Brothers Dan Reynolds, lead singer of Imagine Dragons, and Mac Reynolds, the band’s manager, have long dreamed of creating video games. Their first project, the hero shooter Last Flag, launches soon with a focus on capture-the-flag action.
From Music to Game Development
The Reynolds brothers pursued game development before their music careers took off. “Mac and I have always dreamed about making a game studio as far back as I can remember,” Dan Reynolds stated.
During the pandemic, Dan began learning Unity and sketched ideas with gory character designs paired to original songs—one for each hero. The team later toned down the violence for a style reminiscent of Team Fortress 2. Initially a solo effort, they formed Night Street Games and assembled a full team.
Dan favors League of Legends, while Mac prefers shooters, but both agreed on capture the flag as the core mode from the outset.
Innovative Capture-the-Flag Mechanics
Last Flag emphasizes pure CTF gameplay, skipping extraction, battle royale, or deathmatch modes. Each team hides their flag manually during a setup phase, tucking it into map nooks on their side. Matches begin with players scouting enemy territory for the flag or capturing central towers that reveal location clues over time.
“The mechanic of being able to hide the flag, versus your flag is always in this set position, is really at the core of what Last Flag is,” Dan explained. “To give this element that captures the feeling that I had growing up in school yard P.E., hiding your flag, or in scout camp in the woods.”
Mac added, “I think that you’re always limited in how far you can take a concept when it’s the sideshow to your main event. Our commitment is to say no, there is something worthy of a real game here, and it requires everything from the game mechanics to the level design to the heroes and their abilities—everything from the ground up has to be built to support capture the flag.”
Retro Soundtrack Highlights
The ’70s-themed soundtrack features Dan’s musical contributions and production by multi-instrumentalist JT Daly. Daly records game-show-inspired tracks, switching between drums, bass, saxophone, and more. The game maintains a distinct audio identity tied to its heroes.
Hands-On Impressions and Launch
Early playtests reveal engaging rounds with strategic depth. Hiding flags beyond obvious backline spots can outsmart opponents, setting up mind games in competitive play.
Last Flag launches April 14 on Steam and Epic Games Store for $15, discounted to $12 through April 22. A summer update plan follows shortly after release.
