Ubisoft has fun with NFT tokens in gaming, without monetizing them

For Ubisoft, the monetization of tokens like the CryptoKitties in its open world games is not relevant. The publisher nevertheless conducts experiments on the blockchain. Latest creation: NFT token (ERC 721) Rabbit a little special to make donations toUnicef.

The non-fungible or NFT tokens, like the popular ones CryptoKitties, are very popular in the fields of gaming and collectibles. These unique collectibles naturally arouse the interest of a game publisher like Ubisoft, in full experimentation.

The cryptocurrencies are not the only tokens to be traded today on marketplaces and to generate value on different blockchains. In the universe Ethereum, in particular, NFT, or non-fungible tokens, also have significant financial potential.

More legal than technical obstacles for Ubisoft

As Nathan Sexer of the association specifies Ethereum France, “A non-fungible token is by definition a unique and non-divisible token. The ERC 721 is an NFT standard, democratized via CryptoKitties in 2018 "with more than 50,000 users.

The CryptoKitties, these unique and exchangeable virtual cats, are indeed the most successful illustration to date. Other publishers like the French Sorare, Sandbox and Decentraland in turn want to monetize these digital assets.

Ubisoft, The third largest publisher of video games in the world, could also ultimately exploit the potential of NFT. However, their monetization is not yet topical, as Nicolas Pouard was able to point out at the EthCC conference in Paris.

We have no concrete marketable use case. We have made several prototypes, ”said Ubisoft’s Blockchain Initiative Director.

Initiatives around NFT are therefore carried out to date within the publisher’s innovation lab, including a dedicated equipment exclusively for blockchain.

A game prototype developed in 2018

No rush with the marketing of blockchain-based products, but an obvious interest, recognizes the Ubisoft representative.

One of our areas of interest was obviously the NFTs. Our video games are mainly open worlds in which players can collect a certain number of items, "recalls Nicolas Pouard.

The development of a prototype was launched two years earlier to assess the barriers to the adoption of this type of token. These brakes are, however, "not of a technical nature, contrary to what we thought at the start", he testified.

No, the difficulties are foremost legal, the regulation not being considered "very clear", and also linked to Ubisoft communication.

The monetization is a very big topic in the video game industry, and blockchain still appears to be very attached to finance. In the minds of gamers, who don't know blockchain, so it's associated with more monetization, ”

Clearly, players would not be ready to pay more in a world of gaming where the pressure of the monetization is not always well received by consumers. Ubisoft is therefore still experimenting, while gaining skills in NFT.

This has resulted in the possibility for players to generate a part of the world in a game using non-fungible tokens, territories or "land", as on Decentraland. In 2018, Ubisoft also brought the Rabbids of CryptoKitties to create unique tokens that reward hackathon winners.

Rabbids Tokens, NFTs "always claimable"

It worked well, but we didn't go any further. These tokens still exist. They have properties in CryptoKitties. We could develop other elements, but we will not do it for the moment, "announced Nicolas Pouard.

Ubisoft’s latest achievement in the NFT and blockchain fields was only on March 2, 2020. The publisher has created five "Rabbids Tokens" for contest winners. This token ERC 721 is a bit special, however. If it is not fungible, its owner cannot keep it, the token having the characteristic of being "always claimable." "

"It is still on sale. Anyone can buy it, "said the Ubisoft executive. It’s not for the publisher to make a profit. The fruit of each sale is indeed donated to Unicef. In addition, with each sale, the token, inspired by the Rabbids, is transformed.

Each time you buy them, they will evolve. Likewise, with each full moon, a transformation occurs. We invented a proof of pass ownership, popo in French. As this token can be taken from its holder, he keeps a record of the possession of the token and the evolution possessed, "

This proof of ownership, a temporary title deed, also constitutes proof of a donation for the benefit of UNICEF.