Ubisoft has released its first-ever blockchain game, the NFT tactical combat game Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles.
The company announced the game last June after years of work on the blockchain, but has only now quietly launched it.
The game is on PC and free to start, although players can purchase figurines to fight with using either in-game gold or cryptocurrency. These figurines are NFTs and can be purchased on the in-game marketplace for between $7 and $64,000 (nearly £50,000).
It seems possible to play the game without purchasing figurines, although those willing to pay exorbitant prices will surely have more success in battles.
The battles themselves take place turn-based against other players with squads of three figures.
François Bodson, studio director at Ubisoft Paris, told IGN that the game “offers deep strategic gameplay with unique game assets and several exciting innovations”, comparing it to a physical trading card game.
Here’s the statement in full: “The Ubisoft Paris studio team developing Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles partnered with Ubisoft’s Strategic Innovation Lab and Oasys to ensure our use of blockchain was intended to delivering new and innovative gaming experiences to our players Our common goal is to explore new ways to play while providing more value to players, based on empowerment and ownership. Champions Tactics offers deep strategic gameplay. featuring unique gameplay assets and several exciting innovations These include millions of procedurally generated figurines, each with distinct stats, assets shaped directly by player choices, and an open marketplace for players to. compose their teams on a peer-to-peer basis – much like a physical trading card game For months, we have collaborated closely with our community through events and betas. phases to create and refine Champions Tactics. We’re excited to continue expanding and improving the experience together.
Ubisoft has not commented on the game’s adults-only rating, likely due to its blockchain base and use of cryptocurrency.
In December 2021, Ubisoft launched its own NFT platform called Quartz, with Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint as the first game to offer a beta trial. He didn’t fare well, appearing to have initially sold only 15 NFTs.
Yet Ubisoft’s NFT bosses said in a later interview that players “just don’t get it.”
So it’s interesting that Ubisoft released this project anyway, given that other developers have slowly backtracked on their enthusiasm for cryptocurrency.
This includes EA boss Andrew Wilson after describing NFTs as “an important part of… the future of our industry”.
“I believe the collection will continue to be an important part of our industry and the games and experiences we provide to our players,” he later said during a February 2022 earnings conference call.
“Is this part of the NFT and the blockchain? Well, that remains to be seen. And I think the way we think about it is we want to provide the best player experience possible. And so we’re going to – “We’ll evaluate that over time, but right now it’s not something we’re attracting.”
