Get ready for 'Champions Tactics of Grimoria': Ubisoft's maiden voyage into Web3 gaming

Ubisoft, the powerhouse behind hit franchises like ‘Assassin’s Creed’, ‘Ghost Recon’, ‘The Crew’, ‘Far Cry’, and ‘Prince of Persia’, recently dropped a trailer for its first-ever Blockchain-powered game. Meet ‘Champions Tactics: Grimoria’: a strategic PvP role-playing adventure set to hit PC screens. The game will be released on Oasys, a Blockchain platform that has previously garnered backing from companies like Bandai, Com2uS, and Sega. This move is reminiscent of Square Enix’s approach with ‘Symbiogenesis’ on HyperPlay.

In ‘Champions Tactics’, users can form teams of up to three warriors to take on different groups in exhilarating turn-based battles. Players will need to keenly observe each warrior’s traits (as well as their opponents’ strategies) to craft synergistic combinations and developever more efficient tactics. Recent gameplay preview showcases a variety of champions wielding weapons like axes, daggers, maces, and swords, along with adept magicians.

Nicolás Pouard, Vice President of Ubisoft’s Strategic Innovation Laboratory, a division focused on creating video games using emerging technologies, suggested that the company wanted to explore cryptoasset-based games, but to do so cautiously, without the need for extravagant investments. In Pouard’s words:

“We started development last year on the first real game on blockchain. We felt it was too ambitious to start with a AAA title, so we’re testing the waters with Champions Tactics”.

Pouard revealed that while other Blockchain developers are beginning to build their universes around NFTs, the team behind ‘Champions Tactics Grimoria’ started placing emphasis on different aspects. He clarified that Ubisoft’s motivation for launching its first crypto game isn’t solely financial, but rather about showcasing the company’s ability to deliver top-quality Web3 games.

“We must understand the market and how we launch this kind of game. That’s really what we want to achieve here. We want to give the players the power to populate the game with figurines and understand what it means to own your gaming assets”.

‘Champions Tactics Grimoria’ will allow gamers to craft their own fighting pieces, a key aspect in role-playing games. This feature grants greater control over the gaming experience, fosters creativity, and significantly enhances immersion and enjoyment.

While ‘Champions Tactics’ may be Ubisoft’s debut in Web3 gaming, it’s not their first venture into the sector. Back in 2023, the company teamed up with Integral Reality Labs to craft an NFT collection based on ‘Assassin’s Creed’. This collection allowed users to redeem codes for physical souvenirs: 3D-printed figures inside glass cubes. Each collectible featured a near-field communication (NFC) chip, enabling users to view a digital version of the character using their phones.

Ubisoft hasn’t specified a release date yet, but ‘Champions Tactics’ is expected to debut sometime in 2024. We’re aware that Blockchain-based titles aren’t exactly stealing the spotlight in the gaming world, but our team always encourages users to venture into new experiences. We reckon this advice holds true in gaming, particularly as the industry is grappling with unsustainable growth. With AAA games constantly on the rise, winning users’ favor is becoming increasingly challenging.

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