Gaming giant Ubisoft is set to launch a 10,000 piece NFT collection on Ethereum scaling network Arbitrum in the coming weeks via the Magic Eden marketplace. These NFTs will allow holders to play the upcoming top-down shooter Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. early.
Set in a fascist dystopian world inspired by the Netflix series “Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix”—which itself is inspired by Ubisoft’s Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon game—the competitive multiplayer game promises to include iconic characters from Assassin’s Creed, Rayman, and Beyond Good & Evil.
Minted on Ethereum layer-2 scaling network Arbitrum, the new Niji Warrior ID NFTs will grant early access to the top-down shooter, enable participation in the game’s governance model, and track player progress. As a player’s score increases, the NFT evolves, unlocking new perks and increasing their governance influence. Holders will also be able to earn rewards and unlock user-generated content—though how exactly this will work has yet to be detailed.
“Through the integration of Web3, we’re empowering our community to not only play but shape the future of the game,” Didier Genevois, Web3 Executive Producer at Ubisoft, said in a release. “It’s about creating a collaborative ecosystem where players’ decisions and creations directly impact the game’s evolution, making the experience truly their own.”
This collaboration also marks the start of Arbitrum support on the Magic Eden NFT marketplace. Previously, Magic Eden has supported Solana, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, and Base projects.
Announced by Ubisoft in August, Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. was described as a “transmedia experience” with the “first activation and core” of the project to be built on Arbitrum. It was also revealed that the story will be influenced and molded by the community through Web3 governance—users gain access to this feature via the soon-to-mint Niji Warrior ID.
What an amazing crew at the table!
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting @SamSteffanina, the co-founder of @WolvesDAO.
When 🦅 and 🐺 meet, you know something big is brewing 👀 pic.twitter.com/XZVeo8ESEc
— Captain Laserhawk Universe (@EdenOnline_exe) September 19, 2024
This announcement comes after a closed beta period in late August, though there is sparse footage online. Discord users claim that this is because beta participants signed an NDA to not leak photos, videos, or information. From the limited footage found on Twitter, the game looks vibrant and full of tight choke points where players will battle it out.
The new 10,000 piece NFT collection is set to mint in the coming weeks, with thousands of prospective minters already gaining allowlist spots by partaking in the beta and completing Discord challenges. The ID mint is the last roadmap milestone before the game’s release, meaning that Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. shouldn’t be far off.
Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. is Ubisoft’s second full-fledged blockchain game following Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles, which is built on the Oasys network and has minted NFTs on Ethereum as well. Champions Tactics recently held a “technical beta” test ahead of its forthcoming public release.
The publisher behind Assassin’s Creed and Just Dance has been building and investing in the crypto world for years now, however, and released in-game NFTs for its Ghost Recon: Breakpoint game on Tezos in late 2021.
Edited by Andrew Hayward