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You wouldn’t realize it from Ubisoft’s Twitter/X feed, their Instagram nor their official firm information web page, the place they might have forgotten to say it, however the writer of Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six Siege launched a brand new sport this week.
It’s known as Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. It’s a top-down multiplayer shooter for PCs, and it’s a spin-off of a spin-off of a spin-off of Far Cry 3.
It even visitor stars Ubisoft mascot Rayman.
The probably motive Ubisoft has been so mum is that it’s a Web 3 sport, which means CLTG.A.M.E. makes use of cryptocurrency and blockchain, these buzz applied sciences about digital possession from three years in the past.
This isn’t Ubisoft’s first time across the blockchain, however their previous Web 3 gaming efforts went a approach that’d make you hesitant to speak concerning the new ones.
Back in 2021, when blockchain gaming was a magnet for hundreds of thousands of {dollars} of funding into the online game trade, Ubisoft was calling the tech “an evolution of real-life potentialities in digital areas.” Digital possession can be transformative, they stated. Couldn’t individuals already purchase issues in video games? Not the actually possible way the blockchain would allow it, they and different proponents stated.
Fans panned Ubisoft’s early crypto gaming foray. In late 2021, the corporate began providing Web 3 weapons and armor in its open-world shooter Ghost Recon Breakpoint, so gamers may promote these gadgets to different gamers through the blockchain (which they barely did).
No large deal. Ubisoft was merely “in analysis mode” for Web 3, firm CEO Yves Guillemot would say in September 2022.
It was straightforward to scoff, however it wasn’t absurd to present them some good thing about the doubt. The open-minded optimist who was aware of Ubisoft’s previous had motive to anticipate Ubisoft may make one thing higher, perhaps even determine this Web 3 gaming factor out.
In the previous, when Ubisoft went into analysis mode involving odd, new tech, they produced some high quality video games. Ubisoft’s early zeal for the bizarre Wii U again within the day resulted in a (no snark) smartly-designed sport about preventing zombies whereas managing your backpack on a second display. They chased the development of digital actuality gaming and generated a multiplayer sport about piloting Star Trek spaceships. They hopped onto the bandwagon of toys-to-life-you-know-like-Skylanders and produced a nifty sci-fi sport that, on Switch, doubled as a terrific new Star Fox journey.
What may Ubisoft cook dinner up for Web 3 gaming, with ample time put into analysis mode?
I found the reply after spending an hour leaping by way of the hoops wanted to play my second* Web 3 sport of 2024 (Disclosure: My first entailed a completely adequate minute or two with the crypto-powered revival of Flappy Bird).
Enter Captain Laserhawk (for $25.63)
Image: Ubisoft
Ubisoft’s Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. crypto sport is, sadly, essentially the most fundamental top-down shooter possible.
You are a contestant in a futuristic battle enviornment. Most kills wins.
Use WASD to maneuver. Move the focusing on crosshairs with the mouse. Left click on to shoot. Right click on to rush-and-stun opponents. Deathmatch and crew deathmatch modes out there. There’s a weapon/gear/emote locker and a battle go.
That’s about it, although it’s technically in early entry.
I’m undecided many individuals are taking part in, as a result of, after three matches yesterday, I turned the world’s tenth highest-ranking Captain Laserhawk participant–out of a leaderboard exhibiting 78 names (it’s exhibiting nineteenth of 94 now).
Image: Ubisoft
What concerning the Web 3 elements? Where’s Rayman?
You want an NFT to play – for now, at the very least. I realized this by way of Ubisoft’s parallel universe of Captain Laserhawk promotion, which includes a devoted Twitter feed and a few posts on Medium.
On December 11, Ubisoft started providing 10,000 Niji Warrior NFTs. I feel I’m a Niji Warrior on this sport. The NFT seems to be like a digital ID card. Initially, you would seize one in every of these playing cards free of charge (minus Web 3 transaction charges).
Then, between December 16 and twentieth, individuals who personal a Niji Warrior NFT ID card can entry a digital photograph sales space on the official Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. web site (which, naturally, is edenonline.ubisoft.com) and use that to “reveal” the cardboard.
Image: Ubisoft
I confess that I missed the free NFT provide. So I had to purchase one from {the marketplace}. I did so this week after I snagged the most affordable one out there for .0055 ETH, which Google instructed me wouldn’t break my spending price range. I had by no means bought something crypto-related earlier than, so I acquired to find the fun of organising my very personal crypto pockets after which utilizing a plain previous Visa card to purchase the NFT (whole cost: $25.63).
None of this was intuitive, and I don’t get the concept that the Captain Laserhawk expertise is designed for individuals like me who’ve by no means dipped a toe into crypto nor desired to.
The sport’s web site informs potential gamers they should be 18, stay in part of the world the place the sport isn’t forbidden. The requirement to attach with a crypto pockets assumes you recognize what meaning and which pockets is value utilizing. Any failure to arrange the pockets, purchase the NFT and hyperlink the whole lot appropriately blocks Captain Laserhawk from loading.
Back to the digital photograph sales space a part of this: You take your NFT after which reveal it, which suggests customizing it with a cartoon headshot (based mostly on some alternatives of favourite aesthetics). You enter a gender, an age and, for some motive, your favourite professional wrestler (choices embody the actual wrestler Kenny Omega and the slightly-not-real “Diamond Dallas Pey’J”).
Image: Ubisoft
All these steps introduce shortage, because the backdrop of any Web 3 undertaking is that it’s going to produce uncommon issues for customers to purchase and promote. We’re already working from a base of 10,000 person ID Niji Warrior IDs, that are restricted at two per account. The photograph sales space ID course of is out there for simply 5 days, after which Niji Warrior ID playing cards are personalized randomly somewhat than by participant selection.
The push right here is to get in early and arrange one thing in a approach that may make it stand out within the market. Once you begin taking part in, in accordance with one of many sport’s Medium posts, your progress within the sport will additional alter the cardboard, probably making it much more particular:
Moreover, your Niji Warrior NFT is dynamic — it evolves by capturing your in-game accomplishments, rising in uniqueness and worth, and showcasing your dedication and talent.
The attract of this, as greatest I can inform, is that taking part in the pretty easy sport and excelling it would lead to a rarer Niji Warrior NFT which different individuals may need to purchase as a result of… I’m undecided why, truthfully.
Captain Laserhawk additionally has a battle go or schedule of unlockable digital rewards which can be doled out as you earn expertise factors and rack up wins. Some of the rewards could be become NFTs, too. I unlocked a “Happy 2025” emote that I can flip into an NFT. Anyone need to purchase it?
A perusal of the Captain Laserhawk menus and market suggests some curiosity within the sport however no gold rush. A Marcus Holloway (Watch Dogs 2!) alternate outfit on your character is obtainable at this time for 6750 digital cash. Five out of 600 of them have been claimed.
Some of the battle go’ unlockable emotes, gun skins and outfits (reminiscent of a Santa Claus go well with), could be minted into NFTs and bought to different gamers; so it’s not pay-to-win, however it may be pay-to-look-special.
As for Rayman: He’s the announcer for the sport’s deathmatches. Players may seize a “legendary” Rayman profile pic for 7500 digital cash after which connect it to their Niji Warrior NFT (9 of those have been claimed out of a provide of 425).
There’s additionally a free side-scrolling runner sport starring Rayman that you would be able to play on Captain Laserhawk’s web site whereas your card is within the means of being revealed.
Image: Ubisoft
When I first stumbled throughout this entire Captain Laserhawk undertaking a few months in the past, I used to be intrigued about what Ubisoft may do.
I’m skeptical of Web 3 video games, however I hoped that the corporate that made a Wii U zombie backpack journey and a Star Trek VR sport may need a good suggestion in them for this tech. Otherwise, why trouble?
In the scant official descriptions I’d discovered of Captain Laserhawk, Ubisoft didn’t brag about any gameplay innovation, however they did discuss gamers shaping the narrative of the sport, of getting decisions in its course. They additionally promoted participant governance, the concept that customers will form the way forward for the sport.
The undertaking’s description on the official web site, and, buzzwords apart, sounded a bit attention-grabbing…
The G.A.M.E. is a transmedia gaming journey the place the neighborhood drives the narrative by way of modern governance.
Players step into the function of a citizen within the dystopian world of Eden – the totalitarian successor to the US. By overcoming challenges throughout varied channels inside and out of doors the sport, gamers can elevate their citizen rating and improve their energy to form the narrative.
As the story unfolds, all the neighborhood may have the chance to affect the plot and take part in key decision-making moments.
Almost none of that’s evident within the early entry sport that’s playable now. The outcomes, to date, are underwhelming.
As with different Web 3 video games I’ve seen, Captain Laserhawk’s improvement appears to have targeted extra on the Web 3 ecosystem with out essentially discovering a gameplay hook to make individuals need to play out of fascination with the sport itself.
I had hoped Ubisoft may do higher. The firm has greater points to resolve, however, to date, Web 3 analysis mode just isn’t panning out.
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