Grease Monkey Games, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, has announced a partnership with Nissan to include their cars as NFTs in the upcoming Web3 game, Torque Drift 2.

Those who pay close attention to the podcast may know that I’m a lifelong petrolhead. Driving games have been one of my great pleasures since Sega Rally Champions in the 90s, moving on to the likes of Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, and Forza. I have been eagerly awaiting racing games in Web3, but the pickings — even in development — are slim.

One racing game project I have been following is Torque Drift 2, and while there is no gameplay footage yet, you can play Torque Drift (the first) to get a sense of what’s to come. The difference between the first Torque Drift and its sequel is that this second installment is Web3. Developed by Grease Monkey Games, a subsidiary of the omnipresent blockchain gaming titan, Animoca Brands, this title will be embracing blockchain technology.

In a Medium post this week, Grease Monkey Games announced a partnership with Nissan Motor Company for Torque Drift 2. This will mean that not only will the game have officially licensed Nissans, but also NISMO, Infiniti, and Datsun. “The first official Nissan digital collectables will be 5 variants of the 180SX model including the cult-favorite Sil80 and 7 variants of the 370Z model including the 50th Anniversary edition.” This initial selection of cars shows the developers know what both petrolheads and drifters want to see!

“Nissan’s entry to the web3 space with Torque Drift 2 represents one of the most exciting and significant implementations of blockchain and NFT technology by a major global brand to date. This collaborative effort between Grease Monkey Games, Animoca Brands and Nissan will go down as a landmark moment in the NFT and gaming space, and we at Polygon are delighted to provide the infrastructure and tools to make it happen.”

— Urvit Goel, Head of Global Games Business Development at Polygon Studios

This is undoubtedly a flagship partnership and another significant entry into Web3.

What Is Torque Drift 2?

• Collecting NFTs: Earn and collect real-world licensed parts, decals, items, and cars as NFTs.
• Build Your Car: Tune your car, upgrade it with real aftermarket manufacturers’ parts, and customize the visuals with decals and paint jobs.
• Compete: Battle it out against other drifters in open lobbies or structured tournaments.
• Create a Crew: Group up with other drifters to create your own brand, create events, and enter esports tournaments.