Immutable Games’ popular Web3 trading card game, Gods Unchained, has made its way onto the Epic Games Store, reaching a potential audience of 230 million customers. Released in June 2019, Gods Unchained has quickly gained momentum, attracting more than 80,000 active players every week as of January 2022.
Similar to popular trading card games like Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering Arena, Gods Unchained offers players a collection of cards that they can own and trade. What sets this game apart is that each card is represented by a nonfungible token (NFT) on the Ethereum-based layer-2 network, Immutable X. This unique combination of gameplay and blockchain technology has attracted a growing community of players who appreciate the ownership and trading aspects of NFTs.
The Epic Games Store, known for its massive user base of over 230 million PC gamers, offers a platform for game developers to showcase and distribute their games. Being listed on the Epic Games Store is a significant milestone for Gods Unchained, as it exposes the game to a new and vast audience of traditional PC gamers and trading card game enthusiasts.
Daniel Paez, the executive producer of Gods Unchained, recognizes the importance of the game’s listing on the Epic Games Store. He believes that this opportunity will propel the game to new heights, stating, “It is hard to overestimate the significance of Gods Unchained’s launch on Epic Games Store, one of the largest PC gaming platforms in the world… We are extremely excited to present our game to a completely new and truly massive audience of traditional PC gamers and TCG enthusiasts.”
This development comes at a time when Web3 game publishers face challenges from Steam, the largest PC game distributor globally. In October 2021, Steam made it clear that Web3 games were not welcome on its platform, and it delisted Age of Rust due to the benefits it offered to NFT holders. In response, former MetaMask team members created a rival distribution platform called Hyperplay in March. Hyperplay aims to combat Steam’s actions and offers access to the Epic Games and GOG.com stores within its interface. The platform also has its own collection of Web3 titles. Recently, Hyperplay secured $12 million in a Series A funding round, signaling its commitment to expanding its reach and continuing the development of the platform.
This move by Immutable Games to list Gods Unchained on the Epic Games Store strengthens the position of Web3 games and NFTs in the gaming industry. As more platforms embrace the potential of blockchain technology and NFTs, game developers and players are increasingly recognizing the value and benefits of owning digital assets. Gods Unchained’s presence on a mainstream gaming platform like the Epic Games Store signifies a growing acceptance and validation of blockchain-based games.
The listing on the Epic Games Store is expected to introduce a larger audience to the world of NFT-based trading card games. It provides an opportunity for players to explore a new gaming experience that combines the familiarity of traditional trading card games with the advantages of blockchain technology. By leveraging the Ethereum layer-2 network and Immutable X, Gods Unchained offers players true ownership and trading capabilities, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
As the popularity of NFTs and Web3 games continues to rise, it is likely that more mainstream platforms will recognize the potential and incorporate these innovations into their ecosystems. This shift will not only benefit game developers and players but also contribute to the mainstream adoption of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. Immutable Games’ decision to list Gods Unchained on the Epic Games Store is a significant step forward for the Web3 gaming industry, showcasing the vast potential and promising future of these decentralized games.
