Champions Ascension is a Web3 game that has been on the scene for some time. Created by Jam City (tank fly boss walk jam nitty-gritty — ok, I won’t do that again), this unusual combat-centric project has just launched its 3v3 arena.

As a gamer, I might not be typical — it’s hard to say — but one characteristic of my gaming life is I have to PvP. Whether it’s in an MMO, a shooter, or a sports game, I have to play against other players. Perhaps it’s the product of being an only child, perhaps it’s an unhealthy preoccupation with competition, but it is my lifeblood. Of all the kinds of PvP in gaming, team-based arena sits at the top of the podium, and so this news about Champions Ascension is alluring.

What Is Champions Ascension?

Champions Ascension is a fantasy combat game on Polygon that straddles several genres. There are elements of MOBAs (particularly Smite), and arcade fighters such as Tekken or Soul Calibur, but then large swathes of the game remind me of MMORPGs. Firstly, there is a persistent open world that can be explored, then there is the deep lore, and finally the combat style. It’s also worth mentioning that Champions Ascension has some novel systems that are central to the game, such as breeding champions.

Champions Ascension is currently in Alpha.

Champions Ascension 3v3 Arena Alpha Testing

Champions Ascension 3v3 arena takes the form of fantasy gladiator combat, but with plenty of twists. Unlike the 3v3 arenas you might have seen in MMOs like World of Warcraft, the maps in this game mode have power-ups, traps, and even destructible elements. Healing is done primarily through spawned Life Crystals, though I would like to see more of the holy trinity (damage, tank, healer) roles as it fits nicely with the rock, paper, scissors system that’s already in place.

The combat itself looks linear at first glance in videos and clips, but I assure you, it has a depth of complexity to it. I would recommend browsing the Combat Guide section of their website to get a feel for just how many variables there are.

One little aside that didn’t really fit anywhere else is that the partnership between Polygon and the blockchain gaming platform, Fractal, included Champions Ascension in the announcement. If we can see 3v3 get to a releasable state (and hopefully leaderboards of some description), Fractal could onboard a lot of players into it.

Currently, the alpha is only open to testing when the developers give the nod. It’s closed as I write this but it seems to be up regularly and I believe it might correlate with the team’s Twitch stream schedule. Good luck and I’ll see you in the arena!