Continuing to build momentum around its PC mech shooter MetalCore, Studio 369 recently finalised its Closed Beta 2 and 2.5 playtests. Alongside news that the studio recently raised $5 million in funding to support the forthcoming game launch and its MCG token, the team has also signed deals with web3 gaming networks such as Portal and Mon Protocol.

So it’s a great time to check in with Studio 369 director of marketing Hanny Duong to discuss the recent playtests, MetalCore’s forthcoming MCG token launch, future expansion plans, and more.

BlockchainGamer: How’s the feedback shaping up around your recent Closed Beta?

Duong: We hosted our Closed Beta 1 which ended early March, titled “Call to Arms,” attracting an impressive number of new players to the game. This event alone generated over 18,000 new collective MetalCore community members, as well as more than 6,000 pre-registrations.

Following that, we just finished Closed Beta 2 and 2.5 with massive growth.

MetalCore now boasts over 230k followers on X and 124,000 users on its official waitlist for early access, our Discord grew 3X and on average, players played 10 hours each, which is a testament to the fun gameplay in MetalCore.

Are you attracting web2 players yet, or is the focus on web3 gamers?

The core game will be accessible to traditional and web3 players. 

Players can enjoy much of MetalCore’s gameplay without web3 elements, but building this game for web3 opens the door for true player ownership and control of their gear. We believe that gamers should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to their arsenal. Every player on the battlefield needs to optimize the best gear and kit, and web3 gives players the most options to customize their gear to their liking.

Engaging in the web3 elements of MetalCore is entirely up to you. It is not a mandatory requirement in order to play the game. The “Loot, Upgrade, Convert, Trade” loop is a key unique feature in MetalCore that leverages blockchain technology to give players control over their game items.

Every player on the battlefield needs to optimize the best gear and kit, and web3 gives players the most options to customize their gear to their liking.

Hanny Duong, Studio 369

That being said, there is no purchase necessary for players to enjoy the game. We leave players in full control of how they want to engage with the game. Whether or not you choose to engage in any web3 elements, anyone can enjoy MetalCore like any traditional game.

What incentives will you offer to build strong player retention as you move forward?

We firmly believe that fun gameplay should be at the forefront of web3 gaming and that it should feel on par with what players experience from today’s hottest titles. In MetalCore, players will take on multiple unique roles, from foot infantry, all the way to tank, aircraft and mech pilots. MetalCore is built from the ground up offering thrilling action and immersive storytelling with its dynamic mix of PvP and PvE adventure, and various game modes like domination and objective-based challenges. With its proprietary Dynamic Missions System, customizable loadouts, and vast open world, MetalCore brings unparalleled freedom and immersion. Hosting up to 60 players per server, it encourages both collaboration and competition as players vie for dominance on the battlefield. 

On top of all of this, we have the benefits that can come with web3 assets, such as true ownership and the ability to trade your items freely across multiple marketplaces. This is tied into MetalCore’s “loot, upgrade, convert, trade” system, which allows players to obtain the vehicle and mech blueprints from their fallen foes through “scanning,” then create new weapons and vehicles. Players can then also choose to convert them into web3 digital collectibles, and ultimately trade them on the marketplace. Whether to engage with this aspect of the game is entirely up to the player, and not required to advance.

Furthermore, we have implemented a “Barony System” that lets players recruit others to fight under their barony’s banner and gain additional experience points and rewards. Soon, players in a barony will be able to share resources to help their allies advance and win on the battlefield. We’ll have more updates to share on what the Barony System will offer to players in another update. 

Lastly, we plan to host tournaments and events with our community to keep that engagement going and build a strong relationship with our player base. We believe that when it comes to developing games, community is at the heart of everything.

To that end, we recently launched our official Ambassador Program and we look forward to continuing to expand the program to welcome new members. 

What’s the reaction been to the MCG token? How do you hope to leverage this in terms of your launch plans?

The MetalCore token, $MCG, has not officially launched yet. However, playing MetalCore’s Closed Beta 1, 2, and 2.5 allowed players to earn Marks – which will be claimable for MCG token rewards during the Token Generation Event (TGE).

What can users expect from the next couple of playtests, and when are you looking to launch officially?

Right now our team is gearing up and hard at work for our next closed beta: Closed Beta 3. We just ended Closed Beta 2.5 and teased a couple of things that players can expect from CB3:

• Session based PvP scenarios – introducing new faction based PvP scenarios with multiple objectives.
• Faction-based social hubs – for you to hang out and connect with other players of your faction.

There will be a ton of new features that our players can sink their teeth into.

As for the official launch, we don’t have a set date to share at this moment. The focus for us is to build the best gaming experience for our players and to run these playtests during our closed betas to gather feedback, improve the game experience, and continue to ship fun gameplay features our players will enjoy.

Do you think it’s best to launch during a bear or bull market?

Regardless of market conditions, we just want to build a great game that players will love. If your game is good and it’s engaging and retaining your players, and you’ve got a happy and healthy community, then it should survive and thrive in any market as it has a sustainable model and game loop that will keep your players around for the long run.

Some web3 game developers have shifted towards mobile distribution as PC has proven insufficient and expensive as a platform for web3 games. What are your thoughts on that?

Web-based or mobile games offer an accelerated development cycle, which is attractive to developers. It also offers many benefits, such as increased accessibility, especially in APAC regions where mobile gaming is widespread.

We have a couple of things coming up for MetalCore that we’re excited to announce to the public soon.

Find out more about the making of MetalCore by checking out our recent interview with Studio 369’s CTO Dan Nikolaides, and stay up-to-date on the game via its website and X account.