Championing Web3 features in role-playing games — Here's why it matters

A Web3 gaming giant has launched its first mobile-first RPG battler, where players can collect over 100 unique Champions and use them in strategic, fast-paced fights.

Champions Arena is designed to appeal to traditional gamers — all while opening their eyes to the compelling benefits that come with owning in-game assets.

Role-playing games (RPGs) have come a long way since the 1980s — evolving from a text-based experience on retro computers into vibrant 3D landscapes on home consoles. This genre alone is a $63bn market that continues to grow — and in recent years, increasingly powerful smartphones mean players worldwide have a plethora of apps at their fingertips.

It's easy to see why they're so popular. RPGs offer gamers compelling storylines and allow them to see the world through a character's eyes. Whereas other games can end up feeling somewhat repetitive, these titles have constantly evolving narratives, with players given the chance to improve their skills and explore new worlds. Escapism has never been more effortless.

While some traditional gamers have been reluctant to see what the world of Web3 is like, there are RPGs that are trying to appeal to newcomers. The key is ensuring that cutting-edge blockchain-based features are seamlessly woven into the experience, meaning players can interact with them if they feel comfortable. This can include collecting the characters they play with, renting them from others, and receiving rewards based on their performance.

Introducing Champions Arena

Champions Arena is a mobile-first battler where over 100 distinctive characters can be put through their paces. Players can either face each other or the environment — teaming up with each other to achieve their goals. Classic combat mechanics are on show, offering a degree of familiarity to seasoned gamers. The big difference is that Champions, the characters who go to battle, are collectible.

It's been developed by OneUniverse and Gala Games, with quality at the forefront of the developers' minds — prioritizing a title that's a delight to play before any Web3 mechanisms are added.

Source: Gala Games

In another twist that will be rolled out soon, players can rent Champions from others, with both taking a share in the rewards that are won from battles. This is a feature that's seen in other games across Gala Games’ portfolio, such as Spider Tanks.

Overall, the goal has been to build a game that is uniquely combat focused — with the bulk of in-game activity surrounding battles. The Web3 functionality woven into the gameplay allows players to take their gaming experience to the next level by collecting their characters as nonfungible tokens (NFTs), and trading them or renting them out for valuable in-game assets. In this way players can enjoy a true mobile-first RPG experience without dealing with the often complicated setups Web3 gaming usually requires.

Huge milestones

According to Gala Games, Champions Arena notched up 100,000 mobile downloads within the first few days of launch and is continuing to grow rapidly. This has been described as a huge milestone for the Web3 space, not least because it proves that ownership-enabled games can have mass appeal. And in a world where word of mouth can make or break an app, with gamers encouraging their friends to join them, the importance of this initial success can't be overstated. A high number of active users also helps to build trust among mainstream audiences.

Jason "BitBender" Brink, the president of blockchain at Gala Games, said:

"As a guy who grew up playing some of the greatest RPGs of all time, I can attest that Champions Arena is a true masterpiece of RPG strategy — everything RPG fans want with nothing they don't. And the character art is insane."

New seasons are constantly being released, introducing new Champions for gamers to collect — with challenges, allies, and legendary encounters to look forward to.