Web3 game Gods Unchained recently introduced a new gameplay format called “Sealed Mode,” which allows players to compete using semi-random cards they receive at the beginning of a tournament. This format aims to reward highly skilled players, regardless of the size or cost of their card collection. The announcement of Sealed Mode was made through a blog post on September 13, 2023.
Sealed deck tournaments are a common feature in paper collectible trading card games such as Magic: The Gathering. However, they are relatively rare in digital trading card games. Gods Unchained is now delivering the excitement of sealed deck tournaments to the digital gaming world, providing players with a unique and competitive experience.
To participate in Sealed Mode, players are required to pay an entry fee of 15 Gods Unchained ($GODS) tokens, which are currently valued at approximately $2.65. Upon payment, players receive a random selection of three gods that they can choose to build their deck around. Additionally, they are given 60 random cards drawn from various Gods Unchained card sets, including Etherbots, Mortal Judgement, Winter Wanderlands, and more.
While the card pool is semi-random, it also guarantees a minimum number of cards of specific types to ensure the construction of a viable deck. For example, each pool includes at least 12 cards that cost 3 mana or less, allowing players to plan their strategies effectively.
Players must build a minimum 30-card deck from their pool of 60 cards. It is essential to note that players can only use the cards provided in Sealed Mode and cannot utilize cards from their personal collections. This restriction ensures fairness and an even playing field for all participants.
Once players have constructed their decks, they compete against each other until they either lose three matches or win seven. Players with better overall records at the end of the tournament receive greater rewards compared to those with worse records. Additionally, some exclusive cosmetic rewards are only available in Sealed Mode and can only be obtained by players who win four matches or more.
The concept of ‘Sealed Mode’ in Gods Unchained is similar to ‘sealed deck’ or ‘draft’ tournaments in physical card games like Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon, and Magic: The Gathering. These sealed formats contribute to the excitement of collecting and trading cards. However, due to the nature of most digital card games, where players do not truly ‘own’ their cards, sealed tournaments were virtually unheard of in the digital gaming world. Gods Unchained tackles this by representing each card as a nonfungible token (NFT) stored on the Immutable X network, a layer-2 solution built on Ethereum.
Gods Unchained, developed by Immutable, was one of the pioneering Web3 video games. In May, Immutable announced the development of a wallet application called “Passport,” which enables gamers to log in without the need for seed words. Additionally, on August 15, Immutable released its zkEVM testnet, a technology that aims to enhance the scalability of Ethereum for video game players.
In conclusion, the introduction of Sealed Mode in Gods Unchained brings the thrill and strategy of sealed deck tournaments to the digital gaming community. By leveling the playing field and rewarding skill, rather than card collection size, Gods Unchained provides a unique competitive experience for players. With the development of innovative technologies and features like NFTs and the zkEVM testnet, Gods Unchained continues to push the boundaries of Web3 gaming.