Mark Long is a producer, author, and visionary leader in the gaming industry with a long and storied career. He has worked for some of the biggest companies on the planet while also blazing a trail in shaping the gaming landscape for a new generation.
As the CEO of NEON Media, Mark is actively spearheading a unique venture that fuses the best of game development with film and television while elevating transmedia and audience experiences. This forward-thinking approach positions NEON as a trailblazer in redefining how audiences engage with entertainment across multiple platforms.
NEON’s inaugural game, “Shrapnel,” is the world’s pioneering blockchain-infused first-person shooter (FPS) game, developed on the Avalanche platform. This game integrates a comprehensive suite of tools for player engagement, encompassing combat, creation, curation, and connection. Notably, it aspires to establish a community-driven environment where players own the platform and contribute to shaping its future direction.
Shrapnel is set in a not-too-distant future after a massive Lunar-Impact Event, where the asteroid 38 Sigma collided with the moon. This led to the formation of the Sacrifice Zone, a 500-kilometer-wide Earth band rich in fragments of the asteroid called Shrapnel.
The Zone has become a battleground for Mercenary Forces, extracting valuable materials and fighting for control over Compound Sigma, a peculiar substance with quantum properties.
“Experience a war-torn, not-too-distant future where a mysterious substance has changed the balance of power as we know it.”
Mark believes gaming will be Web3’s first and most significant commercial success and fundamentally change how games are made and played. By giving players more ownership over their in-game assets, they can participate in the game’s development and create a more immersive and engaging experience.
The problem, of course, is that up until now, most Web3 games have yet to be up to scratch and have left traditional gamers less enthusiastic. And while the number of blockchain players is still relatively small, Mark feels it’s important to target that demographic by simply making a “free-to-play game that’s fun to play.”
Mark acknowledges that gamers generally aren’t motivated by new financial infrastructure but are more interested in adventure, and for blockchain gaming to succeed, developers need to focus on excellent game design instead of trying to prop up their tokens.
“We want to transcend the real world and perhaps embody a new persona. To build player trust, studios must amplify what players already enjoy.”
Mark thinks that if implemented effectively, blockchain offers services that can enhance gameplay and utility and offer players empowerment, whether that’s the ability to trade or sell their in-game purchases or vote on a game’s governance and plans.
“Web3 games are more transparent, fair, and inclusive than traditional games. They also offer players more opportunities to earn money and participate in game development.”
Mark is a big thinker and a true gamer himself at heart. His vision for the industry goes beyond traditional paradigms. While he’s determined to provide a AAA game that satisfies the hardcore, he believes he can elevate their experience and introduce them to the world of Web3 in a way that no other studio has so far managed.
Previously, Mark led the interactive team at HBO’s Digital Products group, was a Program Manager of xCloud at Microsoft, and before that, was the Founder and CEO of Zombie Studios, an independent game developer and publisher that operated for 23 years.
Here, he produced and launched over 32 titles for every central platform, from SEGA Genesis to the iPhone. He had a who’s who on their client list, including significant publishers like Microsoft, Disney, Activision, and Sony.
Beyond this, Mark has somehow found time to publish five graphic novels, one of which – ‘The Silence of Our Friends’ – was a New York Times bestseller. I’m delighted to have Mark joining me in the studio, not least because Shrapnel is one of our most recent investments inside The Investment Club.