Drama Studios announced December 16, 2025 that Tencent has acquired a minority stake in the French indie developer, providing full funding to complete Unrecord, the hyperrealistic bodycam shooter that exploded across the internet in 2023. The game’s initial two-minute trailer accumulated nearly 40 million views in less than 20 hours and eventually surpassed 90 million total views, with director Neill Blomkamp calling it awesome while skeptics accused the footage of being faked. What started as two bedroom programmers working sleepless nights has now grown into a 10-person studio backed by one of gaming’s biggest corporations, with plans to deliver one of the most immersive games ever made.
- From Bedroom Coders to Tencent Investment in Two Years
- The Minority Stake Nobody Expected
- What Tencent Money Actually Means for Development
- The Controversy That Never Went Away
- What Actually Is Unrecord Beyond the Viral Footage
- When Can You Actually Play It
- Tencent’s Growing Indie Investment Strategy
- FAQs
- Conclusion
From Bedroom Coders to Tencent Investment in Two Years
Alexandre Spindler and Theo Hiribarne were two friends working on game prototypes in their bedrooms when they posted a 45-second clip of an unnamed bodycam-style game on Twitter in October 2022. The video went viral with 9.8 million views, catching the attention of District 9 director Neill Blomkamp and prompting Drama Studios to accelerate development. When they officially announced Unrecord in April 2023 with a proper gameplay trailer, the response completely blindsided them.
The two-minute reveal trailer showcased Unreal Engine 5 gameplay from a police bodycam perspective that looked disturbingly realistic. Players navigate dilapidated buildings, chase suspects through warehouses, and engage in tense shootouts where the camera shakes, blurs, and distorts like actual body camera footage. The illusion was so convincing that thousands accused Drama Studios of faking the footage, claiming no game could possibly look that photorealistic. Some developers questioned how the character, camera, and gun could all move independently as shown in the trailer.
Drama Studios had to release multiple statements defending the authenticity of their game. The footage was captured from an executable played with keyboard and mouse on Unreal Engine 5, not VR, not pre-rendered cinematics, not secretly recorded real bodycam footage edited to look like a game. The debate raged for weeks while the trailer climbed past 40 million views in under a day, eventually crossing 81.3 million views on Twitter and topping 600,000 wishlists on Steam at its peak.
The Minority Stake Nobody Expected
According to GamesIndustry.biz, Tencent acquired a minority stake in Drama Studios through a Series A funding round that closed in mid-December 2025. Neither the exact percentage of ownership nor the dollar amount of the investment has been publicly disclosed, though industry observers note that Tencent minority investments typically range from low single-digit millions for seed rounds to tens of millions for more established studios. Given Unrecord’s viral success and Drama’s growth trajectory, the investment likely falls somewhere in the middle of that range.
Alexandre Spindler shared on LinkedIn that three years ago, this started in our bedrooms with just him and Theo working day and night on prototypes. The 2023 trailer response surprised them completely, passing 90 million views total while the Steam wishlist count climbed past 1.5 million. Along the way, they brought on Corentin Hery to handle the flood of emails after the trailer went viral, and he eventually became co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer. Laurent Bodin joined to build solid business foundations and also earned co-founder status. The team now numbers 10 employees with active hiring continuing.
Tencent’s VP of Partnerships Mark Maslowicz stated they’ve been consistently impressed by the drive and dynamism of Drama Studios and the remarkable progress made on Unrecord, especially with such a small team and limited resources. This investment will help the studio unlock their full potential and deliver the first of many outstanding games. The emphasis on first of many suggests Tencent views Drama Studios as a long-term partnership rather than just funding a single viral project.
What Tencent Money Actually Means for Development
Drama Studios announced they finally have the budget to make Unrecord and build the best game possible. The team is now fully focused on production and avoiding revealing unfinished work to raise the bar even higher. Now that they have funding, they’ll finally share updates in 2026 that reflect their true final vision. Translation: everything shown before this point was built by a skeleton crew self-funding through limited personal finances, and what comes next will demonstrate what Drama can accomplish with proper resources.
The studio aims to create one of the most immersive games ever, delivering a single-player FPS defined by hyperrealism, immersive gameplay, and engaging storytelling. The Tencent investment allows Drama to hire more developers, expand the scope beyond what two bedroom programmers could achieve alone, and potentially extend development timeline without financial pressure forcing premature release. One new screenshot released alongside the funding announcement shows atmospheric environmental detail but intentionally avoids revealing actual gameplay or story elements.
Interestingly, TechNode reported that Tencent’s investment will support global publishing efforts and advance simultaneous development for both PC and mobile platforms. This suggests Unrecord might eventually see a mobile version, which would be ambitious given the game’s reliance on photorealistic Unreal Engine 5 visuals that typically demand high-end hardware. Whether mobile refers to native ports or cloud streaming remains unclear.
The Controversy That Never Went Away
Unrecord sparked immediate controversy beyond just debates about whether the footage was real. The bodycam perspective combined with police protagonist and realistic violence created uncomfortable parallels to real-world police killings captured on body cameras. In the United States where high-profile police shootings are regular news events, a game that mimics bodycam footage of officers shooting suspects instantly turned stomachs regardless of technical impressiveness.
Drama Studios attempted to address concerns in a Steam page update, stating as a French studio addressing a global audience, the game does not engage in any foreign policy and is not inspired by any real-life events. The game will obviously avoid any undesirable topics such as discrimination, racism, violence against women and minorities. However, these reassurances rang hollow to critics who pointed out that choosing a police bodycam aesthetic inherently engages with real-world politics whether the developers intend to or not.
The studio stated Unrecord won’t take a black-and-white approach to criminal acts and police violence, and they understand if people feel disturbed by the game’s look and content. Art cannot fight against interpretation, they wrote, essentially asking audiences to trust that the game will handle its subject matter thoughtfully. The title Unrecord itself alludes to corruption and coverups, with Drama suggesting the narrative may be subversive in certain countries though they won’t specify how until players experience the full story.
Critics remained unconvinced. Multiple think pieces argued that a photorealistic hate crime simulator, regardless of developer intentions, contributes to normalizing police violence. Defenders countered that films, TV series, and novels about detectives, gangsters, and police get the benefit of the doubt on intelligent perspectives, so why not video games. The debate continues without resolution, and Tencent’s investment means Unrecord will definitely release whether critics approve or not.
What Actually Is Unrecord Beyond the Viral Footage
Drama Studios describes Unrecord as a mashup of narrative walking sim Firewatch and tactical SWAT shooter Ready or Not. You play a police officer using tactical skills and detective instincts to solve a confusing case. The Steam page mentions diverse characters and several plot twists, though specifics remain vague since Drama wants to avoid spoiling narrative elements. The gameplay appears to be conventional tactical shooter with die and retry combat, though the bodycam perspective creates unique challenges.
The camera angle introduces practical difficulties beyond just motion sickness concerns. Unlike traditional first-person perspectives where the camera sits at eye level, Unrecord’s bodycam position sits lower on the chest, changing sight lines and creating blind spots. Aiming feels different because you’re shooting from a camera position that doesn’t align with where the character’s eyes would be. Movement feels heavier and more realistic since the camera sways and bounces with each step rather than floating smoothly like most FPS games.
Drama uses Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen lighting and Nanite geometry systems to achieve the photorealistic look. Motion-captured animations from real tactical training provide authentic movement and weapon handling. Sound design emphasizes immersion with realistic gunshot acoustics, environmental audio, and radio chatter. The goal is making players feel like they’re watching bodycam footage rather than playing a typical video game, though whether that experience remains compelling across hours of gameplay instead of minutes of viral trailer footage remains the big question.
When Can You Actually Play It
Drama Studios has not announced a release date for Unrecord. The game entered full production following Tencent’s investment in December 2025, with the team stating they’ll share updates in 2026 that reflect their true final vision. Given that the original 2023 trailer was built by two people with minimal resources and Drama now has proper funding, significantly more time, and a 10-person team, realistic expectations point toward 2027 at the earliest for any kind of release.
Previous speculation suggested possible late 2024 or early 2025 launch based on the pace of development visible in early footage, but those timelines were always wildly optimistic given the small team size and self-funded status. Now that Drama has secured investment and explicitly stated they’re avoiding revealing unfinished work, the studio appears committed to taking whatever time necessary to deliver their complete vision rather than rushing to market while momentum from the viral trailer still exists.
The game is confirmed for PC with Steam as the primary platform based on the 600,000 peak wishlists. Console versions haven’t been announced but seem likely given Tencent’s involvement and interest in maximizing audience reach. The mysterious mention of mobile platforms could mean cloud streaming versions rather than native ports, allowing players to stream Unrecord to phones and tablets without requiring local hardware capable of running Unreal Engine 5 at photorealistic quality.
Tencent’s Growing Indie Investment Strategy
This investment represents another example of Tencent’s aggressive strategy of acquiring minority stakes in promising indie studios worldwide. Unlike full acquisitions that often worry players about corporate interference ruining creative visions, minority investments let studios maintain independence and creative control while gaining access to Tencent’s publishing infrastructure, technical resources, and global distribution channels. Drama’s CEO Theo Hiribarne specifically praised Tencent for approaching the partnership with humility, respect, and real appreciation for their creative identity.
Tencent has invested in hundreds of game companies globally, from majority stakes in Riot Games and Supercell to minority positions in studios like Remedy Entertainment, Dontnod Entertainment, Fatshark, and countless others. The strategy gives Tencent exposure to potential breakout hits without the overhead and risk of managing day-to-day development, while providing studios financial stability to fully realize ambitious projects. Whether this model ultimately benefits gamers by funding creative risks or homogenizes the industry by funneling everything through one corporation’s influence remains hotly debated.
FAQs
When did Tencent invest in Unrecord?
Tencent acquired a minority stake in Drama Studios through a Series A funding round that closed in mid-December 2025. The announcement was made publicly on December 16, 2025. Neither the exact percentage of ownership nor the investment amount has been disclosed.
Who makes Unrecord?
Unrecord is developed by Drama Studios, a French indie developer founded by Alexandre Spindler and Theo Hiribarne. The studio started as two bedroom programmers in 2020 and has since grown to 10 employees following the viral success of the 2023 reveal trailer.
When does Unrecord release?
Drama Studios has not announced a release date for Unrecord. The game entered full production in December 2025 after securing Tencent investment. The studio stated they’ll share updates in 2026 reflecting their true final vision, suggesting release is likely years away.
Is Unrecord real or fake?
Unrecord is a real game built in Unreal Engine 5 using Lumen lighting and Nanite geometry systems. The 2023 reveal trailer was captured from an actual playable executable using keyboard and mouse controls, not pre-rendered cinematics or faked footage, despite thousands accusing it of being fake.
Why is Unrecord controversial?
Unrecord sparked controversy for its photorealistic police bodycam perspective that creates uncomfortable parallels to real-world police shootings captured on body cameras. Critics argue the game normalizes police violence regardless of developer intentions, while defenders say games deserve the same narrative trust as films and TV.
What platforms is Unrecord coming to?
Unrecord is confirmed for PC via Steam with 1.5 million wishlists. Reports suggest Tencent’s investment supports simultaneous development for PC and mobile platforms, though mobile likely refers to cloud streaming rather than native ports. Console versions haven’t been announced but seem probable.
How many views did the Unrecord trailer get?
The Unrecord reveal trailer accumulated nearly 40 million views in less than 20 hours after posting in April 2023. Total views eventually surpassed 90 million across platforms including 81.3 million views on Twitter alone, making it one of the most viral game reveals ever.
What is Unrecord gameplay like?
Unrecord is described as a mashup of narrative walking sim Firewatch and tactical SWAT shooter Ready or Not. Players control a police officer using tactical skills and detective instincts to solve a confusing case with diverse characters and plot twists, viewed through a photorealistic bodycam perspective.
Conclusion
Tencent’s investment in Drama Studios marks a pivotal moment for Unrecord, transforming what began as a viral sensation built by two bedroom programmers into a properly funded production with resources to deliver on the ambitions that made those 90 million people stop scrolling. Alexandre Spindler and Theo Hiribarne spent years iterating on prototypes before landing on a concept that excited them, and when they shared it with the world in 2023, the response exceeded anything they imagined. Now they have the budget to make it real.
What makes this story fascinating is how completely Unrecord captured attention through pure visual presentation. The bodycam perspective combined with Unreal Engine 5’s photorealistic capabilities created footage so convincing that thousands accused Drama of faking it. The debate about authenticity overshadowed everything else for weeks, proving that sometimes the most effective marketing is just showing something people have never seen before executed so well they can’t believe it’s real. No amount of traditional advertising could replicate the organic virality of millions questioning whether what they’re watching is a game or reality.
The controversy surrounding police representation and bodycam aesthetics won’t disappear with Tencent investment. If anything, the increased resources and global publishing support mean more people will eventually play Unrecord and form opinions about whether Drama Studios handled the subject matter thoughtfully or exploited real-world tragedies for shock value. The studio’s reluctance to reveal narrative details before launch suggests they understand the scrutiny coming and believe the full experience will justify their creative choices, but trust must be earned through execution not promises.
From a business perspective, Tencent backing Drama Studios demonstrates the Chinese corporation’s continued aggressive expansion into Western indie development. Minority stakes let Tencent diversify across hundreds of potential hits without the overhead of full ownership while providing studios financial stability to take creative risks. Whether this consolidation of power ultimately benefits the industry by funding ambitious projects or homogenizes gaming by funneling too much influence through one entity remains the central debate around Tencent’s investment strategy.
For players waiting to actually experience Unrecord beyond viral trailers, the timeline just got significantly longer. Drama Studios explicitly stated they’re avoiding revealing unfinished work and will share updates in 2026 reflecting their true final vision. That phrasing suggests everything shown before now was proof-of-concept material built under severe resource constraints, and what comes next will demonstrate their real capabilities. Realistic expectations point toward 2027 or later for any kind of release, assuming development proceeds smoothly.
The next year will reveal whether Drama Studios can translate viral sensation into compelling full game. Photorealistic graphics captured attention for two minutes of trailer footage, but sustaining that quality and turning the bodycam gimmick into hours of engaging gameplay represents an entirely different challenge. Many viral reveals fail to deliver on initial promise once players get hands-on time with the actual product. Drama has funding, time, and talent now. Whether they have the game design chops to match their technical prowess is the question Tencent just bet millions of dollars on.
One thing seems certain though. When Unrecord finally releases, whenever that happens, millions will be watching. The viral trailer guaranteed that. Tencent’s investment guaranteed the game will actually finish development. Now Drama Studios just needs to prove that what fooled people into thinking they were watching real bodycam footage can sustain interest across an entire single-player campaign. If they succeed, Unrecord could redefine expectations for photorealism in gaming. If they fail, it becomes another cautionary tale about viral marketing exceeding actual game quality. Either way, it’s one of the most fascinating projects to watch over the next few years.