Ubisoft’s Impressive Growth and New Adventures
In a recent Q2 earnings call, Ubisoft, known for its blockbuster franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, revealed it has seen a 15% spike in unique active players compared to the previous year. Taking a sip of that sweet success smoothie, the company announced that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has now become the second most profitable game in Ubisoft’s entire history. Talk about a blockbuster hit!
Blockchain in Gaming: A Love Story in the Making
Amidst the glitz and glam of impressive numbers, blockchain emerged as the star of the show. Yves Guillemot, the company’s CEO, spoke passionately about Ubisoft’s future with blockchain gaming. Despite being in the early stages of R&D, the firm is not holding back their ambitions. Guillemot expressed an eagerness to invest in and adopt blockchain technologies for an even richer gaming experience.
Investment Moves and Partnerships
Ubisoft has been flirting with blockchain for a while now, as they recently funded Animoca Brands, the team behind the Ethereum-based metaverse game The Sandbox. Additionally, their involvement in the blockchain space also includes becoming a validator node on the Tezos network and signing up as a core channel node operator with Aleph.im.
Pushing the Envelope: Financial Insights
Frédérick Duguet, Ubisoft’s CFO, chimed in with his two cents on blockchain’s potential impacts. Duguet is convinced that the tech will propel more play-to-earn scenarios, allowing players to actually earn, own, and monetize their in-game content. “We want to be one of the key players here,” he said, igniting hopes that blockchain could be the fairy godmother for the gaming industry.
Industry Controversies: Valve’s Stubborn Stance
However, not everyone is on the blockchain bandwagon. Fellow gaming giant Valve recently made headlines by banning crypto and NFT games from their Steam marketplace, stating they believe such assets lack intrinsic value. Cue the gasps from the gaming community.
Claps for the Advocates
In response to Valve’s decision, a digital advocacy group named Fight for the Future—backed by the likes of Blockchain Game Alliance and Enjin—penned an open letter urging Valve to reconsider. Their gist? That DAOs and NFTs possess the magic to create more decentralized, interactive gaming experiences. Let’s just say the dialogue around blockchain in gaming is far from over!
