Dead or Alive Creator Itagaki Developing Warrior NFT game
Tomonobu Itagaki, former head of Koei Tecmos Team Ninja, has a new studio. He is also working on a new game, called Warrior, and NFT Massive Multiplayer Online RPG (MMORPG). Itagaki’s new studio, called Apex Game Studios, will specialize in developing “triple-A Web3 titles”. “Web3” is a slogan for blockchain-related Internet technologies, including NFTs (non-fungible tokens), cryptocurrencies, and “decentralized economy.” Virtual reality social and commercial spaces such as “Metaverse” are often classified as part of “Web3”, but do not necessarily require blockchain or cryptocurrency technology to work. Warrior is built on the Unreal engine and planned for first release in early 2023, with mobile platforms and PC-targeted.
Actual details on how Warrior will play or how it will look is sparse. The official site contains a copy describing the terms of the game, which is that players are on a journey to claim the power of “King Warrior”. Game descriptions promise an upgrade system that uses randomly generated equipment, “tribal territory” and “mob servers” that can be swapped back and forth. Much of the site’s content is dedicated to explaining Warrior NFT economy.
Main Warrior NFT items are called “Mob Servants”. There will be over 100 different types, with randomly assigned ranges that determine their power. Mob Servants can be improved and customized, as well as swapped for WGT, one of the game’s two custom cryptocurrencies. Players can earn WGT through regular play, generate it through game activity, then use it as a currency for trading and redeem it to unlock certain activities. Another currency called WDT is limited and is used for “management and utility.” Players can earn small amounts of WDT through competition, but it will be purchased with other cryptocurrencies and used to make decisions about the game itself, which reportedly gives players more say in Warriorits management at the macro level.
All in all Warrior The NFT economy seems similar to that used by Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds. Managed by NetMarble, the game uses crypto tokens for various features of the game. The tokens can be “bred” and sold for other cryptocurrencies that can theoretically be resold for useful “fiat” currencies (such as US dollars). In his first impressions of the game, Kazuma criticized the game’s aggressive revenue generation.
Warrior comes just when NFT trading has reached a low of 12 months. Cryptocurrencies have generally seen a major crash in face value since peaking in late 2021. Cryptocurrencies have lost nearly $ 2 trillion in alleged value over the past 7 months. Cryptointegration in games has also proven to be controversial for many due to concerns about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. Larger companies such as Square Enix and Bandai Namco expressed some enthusiasm for NFT and blockchain games. However, they have slowed down, reversed or simply abandoned plans in the face of overwhelming public setbacks.
Warrior is under development and planned for an early release in 2023 on PC and mobile platforms.