Ubisoft reveals Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles
Launching on Oasys blockchain
Okay so the title doesn’t scan — too many words ending in ‘s’ — but hallelujah Ubisoft has publicly committed to its first blockchain game.
I’m very happy, especially given the ridiculous levels of criticism the company has faced since it highlighted its interest in the technology way back in 2018.
As a reminder, Ubisoft’s first blockchain title was an internal test created by three developers (if I recall correctly) called Hashcraft.
And alongside running its rolling six month innovation incubator program, Ubisoft has since gone on to:
release a charity-based Rabbids NFTs collection for UNICEF,
launch an ill-fated gear NFT collection for web2 game Ghost Recon,
launch a mini-game with Sorare,
invest in web3 games such as Nine Chronicles, Dogami and Cross The Ages,
run validation nodes for the likes of Oasys, Ronin and Mythos, and
also cancel a game that was never formally announced with or without blockchain!
But now it has a game with a formal name and a website, and a Twitter and a Discord.
Being developed to launch on the Oasys blockchain out of Japan, Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles will be a PC-based collection PVP RPG, and that’s pretty much as much as we currently know.
Interestingly, the announcement came from Oasys, not Ubisoft directly — maybe because of the number of people who love to hate Ubisoft — as part of Oasys’ press event within Japan Blockchain Week, which runs for several weeks, and is being pushed by the Japanese government’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Other news arising from the events included Com2uS’ agreement to collaborate with Oasys for the Japanese launch of the web3 elements of Summoners War: Chronicles for which it will bridge its own XPLA blockchain with Oasys.
Double Jump.Tokyo announced its game Battle of Three Kingdoms, which uses Sega’s Sangokushi Taisen IP.
Bandai Namco Research Institute is working with Oasys on a project using the concept of ‘AI lifeform X NFT’
Japanese companies Mixi, DMM.com, Blocksmith&Co, Enish and Digital Entertainment Asset Pte revealed entertainment products which will launch on Oasys in due course; all of which are targeting the domestic market.
Oasys will also release its own wallet. Up-to-this-point, most people have been using the likes of MetaMask or Wallet Connect.
So lots of interesting news coming out of Japan in terms of the Japanese blockchain game scene but the significance news is Ubisoft however indirectly announcing its first blockchain game.
I look forward to hearing more.
This Substack is sponsored by Hiro Capital: investing in the future of gaming
Calendar
Unioverse releases 2nd character Krishah — 30th June
Heroes of Mavia launches mobile beta — 30th June
Mojo Melee launches Season 1 — 6th July
Playmint’s pre-Develop party — 10th July
Netmarble vote on new token burn proposal — 10th July
Arc8 launches League Season 0 via 555 NFTs — 11th July
All Apologies news
Azuki’s OG collection is now under 9 ETH, while the Azuki Elementals are under mint price at 1.5 ETH. The companion Beanz and Beanz Elementals are similarly afflicted. Apologies all around then!
I guess we’ll now see whether Azuki merits its reputation for community gained (or gamed) over the past six months.
Additional Links
My Pet Hooligan is now listed on the Epic Game Store; one of 33 blockchain PC games currently approved, either now live or coming soon.
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