Indie Developer Red Moon Workshop and Fighting Game Legend Justin Wong Unite to Create 'Street Fighter'-Inspired Brawler 'Shot One Fighters'
Developer Representation Firm Beck Interactive Partners Brings Together Talented Studio and Beloved Esports Figures for Exciting Collaboration
April 4, 2024 | We are proud to announce the collaborative partnership between independent studio Red Moon Workshop and fighting game esports legend Justin “JWong” Wong in the development of Street Fighter-inspired competitive brawler, Shot One Fighters.
The Austin-headquartered Red Moon Workshop began their journey via Valve's workshop system, supporting games like Dota 2 and CS:GO. Helmed by Project Team Lead and Founder Sirio Brozzi and Technical Lead and Co-Founder Andrew Helenek, the international team consists of industry veterans with experience, amongst other things, in animation, game design, environment and character art, and programming.
Shot One Fighters is being developed as a back-to-basics brawler with enough complexity to attract fans of both old-school fighting games and those who enjoy an engaging but not overly-punishing learning curve. Helenek has previously described it as a middle-ground between Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and Street Fighter IV.
While still in the early stages of production, Red Moon Workshop recently brought a Shot One Fighters demo to PAX East, one of the world’s most popular gaming showcases.
A mainstay of the esports community and a fighting game virtuoso, Justin Wong boasts nine Evo championships among his numerous accolades. His involvement with the project will entail regular meetings with the team to provide valuable feedback on evolving builds of the upcoming fighter, focusing on character design, gameplay mechanics, and additional features. These insights will infuse his unique perspective and expertise with Red Moon Workshop's vision. Additionally, a vital component of his role will involve content creation, keeping his extensive audience informed of the game's latest developments through a variety of social channels, including popular platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
Exclaims Wong, “I am super excited to work with Red Moon Workshop to make this world come to life. Sharing ideas on what makes a fighting game great to play and seeing that incorporated into the game is really fun. I can't wait for everyone to experience Shot One Fighters for themselves.”
Also contributing to the development process is John 'JMcrofts' Crofts, a fighting game enthusiast and popular influencer with over a decade of competitive fighting game experience. A respected figure in the genre, Crofts frequently acts as a commentator at high-level events and maintains an active presence on YouTube and Twitch. His deep knowledge was a key draw for the Shot One Fighters team.
As the newest client of Beck Interactive Partners (BIP), led by industry veteran Alex Beck, Red Moon Workshop was introduced to Crofts and Wong under BIP’s tenet of establishing genuine, mutually beneficial partnerships between up-and-coming studios and passionate creators, building an environment designed to attract visionary publishers.
"We believe they’re a perfect match," Beck explains. "Justin and John's influence in evolving esports and promoting competitive gaming is powerful. Their dedication to the growth of the fighting game genre made pairing them with the talented team at Red Moon Workshop a no-brainer. As outstanding creators and ambassadors for gaming, Justin and John have the ability to shine a bright light on an exceptional BIP client poised to do amazing things in gaming.”
Red Moon Workshop feels similarly positive about both relationships.
"Working with BIP represents a new, exciting model and path to success for indie devs, " Brozzi exudes. “We're excited to be at the forefront of piloting it with our debut title. Getting a chance to work directly with Justin Wong and John Crofts on Shot One Fighters is a dream come true for us. Their combined expertise is a goldmine for our team."
For the latest on development of Shot One Fighters, visit the official website.
ABOUT RED MOON WORKSHOP
Red Moon Workshop was founded in 2012. Comprised of members from all walks of life, ranging from industry veterans to indie developers, they believed in a new, decentralized system of game development. They are currently working on their debut title as a full-fledged independent studio, Shot One Fighters.
ABOUT JUSTIN 'JWONG' WONG
Justin "JWong" Wong is a celebrated figure in the world of competitive fighting games, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the genre. His career is marked by a tally of nine Evo championships across several popular titles. In 2010, Wong became the first American fighting game player sponsored by an esports organization. Wong has been a pivotal influence in the fighting game community, dedicated to advancing the esports landscape, and promoting competitive gaming as a unifying and inclusive platform.
ABOUT JOHN 'JMCROFTS' CROFTS
John Crofts is a lifelong fighting game enthusiast and an influential figure in the community, with over a decade of experience in the competitive arena. He has established himself as a prominent and respected commentator, contributing insightful analysis at prestigious events like the Evolution Championship Series. Beyond commentary, Crofts is a prolific content creator, operating a popular YouTube channel and having an active presence on Twitch, showcasing his vast knowledge and passion for fighting games, past and present.
ABOUT BECK INTERACTIVE PARTNERS
Beck Interactive Partners was founded in 2023 with a mission to redefine the developer representation space. Using a proprietary dataset, BIP identifies emerging studio talent and connects them with world-class content creators. Utilizing their vast followings and passion to shine a spotlight on unique games and the teams who make them, these collaborations aim to maximize conditions for securing optimal publisher deals for go-to-market launch.
