Mario Bautista
‘Off the Grid’, a battle royale shooter, first came out as early access but quickly became one of the top-grossing free-to-play blockchain games on the Epic Games Store but there are many new things one should know about.
The game takes a center approach to blockchain gaming first, bringing premium gameplay over incentivized token mechanics. Integrating blockchain into the game will complement the game and not be the main attraction.
Minting in-game assets such as weapons and skins as NFTs on Avalanche’s AVAX subnet GUNZ ensures players’ ownership of those assets. This allows them to participate in secondary markets, making the items not only valuable inside the game but also tradable.
‘Off the Grid’ – What is It All About?
‘Off the Grid’ uses blockchain technology through an Avalanche AVAX subnet called GUNZ, which would create an independent blockchain ecosystem for minting NFTs representing in-game items such as weapons and skins. Since the Epic announced the game, AVAX price grew by more than 9% in a week.
Developed by Gunzilla Games and built on the Avalanche blockchain, this game blends a more old-school take on battle royale with blockchain, offering something different and grabbing the attention of both gamers and the crypto community.
Since it was minted on-chain, the game gave players ownership of these items in return. This would, in turn, create a way for trading in secondary markets. This adds value and ownership beyond standard in-game purchases. This is because assets are transferable and can be profitable for the owners.
That is a big deal, as the game is an AAA title – the blockbuster equivalent of movies within gaming. This also represents a pivot from the current model Web3 gaming. Other games were usually focusing more on token rewards than the actual gameplay.
Traditional blockchain games have been under the wrong name for giving rewards that convince people to start playing but only for the rewards, thus seeing a sharp drop in user count shortly after the airdrop. At the same time, ‘Off the Grid’ places its sound gaming experience first and foremost, while blockchain features support the ecosystem, not drive it.
Blockchain Gaming to Focus on Gameplay, Not Tokens
The design choice also reflects industry leaders’ calls for blockchain games to focus on an engaging gameplay experience, leveraging tokenization to enhance gameplay rather than as a primary driver. However, tangles in joining crypto wallets, for instance, are yet to be overcome for increased blockchain game adoption.
In fact, a survey conducted by Elympics, the Blockchain Game Alliance, and PlayToEarn revealed that over 10% of surveyed individuals have never tried blockchain gaming, which may suggest that smoothing user onboarding is probably key to the growth of blockchain gaming.
‘Off the Grid’ is working to make blockchain gaming more appealing and sustainable, working on a more gaming-first approach over incentivized token mechanics.
Overcoming Barriers to Blockchain Gaming Adoption
Since its release, ‘Off the Grid’ has been sitting at the top of the Epic Games Store’s Most Popular Free-to-Play PC Games list, beating several of Epic’s smash hits. It also topped the trending list, showing how well-received the game was. On Twitch, the title is performing equally as well, as roughly 148,000 viewers were online this past Friday, making it the most-watched game on the service.
So, as of now, early access only supports limited content, such as one map and game mode, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Although the in-game economy based on GUNZ tokens has been implemented, the key features of blockchain, such as NFT-based rare items and weapons, have yet to be fully integrated.
A considerable part of ‘Off the Grid’ recent rapid rise has involved an enormous marketing push: gameplay clips flooding social media, many tagged with #OTGpartner, and streams featuring popular streamers like Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag.
Teuta
Teuta is a seasoned writer and editor with over 15 years of experience in macroeconomics, technology, and the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. Starting her career in 2005 as a lifestyle writer for Cosmopolitan in Croatia, she expanded into covering business and economy for several esteemed publications like Forbes and Bloomberg. Influenced by figures like Don Tapscott and Bruce Dickinson, Teuta embraced the blockchain revolution, believing crypto to be one of humanity’s most crucial inventions. Her fintech involvement began in 2014, focusing on crypto, blockchain, NFTs, and Web3. Known for her excellent teamwork and communication skills, Teuta holds a double MA in Political Science and Law, enjoys punk rock, chablis, and has a passion for shoes.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
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