Champions Ascension is the first blockchain game developed by Jam City, the acclaimed North American subsidiary of Netmarble. With well-received mobile gaming titles like Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery and Cookie Jam backing up their brand, Jam City is now entering the NFT play-to-earn (P2E) space with a genuine Web 3.0 experience.
Within a player-driven fantasy world called Messina, participants of Champions Ascension explore, battle and earn rewards with unique NFT Champions called Eternals. As well as player-versus-player (PVP) arena combat and player-versus-environment (PVE) dungeon crawling, the game also looks to provide a fully 3D overworld reminiscent of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like World of Warcraft, complete with town-building and social mechanics.
On top of that, for crypto enthusiasts wanting in on the action, the new P2E game aims to include a token economy with staking gameplay. It earmarks Champions Ascension as one of the best NFT P2E games of 2022.
Let's dive in and review everything you need to know about Champions Ascension, the highly anticipated action-RPG from Jam City.
Champions Ascension is the first P2E game to come out of Jam City's blockchain division. It's an action-RPG set in the fantasy kingdom of Messina. Using NFT Champions called Eternals, players battle each other for rewards in the Colosseum Eternal.
Formats have not been announced as yet, but as a Web 3.0 game, we can anticipate PC and Mac. Given the history of Jam City, a mobile experience is also highly likely. The first playable experience should be out in early 2022.
It's unclear at the time of writing if this arena combat will unfold in real-time, or if it will be automated, turn-based or rely on activation of moves and spells on cooldowns. We also don't know what role attributes, rarity and gear – which can be crafted – will play in defining playstyles, stats and combat abilities. But Eternals will level up (called ascension) during play.
After this initial arena combat launch, we're promised PVE quests that include dungeons and boss battles, followed by the inclusion of 3D overworld in late 2022. Here, the player will be able to explore a 3D city environment, visiting and constructing businesses and buildings. There's a suggestion (see video above) that this part of the game will have an MMO or metaverse component where you can interact with other players.
The developer has also spoken about gamifying the staking of the Eternals NFTs. A player who stakes their NFT will see the avatar become an NPC populating the kingdom of Messina.
Jam City has promised that there will be a free-to-play (F2P) mode in Champions Ascension. This won't require the use of any NFT Eternals at all, so it's not even a profit-share arrangement. You can just play the game and experience it. However, these players are unlikely to earn Diamond Hand or Messina tokens.
In the initial year, there is no marketplace being set up to facilitate scholars and, in turn, guilds. That is, you won't be able to rent another player's NFT Eternal or set up a profit-share arrangement. However, Jam City has stated that if the community wants it, such features could be introduced further into the roadmap, such as in 2023.
Chris Stead, Finder's game expert here. I've been covering video games since the mid-90s, and I've turned all that experience towards provding honest feedback on NFT and P2E gameplay.
At the time of writing, Champions Ascension's economy isn't clear. What we do know is the initial NFT Eternals – called Prime Eternals – will be purchased with Ethereum, and that in-game, there will be 2 tokens:
Diamond Hand token: This token is what will be won in the PVP and PVE modes. It's also used for general purchases such as gear, upgrades and pets.
Messina token: This token will be used for purchase of land. It's not clear if it will also be the token awarded for land owners.
Champions Ascension is yet to be released, though players will need to connect an Ethereum wallet such as MetaMask to buy an NFT.
Champions Ascension is still in development at the time of writing. Here's what we know so far:
Image source: Champions Ascension
The first drop of Champions Ascension NFTs are known as Prime Eternals. These unique tokens act as a player's primary avatar in the game — and they're animated!
Prime Eternals are made up of hundreds of features, including body types, hairstyles, piercings and other functional parts. Only 10,000 Prime Eternals will be created. However, these can be bred into new tiers of Eternals in the future.
NFTs can be levelled-up (ascension) through gameplay. This should increase their value.
Prime Eternals will be the only Champions in the game with divine components. Founding members who purchase a Prime Eternal from the initial drop will be able to shape the future of the game's roadmap through voting access on Discord.
A private sale will offer 2,000 Prime Eternal NFT Champions to select members on the company's whitelist. Members can purchase 1 Prime Eternal on the Champions Ascension website. A public sale will drop 7,500 Prime Eternals, with 500 held in reserve for promotional purposes.
With Champions Ascension built on the Ethereum blockchain, it's likely you'll need ETH to purchase Prime Eternals. However, specifics about which wallets can connect to the planned marketplace — or how much these NFTs will cost — is not yet available.
Image source: Champions Ascension
Based on the project's roadmap, we can expect 5 unique features to be included soon after the Champions Ascension.
NFTs sold on the platform will include a series of perks for owners of the first drop. Prime Eternal owners will receive visual enhancements, including victory poses, special access to services and content offered by developers and token loot drops. Loot drops will include land tokens (MESSINA), used to purchase plots within Messina.
Players will be able to stake their Prime Eternal NFTs for rewards paid in land tokens (MESSINA) and Diamond Hand tokens. Diamond Hand tokens will be used for purchasing special items in an included shop.
MVP gameplay is expected to include diverse battlefields, the introduction of higher tiers for Champions and the creation of new Champions through bioengineering.
Players that defeat others in battle will be able to use the bones of the losers to forge in-game gear. This gear can be used to enhance player abilities and can be sold to other players in the incorporated marketplace.
By mid to late-2022, Champions Ascension plans to introduce new battle modes, extra staking rewards, the ability to purchase land within Messina and gear forging.
Despite the trusted names behind the game, some sneak peeks of potential gameplay and a roadmap for future developments, little information is available on the planned economics of Champions Ascension.
It remains unknown, for example, if land tokens (MESSINA) or Diamond Hand tokens earned from staking NFTs can be further staked on the platform. There is also no guarantee that planned developments will happen on a timely schedule.
As with any cryptocurrency transaction, there is no guarantee that your NFT or tokens earned in gameplay will hold their value over time. Players should keep these considerations in mind before sinking time and money into the game.
There are many holes in the information currently released about Champions Ascension and how it will be enjoyed, but we have faith in the project. If nothing else, the developer has a proven history of delivering popular and well-regarded games. We have already seen footage of detailed and pretty 3D game worlds, and characters in action. We just don't know how it will play and what exactly you'll be doing in the game.
With plenty of perks for early adopters and 2 economies in Messina and Diamond Hand, as well as enticing staking opportunities, this is a game worth considering. The potential exists for a blockbuster hit among fans. If the team follows their roadmap as planned, Champions Ascension may turn out to be one of the best blockchain games to drop in 2022.
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