French video game firm Ubisoft, known for the Assassin’s Creed series, is stepping into the blockchain gaming space with the launch of its first game featuring tradeable digital assets called “Champions Tactics.”
The wait is almost over!
We’re excited to announce the official launch date for Champions Tactics: October 23rd!
Mark your calendars and get ready to
Craft your Legend! ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/HfhQq04PZg— Champions Tactics (@ChampionsVerse) October 10, 2024
Ubisoft announced that the game will be available for PC users starting October 23. The game is a role-playing title where players can collect and assemble teams of fantasy-themed characters reminiscent of Dungeon & Dragons to compete against each other.
Ubisoft Moves Into Blockchain Gaming
According to Ubisoft, the game will revolve around a limited collection of 75,000 digital collectibles, referred to as “Champions,” which will serve as the game’s core NFTs. The release marks the company’s latest move into blockchain gaming, following an earlier and controversial foray in 2021.
The launch of “Champions Tactics” coincides with a broader trend in the gaming industry, where more blockchain-based titles are emerging. Recent examples include simpler, Telegram-based clicker games like Hamster Kombat and Notcoin, which have attracted large audiences through token reward systems.
Meanwhile, more complex projects targeting mainstream gamers are also entering the market. One such title is “Off the Grid,” a battle royale game by Gunzilla Games, which launched in early access this week on PlayStation and PC. The game, styled similarly to Fortnite, allows players to trade NFTs and will soon be available on Xbox.
NFT Mint Generates Over $8M
Ubisoft’s entry into the blockchain space has already seen some early success. The video game firm remarked that its July’s “Champions” NFT mint sold out within minutes.
𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘
Warlords, the moment you've been waiting for is here!As a holder, claim your Champions here: https://t.co/sW55Xkyfrk
CRAFT YOUR LEGEND! pic.twitter.com/oNBeNVvcyh
— Champions Tactics (@ChampionsVerse) July 15, 2024
In addition, its “Warlords” NFT mint, which took place last year, saw over $8 million in trading volume, per OpenSea’s data. The Mint was a notable event in the NFT space, generating massive community interest and topping OpenSea’s charts with more than 12,000 transactions.
Out of 75,000 Champions NFTs, 50,000 were allocated specifically for Warlords holders, who already own the earlier collectibles. These Warlords also serve as profile picture NFTs within the broader Ubisoft ecosystem. However, the firm noted that players who wish to try “Champions Tactics” won’t need to own these NFTs or have a crypto wallet to get started.
The game leverages a blockchain framework called the HOME Verse, which operates as a Layer-2 network under the Oasys gaming ecosystem. Oasys, designed specifically for gaming, offers both Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions, with Sega and Ubisoft serving as its validators.