Dr Disrespect's New Game Is Already Causing An Uproar
Dr Disrespect seems to be trying to get on with his life after his famous 2020 ban from Twitch. He's built a new platform on YouTube, complete with most of his same fans, and he's even given viewers an update on his feud with the purple snake itself. In 2021, Dr Disrespect teased that he wanted to develop his own battle royale game, then he said he actually wanted to start his own studio. In December 2021, the Doc finally revealed his secret game studio, The Midnight Society, commenting that he wanted to embrace what he called Day Zero gamers. Day Zero gamers presumably follow the game at every step of development through frequent updates and are involved in testing before the game releases. This helps players feel like a part of the process and know what kind of game they're signing up for, but it also serves to build anticipation about a title and spread the word through people who have actually experienced it. Sounds perfect, right? Now, Dr Disrespect has revealed more details about his upcoming game and studio, and it has fans in an uproar.
On March 15, Dr Disrespect promised he'd be going over new details about Midnight Society and its upcoming game. His stream did just that, as the Doc explained what being a Day Zero gamer means, both in general and in terms of Midnight Society. Doc said that Day Zero gamers would be "in before [the game] has a name," and "in before it has set features." In other words, these fans would ostensibly have a hand in the game's development. However, it also means that Day Zero gamers have access to something many found controversial: exclusive NFTs.
How is the Doc getting into NFTs?
Dr Disrespect also noted that "for those of you that want to get more involved, there are ways to do so involving NFTs." The Doc went over the Midnight Society website, reading frequently asked questions for viewers and answering questions from chat as well. He explained that each Day Zero Founders will receive a free procedurally generated profile picture to serve as their avatar. Each picture will be generated from a set list of attributes, and each detail has a different rarity, meaning that some pictures might be more valuable or scarcer than others. If any of this sounds familiar, it's because what the Doc described is essentially an NFT. Day Zero gamers will also receive a tradable digital patch.
In a blog post explaining how Founders Access and the Day Zero group will work, Robert Bowling – the studio head at The Midnight Society – explained that while the collectible patch is free to Day Zero gamers, the profile picture will be available for a "fixed, affordable price." The post also discussed in-game weapons and cosmetics, which – while not NFTs – will be sellable by the user if they choose to divest themselves of their purchased items in game.
These patches and profile pictures are functioning NFTs. The Midnight Society website explains that these assets will be tradable 30 days after the game's launch. While all Day Zero gamers will receive a collectible patch, those with Founders Access will have a unique profile picture, alongside voting rights and the ability to give feedback on the game's development. While the frequently asked questions page explains that the team chose to use servers with a minimal impact on the environment, many gamers are still furious over the Doc's decision to implement NFTs in his upcoming game.
What are gamers saying?
Even though Dr Disrespect insisted that NFTs aren't necessary to enjoy what The Midnight Society has in store, gamers felt enraged by his use of NFTs as a selling point for his game. Some gamers were understandably upset about the potential environmental impact NFTs in gaming could have. Evidence shows that servers housing NFTs and working to verify ownership could have a detrimental impact on the environment (via The Verge), and companies using more environmentally friendly systems can't be sure what the impact will be in the future.
Aside from the NFT aspect of The Midnight Society, some gamers thought that the premise of Founders Access was an opportunity to make money off of impressionable fans. Streamer Sadaplays tweeted, "Such a shame that Dr disrespect listened to the power of money ... There was an opportunity to do something truly great here, instead he went full sell out." Another gamer said it was a "sad day for the Champions club," and that the game would be turned into nothing more than an NFT project. Still others said it was strange to advertise the NFT aspect of the game before releasing footage of the game itself.
While there's a wide variety of criticism online about the Doc's new game, it's unclear how big of a role NFTs will play in the final game.