When I first unlocked the MP-155 Ultima in Escape From Tarkov back in 2021, I thought it was just another futuristic addition to the gritty arsenal. The shotgun’s sleek lines, the aggressive handguard, and that curious little L-shaped groove on the receiver—it felt distinctive, almost like something out of a sci-fi concept. I assumed it was an original design by the developers at Battlestate Games, or at least a faithful recreation of a real Russian firearm. As a player deeply invested in the game’s weapon authenticity, I was ready to add it to my collection and call it a day. But the real story behind this shotgun is far stranger than any raid I’ve run on Customs. It’s a tale of an indie studio, a stolen weapon design, and the messy intersection of video games and the real-world arms industry—and as of 2026, the controversy hasn’t fully faded.

Let’s rewind to around 2019, when the tiny indie studio Ward B began sharing highly detailed weapon renders for their upcoming game Oceanic. Among their designs was the EPM28 Mastodon, a futuristic pump-action shotgun that looked like it could have been reverse-engineered from an alien freighter. The Mastodon was more than just a game asset—it was a piece of digital art, with every contour and surface detail painstakingly crafted to feel both functional and aesthetically unified. CEO Marcellino Sauceda and his team were rightfully proud of their work, so when they were contacted by a person named Maxim Kuzin, who introduced himself as a “producer of industrial projects” with ties to Kalashnikov Concern, they were thrilled. Imagine the excitement: your imaginary gun could become a real, tangible product, a limited-edition shotgun fired by enthusiasts worldwide. They entered discussions, shared design files, and waited for the collaboration to move forward. But then Kuzin went dark. Weeks passed without a reply, and the studio eventually assumed the deal had fallen through—a common enough disappointment in creative industries.

Fast forward to August 21, 2020. Kalashnikov Concern unveiled the MP-155 Ultima, a modernization kit for the classic MP-155 semiautomatic shotgun. And as soon as images hit the internet, Sauceda’s heart must have sunk. The Ultima looked uncannily like the EPM28 Mastodon. The overall silhouette, the color scheme, the chunky handguard, the way the receiver flowed into the stock—all of it seemed lifted straight from Ward B’s painstaking render. Even more damning: specific ornamental elements, like cutouts and grooves on the receiver, appeared to serve no practical mechanical purpose. They were there purely for aesthetics. And one tiny, L-shaped indentation on the left side of the Ultima’s receiver—a small visual motif Ward B had used across multiple Oceanic weapons as a sort of design signature—was replicated almost exactly. How could such a specific, non-functional detail wind up on a real firearm unless it had been directly copied?

As if the blow of having their design allegedly stolen wasn’t enough, Kalashnikov Concern then licensed the MP-155 Ultima to Battlestate Games, and the weapon found its way into Escape From Tarkov. Suddenly, millions of players like me were using Ward B’s uncredited creation in one of the most popular shooters on the market. The studio attempted to reach Kuzin again, hoping for some sort of explanation. He eventually responded, but his story had changed: he now claimed he had worked with another Russian designer to develop the Ultima completely from scratch. That assertion flew in the face of the visual evidence, but Ward B found themselves in a legal quagmire. An American indie studio taking on a Russian defense conglomerate? The cross-border legal complexities and costs made a formal lawsuit impractical. By 2021, Sauceda had publicly stated that the studio simply wanted to raise awareness—to make sure players and enthusiasts knew where the design had truly originated.

Now, in 2026, Escape From Tarkov has grown immensely, yet the Ultima remains in the game, its design controversy unresolved. I still see it in raids, still notice that L-shaped indent, and I wonder: does the wider community remember, or has it been buried under years of new content? For indie developers, this episode is a sobering parable. When you share your work with potential partners, you might be handing over years of creative labor to a system that can absorb it without credit or compensation. And for players, it’s a reminder that the virtual guns we obsess over sometimes have messy, real-world histories full of intellectual property disputes.

Was it outright theft? The similarities certainly go beyond coincidence. Could Kalashnikov Concern have at least acknowledged Ward B’s influence? That would have cost them nothing and earned goodwill. Instead, we’re left with a situation where a tiny studio’s art is on public display worldwide—on gun store shelves and inside a blockbuster game—with no mention of its origin. As someone who admires both firearms and game design, this story has changed how I look at certain in-game weapons. Every time I pick up the Ultima, I see not a tool of survival, but a stolen piece of imagination, still waiting for the recognition it deserves.

For those who are interested in exploring the intersection of gaming, design, and collectibles, it's worth considering how these industries often overlap in unexpected ways. From in-game replicas of real-world items to unique designs that influence both virtual and physical spaces, there’s a vast ecosystem of creativity at play. Whether you’re a gamer, a collector, or simply someone who appreciates innovation, staying informed about these connections can add a new layer of appreciation to the things you enjoy.

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