Gravity Bear, the social game developer recently established by Flagship co-founder Phil Shenk, launched fighting game Battle Punks on Facebook with an open beta, describing its debut title as "the first 3D game of its kind for social networks".

Battle Punks uses a 3D engine to render both character and environments, offering a visual experience that stands out from the typical 2D games that populate the social space. Unfortunately, the new technology employed in the game has made it so Battle Punks is only supported on Windows systems, so Mac users can't join the open beta just yet.

In Battle Punks, players create customizable avatars, then duel their friends and others online in virtual towns, forests, and swamps. They can win new weapons, spells, experience, and treasure, and later equip their characters with those items before each match, picking the best weapons for different battles.

Shenk formed Gravity Bear in late 2008, enlisting Flagship's (Hellgate: London) former senior software engineer Kevin Klemmick as technical director for the studio. Prior to Gravity Bear and Glagship, Shenk served as lead character artist on Diablo II and as art director on its expansion Diablo II: Lord of Destruction at Blizzard North.

Shenk commented on his new studio's social gaming focus last October: "Gravity Bear was formed with the singular aim of creating games that reconnect people to the core of gaming. Our commitment is to bring the caliber of social gaming experiences players want -- as they want them – which means delivering new kinds of excitement and fun that blend the latest in modern game design with fresh technology."