehicles.

In relation to the map we’ve been discussing, it’s essential to emphasize its dynamic nature, as it exudes a lively atmosphere akin to ‘Player-versus-Player-versus-Environment’ (PvPvEvE), a term used by Matt Higby to describe it.

Having a persistent world creates an opportunity for various non-player characters (NPCs) to engage in prolonged conflicts, sometimes spanning hours or even days, over specific map objectives. This ongoing nature of battles offers players the chance to witness these engagements develop and adapt over time – something that would be uncommon in a more traditional session-based gameplay.

You’ll have the opportunity not only to move through it, but also shape it and observe its growth and transformation. This change won’t be limited to seasonal shifts, as even within a single season, events will adapt and alter.

In simpler terms, our game can be described as a mix of player-versus-player (PvP), player-versus-environment (PvE), and player-versus-environment-versus-player (PvEvP). Unlike traditional PvP games, here multiple factions on the island have their unique objectives, creating a dynamic environment where they interact, compete, and sometimes cooperate.

A portion of it involves solving the enigma of the island, understanding the reasons for the civil conflict, and discovering the past events… Each participant contributes a unique perspective to the puzzle-solving process as they play. In essence, this game lets you delve into unmasking some of these mysteries.

Core Principles

In Marova’s persistent world, players can establish substantial hideouts and bases, each with a specific, recognizable position on the map. The Reaper system offers initial character setups and equipment loads, serving as a jumping-off point. However, once exploration kicks in, the possibilities are virtually endless.

In due time, Reaper Actual is anticipated to foster a vibrant player market based on resource availability and scarcity, as well as trade involving weapons, hideouts, vehicles, and the gathering and bartering of treasures amassed throughout the world of Marova. The game features a day-night cycle, weather changes, and intriguing terrains to delve into.

During my conversation with Matt Higby, we delved into the blockchain aspects, but for clarity in this discussion, I’d like to emphasize that integrating NFT elements within the game is entirely optional. Engaging with these features won’t detract from your gaming experience in any way.

As a gamer, I’m excited to share that this upcoming game is a free-to-play first-person shooter. It’s designed with a unique seasonal structure, regular content updates, intentional shifts in the game’s meta, and ever-evolving objectives and mission lists. The launch, tentatively scheduled for Q1 2026, will initially be exclusive to PC platforms. However, Matt hinted that there might be plans to bring Reaper Actual to consoles down the line.

Everything I discovered about Reaper Actual left me captivated, and in the approaching weeks, a creator-supported campaign will commence to unveil the game’s fundamental alpha build. As an enthusiast of action-packed extraction shooters, fast-paced first-person shooter games like Call of Duty, and open-world RPGs, I can assuredly verify that Reaper Actual skillfully blends elements from all these genres.

Is it possible that Reaper Actual seems like a game you’d enjoy? If so, I’d be happy to hear your thoughts about it in the TopMob forum.

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2025-09-02 16:55