The inspiration behind Fragpunk stems from a situation many of us have experienced: the dreaded smashed phone screen. While the scattered rainbow of a fractured display perfectly captures the rebellious yet dystopian vibe that Fragpunk seeks, there’s more depth to this metaphor. Our lives are often entwined with our devices, and a shattered screen can symbolize a fragmented world with diverse, sometimes conflicting, perspectives of the same reality.
Fragpunk unfolds in the Shardverse, a realm torn apart by a mysterious substance named Glunite. This enigmatic element grants ordinary people from alternate realities extraordinary abilities, while simultaneously creating a dependency on its mystical properties. These individuals, now mercenaries known as Lancers, battle across different Shards to scavenge whatever Glunite they can.
In between each round, players in Fragpunk receive Shard Cards, tools for Lancers to manipulate the world to their benefit—or their opponents’ detriment. These cards range from whimsical effects like enabling big head mode on the enemy team to strategic game-changers such as portals that lead to alternate versions of the map, doubling the gameplay arena in an instant. As a result, the multiverse concept in Fragpunk isn’t merely a visual aesthetic; it plays a crucial role in gameplay.
Fu Wenhe, Fragpunk’s narrative director at Bad Guitar studio, explains, “What distinguishes our game is the experience that no two rounds feel the same. We’ve adhered to our core principle of bending the rules and defying norms, consistently reflected in our art, narrative, and gameplay design.” With a shoutout to global influences, Fu continues, “Our aim is for the game to be enjoyed by players worldwide. You’ll notice inspirations from mainstream media, like the blend of 2D and 3D in our art style, reminiscent of the Spider-Verse films.”
Yet Fragpunk’s nod to Spider-Verse extends beyond its visual appeal. Despite the characters emerging from various alternate worlds, they maintain a sense of harmony with their surroundings—a hallmark of Spider-Verse’s charm. Fragpunk strives to create a cohesive universe that feels familiar yet refreshingly distinct. This delicate balance is achieved through a narrative-first approach, ensuring each character has a unique but integral place in this world.
Li Yiming, the art director at Fragpunk, shares, “We wanted each character to have a coherent logic and design, encompassing their style, animations, and skill effects.” The goal is for characters to shine individually while adhering to a unified artistic vision. “While the lore was established from the start, our narrative evolves with the game’s development,” Fu adds.
Vital to Fragpunk’s narrative are its maps and environments, the visual embodiments of the Shardverse’s abstraction. Although a competitive shooter at its core, Fragpunk offers classic map archetypes with its own narrative-driven twist, from transport hubs ripe for explosive battles to ruined temples with strategic cover. “Our map design process runs parallel to our narrative,” Fu explains. The design team crafts player routes and setpieces while the narrative crew focuses on context and setting. “When the maps are ready, we refine them with distinctive names and elements for player clarity,” says Huang Jingsi, a narrative designer on the project.
Balancing between storytelling and gameplay, Fragpunk also contemplates longevity in the competitive FPS domain, where endless new characters, maps, and themes are expected. The Shardverse not only grounds the game’s action but also offers a natural way to integrate diverse fashion, references, and narrative moments, avoiding the chaotic amalgamation seen in other live-service titles.
“In designing the Shardverse, we sought a robust framework fitting for a hero shooter with a punk twist,” Fu elaborates. “Our inclusive world view allows room for dynamic future developments.” Li adds, “With skins, for instance, we differentiate them by rank—from simple palette changes to more elaborate transformations, even integrating pivotal character moments.”
Beyond cosmetics, Bad Guitar’s ambition encompasses extensive storytelling across various media, from in-game characters’ voice lines and atmospheric cues to digital comics and animations. “We’re keen on utilizing all media forms to delve deeper into our game’s lore,” Fu states, laying out plans for storytelling both within and outside of the game environment.
For further insights into gameplay dynamics and more on Fragpunk’s multifaceted approach, check out our preview and conversation with Xin Chang, Bad Guitar’s creative director. Fragpunk is set to launch on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store on March 6th, with console versions for PlayStation and Xbox coming later.
