Beauty and Blockchain

Project Quantum is a first-person shooter with about as ambitious visual intentions as one can have, particularly without the backing of a publishing goliath. The game is built in Unreal Engine 5, which itself has received a lot of press since its release for photorealism. The trailer is the only in-game footage we have so far, and that is Project Quantum in its foetal state, but it’s undoubtedly endearing.

Play to Earn Mechanics

While Project Quantum’s Play to Earn (P2E) mechanics aren’t fully known yet, we have some indication on how it works. Much of the gameplay premise is to drop into a map — either alone or in a squad — and then fight players and NPCs for equipment, and mine for resources. You then have to extract before you die and lose it all. This PvP/PvE looter-shooter concept is tried and tested, and can lead to adrenaline-fueled gameplay. If what you are looting is all on the blockchain and can be sold, that element is improved exponentially.

Project Quantum already has its own token, $QBIT (BEP-20) on the Binance Smartchain. Quantum Works will take 10% as tax on all buy, sell, and move transactions. Then, “3.5% is swapped and liquidated to BNB. 3.5% is injected back into the game economy in the form of in-game rewards, item value, competition prizes. 3% is given back to all the players and holders of QBIT.”

What has won Quantum Works a lot of points for me is that they are building their own plugin for Unreal Engine to have the game interact with the blockchain. They will then make this plugin available to other developers to aid in the rise of AAA games using blockchain.

Visuals and Gameplay

I’m going to start in reverse order as I want to discuss the lack of gameplay footage. I wouldn’t typically cover a game in this early a stage, but given the project’s scope and the interest it’s generated, I felt it deserved our attention. As a result, all I can speak of with regards to gameplay is on intention and reiterate what I said above. Dropping into a map, looting, and getting out before you die, all while holding NFTs worth money, has the potential to be exhilarating in ways we haven’t seen outside of eSports tournaments.

The graphics engine is Unreal Engine 5, and the ceiling of that, is essentially the ceiling of gaming graphics. In-game footage is still sparse, but even the pre-alpha looks far and a way above what we’re used to in blockchain gaming currently.

Team

The team behind a blockchain gaming project is one of the key areas of interest for me and often dictates whether I will cover the game at all. Project Quantum is far above the average on this front, with a sizeable team and no pseudonyms.

The weakest link in terms of relevant experience is the founder and CEO of Quantum Studios, Fraser Gordon. He appears to have never worked in gaming or crypto before, but this shouldn’t put anyone off; he’s clearly had success in other fields and has made himself fully accountable for this project.

The rest of the team is a mixture of experience and success, with highlights being a BAFTA-winning writer/director and a AAA-experienced Art Director. While it might not be an all-star team, it’s certainly far stronger than most blockchain game development teams and each person is working under their real names which inspires confidence in this sector.

Communication and Transparency

The two fundamental indicators of a project’s trustworthiness are communication and transparency. On the communication front, Quantum Works is decent across social media, their website, and Discord. They aren’t leading the way in interactions with their community, but they’re not lackluster either.

I have touched on the transparency of the project already by pointing out the team is not using pseudonyms. I looked up each of the senior people working on Project Quantum and could find them and their rough histories with ease. As for their intentions for their project and $QBIT, it’s generally good.

Key Takeaways

Genre: FPS

Price: Free-to-Play

Blockchain: Binance Smart Chain (BSC)

Play to Earn: Yes (Also F2E — Free to Earn)

Token: $QBIT

Release Date: 2024

Final Thoughts

Project Quantum is one of the very few work-in-progress titles that aims at what I see as the holy grail of blockchain gaming: a game that players would want to play whether it had blockchain or not.

I dearly hope for the success of this development and I will be following its progress closely, but I do have my reservations. The studio creating Project Quantum is brand new and of varying experience levels in the industry. While this is offset by the members using their real names, it is still one hell of a mountain to scale on what is essentially these climbers’ first expedition. Many projects with similar ambitions in this space have seen the wheels come off; I hope that doesn’t occur here.

Despite these considerations, what we have so far is impressive and professionally put together. The sky-high aim of the project does appear to be properly supported with infrastructure and a suitable budget, though these assumptions are largely guesswork based on the team size, talent, and quality of what we have access to so far. In addition to this, as a small aside, they have set a realistic release date which is irritatingly uncommon in our sector. Too often we’re told two indie devs have started building a complete metaverse with beta coming next week.

As it stands, Project Quantum is one of the most exciting blockchain games in development with the potential to be a historic marker in the evolution of blockchain in gaming. The notion of high risk as you loot NFTs and have to escape without dying is one I would expect to be a staple in gaming a decade from now. Perhaps Project Quantum will pave the way in that regard. Whether that potential can be realized is currently unknowable, but we can hope, and hope we will.

Project Quantum Links: Website – Discord – Twitter

Want to know about other blockchain games? Stay ahead of the curve with Token Gamer’s Blockchain Gaming Watch series.

The post What Is Project Quantum? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.

Big Time isn’t another browser Play to Earn game; it is a game I would show genuine interest in even if it didn’t use blockchain technology. That is — as our regular readers will know — my benchmark for the future of gaming in our young sector.

One of the Most Promising Projects in Development

The blockchain gaming space has become busy quickly, but many projects are solo developers creating simple gameplay loops that are Play to Earn. Big Time is in a different universe to those, instead aiming at a AAA gaming experience with blockchain as a feature, as opposed to its lifeblood and sole attraction.

While I have some reservations, I’m excited to see Big Time’s growth and believe it has the potential to be the best game in the blockchain space, in terms of traditional gameplay metrics.

Blockchain Integration

This is where things get a little tricky to unpack. Big Time appears to be, for all intents and purposes, a centralized decentralized game. It is going to be built with Ethereum, which causes a knee-jerk reaction in us blockchain gamers. We all know that the combination of transaction speeds and high gas fees mean it is not well optimized for gaming. Though this hasn’t yet been explicitly stated by anyone at Big Time, there are sidechain and parachain options to overcome these drawbacks with Ethereum.

However, it appears that much of Big Time will be off-chain. This is so that the on-ramp is easier for non-crypto gamers and they can avoid transaction fees in the in-game marketplace. I’m not sure what to make of this quite yet as I need more information, it really could go either way. The same can be said of the economy.

Play to Earn Mechanics

There is surprisingly little information on the blockchain side of the game; even finding which chain the NFTs were on took some digging. The FAQ on the official Discord is the best resource I could find, though many of the answers are on the vague side for the moment.

Big Time will be Play to Earn (P2E), but it’s a little unclear exactly how. There will not be a token and much of the game will exist off-chain. However, to the question of “How can we earn from Big Time?”, a representative of the studio listed ordinary RPG gameplay events. The economy, however, is far more unusual.

The NFTs in Big Time are cosmetic only as they do not want a Play to Win game. This is admirable and great for the gameplay, but does lower the ceiling of how much you can earn in-game, unless other currency-generating mechanics are implemented. However, I want to share the most surprising answer which was to the question, “What can I do with my cosmetic NFTs?”:

“Players can then sell, buy, lend or gift them to others via Big Time’s marketplace for fiat or crypto (USDC, BTC, ETH, and more). Big Time will provide hosted wallets and custody (NFTs) assets and as a result, don’t have to pay much on fees like you would if you were minting NFTs. You do NOT need to know about crypto to play.”

Visuals and Gameplay

There isn’t a great deal of in-game footage yet as it is still early days. However, from a mixture of the only available trailer (embedded at the top of this article) and their Twitter (embedded above), you can get a feel for what’s to come. The art style is attractive and coherent throughout, the gameplay appears smooth and reactive, and it’s an impressive start overall. There are some similarities with Wildstar for any MMORPG fans who played that some years ago, at least with regards to visuals.

One interesting and recent addition is Time Machines and SPACE. This seems to be essentially player and guild housing, though limited edition NFT Time Machines are going to be available, and some rewards from SPACE are NFTs too, so blockchain will have a role to play here.

Team

The team is the project’s tour de force and to date, the most experienced and impressive assembling of talent behind any blockchain game I have seen. The CEO, Ari Meilich was a founder at Decentraland, and somehow, he has the least impressive CV on the roster. I’m just going to list some of the games the Big Time Studios team have worked on: Fortnite, Gears of War, Medal of Honor, God of War, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Overwatch 2, League of Legends, and several more.

Big Time is indie insofar as it’s a new studio without a publisher, but it’s about as an established and artisan group of people as you’re likely to see outside of major, mainstream projects. I have always been a firm believer in investing in people, not companies, and on that charge, Big Time has my full attention.

Communication and Transparency

Communication and transparency are central to any blockchain project to me and Big Time Studios rank above average. They have a lot of information available and the sheer volume of blog posts, Tweets, Discord announcements, and so on, is comforting.

My only hesitation is the lack of clarity in some areas. I’m convinced this is more through a lack of concrete plans on the developers’ part rather than anything sinister. This is a complex project and I wouldn’t expect any team to have everything ironed out while still in an early alpha build. As far as I can tell, the roadmap hasn’t even been finalized yet, so my reaction to Big Time Studios’ communication and transparency is positive.

Key Takeaways

Genre: 3rd Person Action RPG

Price: Free to Play, or $199 to $799 for Early Access.

Blockchain: Ethereum (ETH)

Play To Earn: Yes

Token: N/A

Release Date: Early Access 2022

Final Thoughts (TL;DR)

• Big Time is a promising game being built by a great team and sits high up my list of blockchain games I’m chomping at the bit to play.
• The graphics and aesthetic are pleasing and of a high standard, and the gameplay appears smooth with depth.
• In-game player and guild housing looks to be a superb addition.
• I am a touch disappointed with blockchain’s integration in that they have opted for Ethereum, then moved much of the game off-chain to overcome the problems of Ethereum.
• Free to Play feels generous given the scope of the game and the talent behind it.
• Conversely, $199 to $799 for Early Access is frankly offensive.
• Early Access in 2022 feels too soon to achieve any finished product, but this team could well prove me wrong.
• Big Time is one of the most promising blockchain games currently in development.

Big Time Links: Website – Discord – Twitter – Telegram – Twitch

Want to know about other blockchain games? Stay ahead of the curve with Token Gamer’s Blockchain Gaming Watch series.

The post What Is Big Time? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.

I have been outwardly critical of the lack of ambition of much of the blockchain gaming scene and inwardly disappointed with the pace. That is, I think many blockchain games have the primary objective of making themselves a lot of money by using crypto, rather than seeing blockchain technology as a brilliant tool for creating a better experience for gamers. While that is to be expected, I want to see projects of more gaming substance, and any that appear to have that is worthy of my time spent investigating them. While I have some familiar, cautious reservations, Mist is full of promise.

A Play To Earn RPG With Depth

The format of Mist is what you would expect, more or less. It is open-world, there are 5 classes (Crusader, Enchanter, Ranger, Shapeshifter, and Witch Hunter), and there are both PvE and PvP elements in the game. The NFT integration appears to be more than just cosmetic, with everything from epic weapons to pets and mounts. That is to say, they are truly functional NFTs with utility, and you know how much I want to see more of that. As is in vogue with blockchain gaming (and rightly so), Mist has its own token, $MIST, which acts as the in-game currency, but by being a token, means the game is Play to Earn (P2E) too.

Play To Earn Mechanics

Mist’s token can be obtained through killing monsters, completing quests, and buying it on an exchange to send to your character, to name a few. However, what’s more interesting is the implementation of farming and staking. By buying in-game farm real estate, you appear to be able to earn passive income of $MIST through it, as well as farming outside of the game. Similarly, you can stake your tokens inside the game through buying in-game businesses, as well as staking outside of the game. The staking and farming outside of the game can be done through the Mist website or with their partners.

Visuals and Gameplay

The graphics are akin to a modern LEGO game and generally fine. They aren’t going to set the world alight (although I must say the particle effects are some way above average), it has an art style and it’s coherent and attractive. The gameplay is the first of my reservations, but primarily borne of a lack of available content for me to assess. With an ARPG or MMORPG (Mist developers refer to the game as both interchangeably) a lot of the game’s success is likely tied up in the fluidity and impact of movement, abilities, and animations. The first video I saw of in-game footage was disappointing as it looked sluggish and clunky, but other videos looked smooth and reactive, so that first video may have been a poor judgment call as a showcase.

Communication and Transparency

One area of blockchain game development — or really any game development — that has become more important to me of late is how well they communicate and how transparent they are. That is, how regularly they post news and interact with their playerbase (potential or otherwise) and how secretive they are about details and answers to difficult questions. For the most part, Mist’s team do well, with their Medium page offering regular updates and news, and their FAQ section is fairly thorough.

Mist’s development team fall short of a perfect score on two fronts, however. The first issue is that they have all chosen to remain anonymous. While I fully appreciate the desire to stay anonymous (there have been times where I wish I had!), the lack of accountability should the project fail makes me a touch uncomfortable, regardless of how unlikely that seems currently. The second issue is less important to me, but the devs do not interact very often with their players. I don’t consider this much of a deterrent presently because they do communicate in other ways and even get their community to name spells. However, upon release, I’d like to see that ramped up a little.

Key Takeaways

Genre: ARPG/MMORPG

Blockchain: Binance Smart Chain (BSC)

Play To Earn: Yes

Token: $MIST

Release Date: Closed Beta starting Q3 2021

Final Thoughts

All in all, Mist is a promising game, not lacking in ambition. There appears to be a sizable team behind the project and it has all the necessary components of a successful blockchain game. One positive that didn’t fit well anywhere else in this preview is that they are a Steamworks Partner, which means the game is on Steam, but also that the game would have had to go through at least some sort of vetting process. Games on Steam typically overplay how much vetting goes on and I can name myriad projects that were borderline scams, but it does go a way to legitimizing Mist.

I of course cannot fully endorse a game I have never played and I hope to try the beta to report back with more information, but everything you could want from a blockchain game at the moment is there. The P2E elements are fully fleshed out, the NFT integration isn’t merely superficial, and the popular mechanics of passively earning from staking are present too. It isn’t a groundbreaking AAA product, but for an indie team, it’s impressive both in terms of aesthetic and seemingly in gameplay. So, with that in mind, I would say it’s definitely a game to watch.

Wishlist the game on Steam.

Visit the Mist website.

Want to know about other blockchain games? Stay ahead of the curve with Token Gamer’s Blockchain Gaming Watch series.

The post What Is Mist? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.

Stormrite is an open-world action RPG with a dark, fantasy-medieval setting with Enjin NFT integration through the gas-free JumpNet blockchain. Before I dive into the details of the game, let me take you on the dizzying voyage of my first impressions.

Stormrite Integrates Enjin-based NFTs

When I heard another game has joined Enjin’s ecosystem, I was pleased. Enjin has been (rightly) more vigilant with the games they promote, and so it was more likely this would be a project of substance and legs. Then, I looked at the project and saw it is a Kickstarter game, which took the wind from my sails. I have backed many crowdfunded games, but it’s typically a cesspit with some gems that buck the trend. Then I watched some of the trailers and gameplay footage of Stormrite and like Abe Simpson, turned my 180-degree turn into a 360-degree turn and read on. The graphics were at the upper reaches of indie and the lower tiers of triple-A, and the gameplay looked smooth and rewarding. So, I was back to enthusiastic until I saw the goal to have this attractive RPG made was just £20,000 (about $28,000). What sort of team could do anything substantial with that budget? And here we reach the final dizzying turn: it’s clearly a passion project and nothing resembling a Kickstarter cash-grab. I can only presume Kelechi Apakama and his three colleagues merely wanted the bare minimum to make Stormrite happen.

Now, the interest for us who believe blockchain is going to revolutionize the gaming industry is that Stormrite has been announced as part of Enjin’s blockchain. While I yearn for games north of the Flash-style browser games that dominate the Dapp charts, I admit I have some reservations about Stormrite on this front. The Kickstarter has no mention of NFTs, blockchain, or Enjin, and for now, at least, the game will only use NFTs in a cosmetic capacity, and thus only loosely giving these NFTs utility. However, beggars can’t be choosers. This does look to be a promising game and it will have NFTs in it that sync with the Enjin wallet and can be traded in the marketplace. My unreserved support for Stormrite as a blockchain game hinges on whether the NFTs can drop inside the game, or if they are only bought outside and taken in, but either way, Stormrite is another step forward.

The Kickstarter has completed and doubled its timid goal, reaching £41,117 over 583 backers. This could play a key role in the future success of the game and bringing Apakama’s impeccable vision to life. The aesthetic, the combat, the storyline — they’re all deliciously cohesive, luring in the RPG-fan in me. I would be shocked to learn that the team isn’t long-standing fans of The Elder Scrolls series as well as Brandon Sanderson. The progression system in the game sees you specialize between the usual triad of warrior, ranger, and mage, but there appears to be enough variety in playstyle and character customization to give the game the scope for lasting enjoyment.

Final Thoughts

Stormrite certainly does not lack promise, offering graphics, animations, and a seemingly high level of polish I can’t quite explain given the small team and budget, but that in itself is a positive. If a team this talented starts having their palms laced with silver from both RPG fans and blockchain and NFT enthusiasts alike, we could see the birth of a brilliant game and a crucial member of the Enjin ecosystem. The role NFTs play — by which I mean their quantity, prevalance, and source (that is, not just bought) — is still unknown and while I have no contentions with cosmetic-only, I do hope they are more than a tacked-on afterthought for a new revenue stream. If they are, then Stormrite is exactly the sort of game blockchain needs and a boon for Enjin.

The post What Is Stormrite? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.

For some reason, blockchain games are often tricky to learn about. If I want a quick overview of what’s in one of the games in development that utilizes blockchain, I usually have to piece together chunks of information, which is why I created this series in the first place; a one-stop overview so you can quickly gauge whether it’s a game for you or not. However, Space Misfits has managed to really take the burying of information to new levels. The website contains almost no concrete information on what the game is — not even an elevator pitch — and to learn about the game you’re redirected to their Wiki. The Atacama Desert has more sustenance to it than their Wiki, so I had to go deeper. Fortunately for them and you, I have a background in research and writing, so I’ll do it for you. I’ll say this before we start though: do not let the lack of easily accessible information on this game put you off!

Space Mistfits is a sci-fi MMORPG in an open world sandbox with a fully-fledged in-game economy. The developers, Jade Stems Studio LLC, were founded in 2019 and their primary objective appears to be creating a true MMO on Enjin’s blockchain. With asset ownership, Space Misfits aims to enable and encourage player transactions in and outside of the game. Samuel Stebbins, CEO and Founder of Jade Stems Studios, said, “This is a diametric deviation from current models that prohibit player to player transactions and create third party black market sites that get players banned from games. The consequence of this has created third party black market websites with estimated $3B in transactions.”

The game itself takes place as both a third-person style RPG, as well as spaceship command, adding more varied gameplay. From what I have seen so far, there appear to be influences from games like Eve Online, Planetside 2, and No Man’s Sky. There is confirmed PvE and PvP elements to the game, with a 1v1 arena recently implemented. One interesting development in January of this year was that the flight combat has been made more difficult with the removal of aim assist and now you need to manually track the enemy ships, similar to flying in games like Battlefield. This raises the skill ceiling significantly. They also claim to be looking into creating PvP tournaments with rewards for the winners in the form of NFTs. The PvE side of the game, other than industrial with blueprints and crafting, is a bit of a mystery to me until I get into the game and test it out.

The art style of the game is a sort of neon, cell-shaded aesthetic but as you can see from the trailer, it is beautiful. The atmosphere and colors on planets create a cinematic experience, and the graphics during flight feel closer to the traditional space shooters of yesteryear; a pleasing blend.

Other than the visuals and atmosphere, what impresses me the most about Space Misfits is how blockchain and NFTs are being integrated. It looks to be seamless so far, rather than tacked on as an afterthought which is common in many early access blockchain games. You are currently able to gather materials and craft NFTs if I am not mistaken, which is certainly ahead of the curve, and goes a way to explaining how you can play and earn. You are also able to buy blueprints, avatars, ships, and so on through their shop which accepts dollars, but delivers to your Enjin wallet as an NFT.

Overall, it’s one of the most promising blockchain games on the horizon. There’s a lack of marketing and information on the game, but that appears to be due to how much effort they’re putting into the game itself, which is difficult not to respect. I am looking forward to doing a fully-fledged preview of this game when I get access.

To learn more about Space Misfits you can visit their website by clicking here.

The post What Is Space Misfits? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.

Lost Relics is an action-adventure RPG similar to Diablo or Path of Exile. It was made using Unity and has loot that is backed by Enjin’s blockchain. Despite being in early access and still under “heavy development”, there are a lot of reasons to play it. Firstly, it’s free to play and you can play right now. Secondly, it has Enjin wallet integration already set up, so you can earn items and own them. Thirdly, there are around 15,000 monthly players or more, which is highly impressive for an early access, indie game!

There is a lot of content you can watch, showing proper gameplay, but one of the best I found was this beginner’s guide:

This is another game that I have tried and I’ve got to say, I was impressed. I will put together a more comprehensive preview in the near future, but I’ll offer some brief insight here. The game plays exactly how this genre is meant to; it’s reactive, it’s smooth, and it’s difficult. The latter might seem unappealing to many, but the hardcore RPG gamers will appreciate that. The in game chat was incredibly active with advice and questions, which was strangely comforting. There is also risk, which like difficulty, is appealing to us veteran gamers. That is, your virtual items (not your blockchain backed items) can be lost if you die while out in the world or in a dungeon.

Though they really drill home that the game is early access, it is far and away above most blockchain games you can play at the moment. I haven’t progressed far enough to see where the boundaries are yet and so I can’t tell how limited the scope of the early access client is. From what I have been told from other people though, it isn’t overly restrictive. There are only two downsides to the game that I could find, one was not their fault, and the other was understandable.

The first (that isn’t their fault) is the transfer fees for sending items to your wallet or other players and processing transactions with Ether. Until Jumpnet lands, these sort of expensive transaction fees are par for the course, but they do heavily detract from actual trading at the moment.

The second issue (that I empathize with) is the game isn’t strictly “free to play”, but rather using a freemium business model. That is, while you can play for free, paying for a membership yields a lot of rewards. Below are the benefits:

As I say, this is fully understandable. They’re building a popular and engaging game and that warrants financial reward. You can choose not to spend a penny if you wish, but if you’re enjoying the game, it’s more than worthwhile. The membership is bought through Power Pendants — an in-game item — and is $24.26 USD (as of 20th March 2021) for 30 days, with options to buy 1 day, 7 days, and 90 days, with the larger the duration, the more you save. It’s also worth noting that you can buy these pendants at the in-game marketplace (Royal Emporium) for in-game currency. This means, if you’re proficient at grinding gold, you could have a membership and still technically be playing a free-to-play game.

Lost Relics is without a doubt one of the best blockchain games you can play right now, and this preview hasn’t covered even half of the exciting features this game has to offer (if I were to mention one more, it would be their leaderboards). There is also a lot of content in development, including up to 4 player co-op PvE and PvP. If you enjoy games like Diablo and Path of Exile, it might be worth getting in on Lost Relics before the crowds.

The post What Is Lost Relics? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.

There are two 3D, PvP blockchain games on the horizon with vaguely similar starting points, but distinct final content. The first is a favorite here: 9Lives Arena. The second is HodlGod which is opening its beta up to all in the next week. HodlGod (a name, incidentally, we just don’t love), is described as 3D PvP, Battle Royale game in a fantasy setting, utilizing blockchain decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFTs; it is being built on the WAX blockchain. It is also play-to-earn — a popular addition to blockchain games currently.

The game itself is in many ways reminiscent of old deathmatch shooters like Unreal Tournament, but in a third-person point of view and with a stronger focus on close combat and fantasy weapons. In my time researching HodlGod, including downloading the client to jump into the test area, I found myself equal parts excited and curious. The two game modes we will see in this coming beta are Arena Mode and Purgatory Mode. Arena mode is a closed map (that is, not open-world) and where 10 players will fight to the death in a last-man-standing match. It’s described as similar to World of Warcraft’s arena (presumably only insofar as you’re in an arena with other players) and matches will last around five minutes.

Purgatory Mode is open-world with four stages, played in teams of two. This game mode is play-to-earn, costs $1 (USD) to enter and you can earn up to 1000x that initial investment. You can cash out your earnings at safe points during the game and the total duration is likely to be four or five hours. You can “pause the game and come back” much later if you wish though. Exactly how this game mode works is a bit of a mystery until you jump in. You’re in a PvE open-world map, battling through four stages, but there are PvP opponents as well. Presumably, these are the other teams of two. At the end of each stage, a “Trial” takes place which is purely PvP, with a two on two in an arena. This is refereed by a team of three human referees making sure that nothing untoward happens. I’m not entirely sure how that’s implemented, but referees will earn as they judge matches and there’s a matchmaking system for the reputations of these referees.

The game is certainly promising in two regards: graphics (the Unreal Engine has games looking superb right out of the box) and the game design. The implementation of both the mechanics and the systems will cast the deciding vote on HodlGod’s success, I suspect, but I will undoubtedly be logging in day one of the open beta. The game is free-to-play currently with purchases being for “packs”, though they adamantly state it is not pay-to-win.

The post What Is HodlGod? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.

Age of Rust is a dark, sci-fi FPS, centered around action and adventure. You will explore abandoned space stations, caverns, and ruins in faraway worlds spanning over 250,000 km². You are a famed cipher-hackers in the 22nd century and were stored away for the future. With the universe plunged into chaos and AI in control, you’re brought back to solve myriad problems. This single-player game has triple-A looks, but most interesting to us, it utilizes blockchain assets and currencies, meaning the treasures you uncover in far corners of the universe are yours to own.

Age of Rust has been in the making since 2014 — long before the boom of cryptocurrencies — and the developers, SpacePirate Games, have announced that the beta will go live on Steam on March 19th 2021 for the price of $14.99. The game will be split into three seasons, with season one boasting approximately 40 hours of gameplay. Each season will be filled with easter eggs, bounties, and puzzles to be solved that will yield blockchain-backed items that you own.

The post What Is Age of Rust? Blockchain Gaming Watch appeared first on Token Gamer.