Ubisoft's First Blockchain Game Faces Criticism Over NFT Model and Pay-to-Win Concerns
October 30, 2024Champions Tactics features a pricing scheme for its characters that ranges from approximately $7 to $63,000, with Ubisoft taking a six percent royalty on marketplace transactions.
However, the NFT marketplace is flooded with low-value figures, raising concerns about balance and fairness in gameplay.
Critics have raised environmental concerns regarding NFTs, which are digital assets that verify ownership through blockchain technology.
The game's free-to-play model has sparked criticism, particularly regarding pay-to-win mechanics that may give premium players gameplay advantages.
Ubisoft aims to enhance player empowerment and ownership through the integration of blockchain technology, despite skepticism from the gaming community.
Ubisoft has launched its first blockchain game, Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles, which features tactical NFT gameplay and is available on PC as a free-to-start title.
Developed by Ubisoft Paris in collaboration with the Strategic Innovation Lab and Oasys, the game underwent extensive beta testing and community engagement to refine its features.
Francois Bodson, studio director at Ubisoft Paris, describes the game as offering deep strategic gameplay akin to physical trading card games, despite facing criticism for its NFT model.
Players can create teams of three champions, each with unique abilities, to engage in strategic turn-based battles, while also participating in an open marketplace for trading figurines.
The game includes millions of procedurally generated figurines with distinct stats influenced by player choices, enhancing the gameplay experience.
The release of Champions Tactics is viewed as controversial, especially following Ubisoft's decision to disband the team behind the acclaimed Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
This launch follows Ubisoft's previous unsuccessful NFT experiment with Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, which faced backlash and ultimately ceased updates.
Summary based on 14 sources
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Sources
The Verge • Oct 30, 2024
Ubisoft dumps its NFT game on the market to little fanfareGizmodo • Oct 30, 2024
Ubisoft Finally Launches Its NFT Game, Hoping to Capitalize on the Crypto GriftIGN • Oct 29, 2024
Ubisoft Just Quietly Launched a Full-Blown NFT Game - IGN