By Gaming companies Nepsis and Moxy recently announced they will be joining forces in order to develop and deliver a new pirate-themed game. Notably, as part of the partnership, MicroProse Games and the legendary Civilization series team, will be leading the oversight of the game’s development along with a team of industry leading game development veterans. The game is set to offer players an immersive and exciting experience, featuring pirates, treasure, and adventure on the high seas.
The partnership brings together the expertise and experience of two exciting new gaming companies. Nepsis is focused on creating visually stunning and engaging games. On the other hand, Moxy is well-known for its innovative gameplay mechanics and player-driven experiences. Both companies have strong teams with many members having backgrounds in blockchain technology. By joining forces and leveraging their respective strengths and expertise, the two companies are poised to deliver a game that will appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers.
The Nepsis team is looking to create a game that is, in some regards, a first of its kind. This effort is led by Juan Lugo, co-founder of Necker Ventures and Don Doroteo Cigars, and Dustin Tinney, co-founder of Necker Ventures. Additionally, this team will be advised by several key video game industry veterans on the Moxy team.
The game will be a departure from the traditional pirate-themed games that have come before it, as few of them as there are. It is set to take place on a mysterious island nestled within a magical pocket dimension, deep in waters that have never been seen by most. One of the key features of the game is the player-driven economy. Players will be able to engage in trade, loot, and plunder, selling their goods and treasures to earn assets and build their reputation as feared pirates on the high seas. The game will also feature a robust crafting system, allowing players to create and upgrade their ships, weapons, and equipment.
The game will utilize Unreal Engine 5 and feature a variety of innovative gameplay mechanics with the goal of delivering new types of e-sport experiences in mind. One example of this will include live tournaments, where players can compete against each other in order to earn tangible rewards which will range from $MOXY tokens to pirate themed merchandise, such as a Nepsis themed cigar (for participants of legal age).
The partnership between Nepsis and Moxy is a testament to the growing trend of collaboration in the gaming industry. As competition continues to heat up, more and more companies seek to form impactful partnerships to leverage their respective strengths and create a legacy of better gaming experiences for players.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Moxy to create this exciting new pirate game,” said the founding team of Nepsis. “Our companies share a passion for creating innovative and engaging gaming experiences, and we believe that this new game will be a great addition to our portfolio.”
The advising team of Moxy, which includes CEO, Matt deFouw, and Atari founder, Nolan Bushnell, echoed these sentiments, saying, “We are excited to be working with Nepsis to create a game that we believe will set a new standard for pirate-themed games. By combining our expertise and resources, we are confident that we can deliver an experience that will be both fun and rewarding for players.”
Matt deFouw, who had once founded a crypto mining firm, is known for being a tech evangelist and blockchain visionary having over 20 years of experience in the industry. His latest venture, Moxy, is being led by a powerhouse team of video game industry professionals such as Tony Bickley, Stewart Bell, Mike Haller, and Larry Siegel who are all also advising the Nepsis Project.
Tony Bickley is currently the chief product officer at Moxy, but previously held a position at Konami games in Europe. Bickley has been instrumental in a great number of well known classic gaming titles over the past 35 plus years. Ranging from the Apple II and the Atari 400 to modern PlayStation and mobile platforms, Tony has numerous producer credits in the game industry. As European Head of Konami games development, Tony has had a wide range of successful product launches across a broad array of platforms. Tony’s list of delivered titles include everything from Pitfall, Ultima, Pirates!, and Elder Scrolls to Street Fighter 2, Baldur’s Gate, Silent Hill and Castlevania.
Larry Siegel was previously head of Sega S.A.’s European operations. Larry has directly produced, or executive produced over 300 video games on countless platforms. Larry has been involved with numerous game startups, helping companies avoid common pitfalls, and accelerating growth, all while moderating costs. Larry’s love of games goes back 50 years and his breath of industry knowledge is encyclopedic.
Stewart Bell has been involved with computer games most of his working life. He initially became involved with the game industry when Sid Meier and “Wild Bill” Stealey asked him to set up MicroProse in Europe. MicroProse started off in his back bedroom and grew to help develop and publish some of the best known titles in video game history, including Sid Meier’s Civilization series, Railroad Tycoon, Grand Prix, Silent Service, F15, Gunship and of course Elite Gold. Stewart also worked with Chris Roberts on Times of Lore and with Richard Garriott on the Ultima Series. Stewart ran several development houses which did work for hire for countless American and Japanese publishers. He was an “executive publisher” who ran the development of multiple titles for Atari, Konami, Taito, Sega, THQ and many others. His game knowledge and expertise spans the entire spectrum of console, handheld and PC.
Mike Haller will also notably be on the advising team. Haller entered the video game business at the advent of 3D gaming as board member and vice president of THQ as part of its turnaround. Charged with producing games for the new consoles, PlayStation and Xbox, he designed the WCW and later WWE wrestling games that propelled THQ to the upper ranks of game publishers. Haller’s games won two Fighting Game of the Year awards and was nominated for the overall Game of the Year. After eight high growth years, Haller joined Electronic Arts as VP and group general manager of DreamWorks Interactive and EA Japan. Under his guidance, the DreamWorks studio created the legendary Medal of Honor games that set the standard for war games.
Combined with the fact that Bushnell, known as the grandfather of video games, will be on the team too just means fans are sure to be brewing with excitement. Currently he is chief knowledge officer of Moxy, but is most well-known for founding Atari. When Nolan Bushnell founded Atari in 1972 he created an industry, and with it – the first blockbuster video game: Pong. Ever the visionary and always on the cusp of the next big thing, Nolan continues to inspire a new generation of developers.
The new pirate game is set to begin development in late 2023, and players can expect to hear more about it in the coming months as development progresses.
In conclusion, the partnership between Nepsis and Moxy is a promising development for the gaming industry, as it shows that collaboration and cooperation can lead to better games for everyone. With its immersive storyline, player-driven economy, and engaging gameplay mechanics, the new pirate game promises to be a must-play for fans of pirate-themed games and gamers in general.
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