How Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Influenced the Distinctive Style and Gameplay of Sci-Fi FPS Fragpunk

The journey that led to the creation of Fragpunk began in an all-too-familiar scenario: a shattered phone screen. This everyday mishap triggered inspiration at Bad Guitar Studios, with the broken screen’s kaleidoscope of colors perfectly mirroring the chaotic yet visionary spirit that Fragpunk set out to embody. However, the metaphor doesn’t stop there.

Our daily lives revolve so heavily around our devices that a fractured screen can symbolize a fractured world—multiple perspectives of the same reality that are disjointed, yet eerily parallel.

Set in the Shardverse, Fragpunk thrusts players into a universe torn apart by a mysterious element known as Glunite. This substance grants ordinary people extraordinary abilities but chains them to its power for survival. These enhanced individuals, known as Lancers, navigate different Shards, constantly locked in battles over this precious resource.

In between the fierce combat rounds, players receive Shard Cards. These cards allow Lancers to distort the world around them, sometimes for laughs, like activating a big head mode on the opposing team, and at other times causing chaos by opening portals to alternate versions of the current map. This isn’t just eye candy; it’s a vital part of the gameplay that adds layers to the strategic depth of Fragpunk.

“We wanted every match to feel unique,” shares Fu Wenhe, the narrative director at Bad Guitar. According to him, the goal was to consistently stay true to an innovative core concept—breaking traditional boundaries across gameplay, storytelling, and design aesthetics.

With global players in mind, the game draws heavily from widely recognized media influences. The art style, for instance, blends 2D and 3D elements inspired by the vibrant Spider-Verse movies.

Yet Fragpunk transcends mere visuals, drawing on the Spider-Verse not just for its look, but to capture a harmonious blend of diverse universes. Even amidst the mosaic of different worlds, there’s a unified sense of belonging. This is something the team aims for by ensuring each character integrates seamlessly into the broader narrative.

Art director Li Yiming emphasizes the importance of consistency. “We steer away from centering on a single character,” he says. The focus is on maintaining style coherence in terms of animation, skill visuals, and color schemes while preserving distinct character personalities.

The development process at Bad Guitar is dynamic and collaborative. “Our narrative team lays down the foundation for the lore and character archetypes, followed by an iterative process with the art team to explore and refine these ideas,” Fu explains. Maps, too, play a critical role. They reflect the Shardverse’s narrative depth, providing the battlegrounds that are as much a character in the story as the Lancers themselves.

The deeply ingrained narrative not only serves to enhance Fragpunk’s immersion but also offers practicality—especially in continually evolving live-service games where fresh content is key. The dynamic Shardverse setting supports diverse styles, references, and rich backstory explorations without feeling forced or fragmented.

“When crafting the Shardverse, flexibility was key, given the punk art style,” notes Fu. The broad and inclusive world allows for inventive future developments, particularly with skins and cosmetic options that range from simple tweaks to elaborate narrative moments.

Li elaborates that their goal is to create cool or humorous skins that eventually merge storytelling elements, like capturing significant moments of a character’s past or future.

Beyond cosmetic storytelling, Bad Guitar plans to push Fragpunk’s lore through multiple media channels. With aspirations to include digital graphic novels and animations, they aim to explore and expand the game’s narrative universe comprehensively. “We’re keen to use all available media forms,” Fu insists, progressively enriching the story with voice lines, comics, or even animated snippets.

For more insights into its gameplay and the multifaceted universe of Fragpunk, don’t miss our preview and conversation with Bad Guitar’s creative director, Xin Chang. Mark your calendars for March 6th, when Fragpunk launches on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, with console versions on the horizon.