The ever-evolving gaming world witnessed another monumental step forward as Konami, renowned for titles like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Castlevania, shared their foray into blockchain gaming with the introduction of “Project Zircon.” A blend of mystery and excitement surrounds this latest endeavor, with much of the information still concealed from the general public.

Konami’s official statement highlighted their aspiration to offer “a new co-creation experience by utilizing blockchain technology.” This cryptic teaser has certainly set the gaming community abuzz with speculation. Further feeding into the excitement, the game will encompass NFT trading, affirming Konami’s commitment to merging traditional gaming with the burgeoning NFT sector.

To deepen the intrigue, the publisher has set two significant dates for fans and enthusiasts. The first is September 13, when details will be divulged on their official Discord. This will be closely followed by a more formal unveiling slated for September 21 at the celebrated Tokyo Game Show.

Interestingly, the announcement emanated from a relatively new Twitter account, but its authenticity was confirmed with a repost by Konami’s primary Japanese account. For those outside Japan, the communication may still be obscure due to the language barrier, explaining the limited chatter on global NFT Twitter platforms.

TLDR: Gaming giant Konami is stepping into blockchain gaming with the announcement of “Project Zircon,” promising a fresh experience intertwined with NFT trading. Details remain scarce, but a fuller picture will emerge in September during their Discord reveal and the Tokyo Game Show.

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Square Enix has announced a strategic partnership with the Web3 platform Elixir, aimed at promoting blockchain games to traditional gaming audiences. Square Enix has shown a keen interest in NFT adoption, and recently unveiled its NFT-focused game, Symbiogenesis. However, NFTs have yet to capture the interest of most gamers, which could present a challenge for the company. The partnership with Elixir is expected to help drive the adoption of blockchain games that use NFTs, leveraging the platform’s previous partnership with Epic Games to allow more Web3 games on the store.

“This partnership with Elixir Games represents yet another step for Square Enix to explore the promise of web3- decentralized gaming.” – Hideaki Uehara, Business Development Director at Square Enix

Square Enix has been actively pushing NFTs since the beginning of the year, with former president Yosuke Matsuda stating that the company was looking to invest aggressively in the technology. While most gamers seem disinterested in NFTs, the Final Fantasy 7 NFT cards, which were released last month, seem to be just the beginning of Square Enix’s plans to push these products forward.

The new partnership with Elixir will help to promote blockchain games that use NFTs to traditional gamers who are already hooked on Square Enix’s other projects. This is a strategic move by the company, given that Symbiogenesis will be an NFT-focused game that uses blockchain technology. Square Enix will face a challenge in capturing gamers’ interest, given the limited success of NFT-based Web3 games so far.

This partnership brings us closer to web3 gaming mass adoption. Our team is incredibly excited to bring our technology to work, and we foresee Elixir users playing web2 and web3 games alike without distinction. 2023 has already seen more industry leaders enter the space with impactful projects, and we anticipate to see more as the year progresses. We’ve put all efforts to ensure we are ready for scalability. – Carlos Roldan, CEO of Elixir Games

The press release announces that Elixir Games, a leading web3 gaming distribution platform, has formed a strategic partnership with video game giant Square Enix to drive visibility and adoption of web3 games among traditional gamers. The partnership will allow millions of gamers to explore quality web3 games through a platform that offers a simple, seamless experience to the traditional gamer. Elixir has been the leading PC game distributor for the open web3 space since 2021 and, following a recent integration with Epic Games, has become the leading distribution platform for web2 and web3 desktop titles. The partnership with Elixir allows Square Enix to continue being at the forefront of global publishers adopting web3 gaming, having previously invested in and partnered with key companies in the space. Square Enix and Sino Global Capital co-led Elixir Games’ last fundraising seed round in December 2022.

Sony, another gaming company, is also exploring NFTs and has filed a patent for cross-platform NFTs that could be used to manage and monetize digital assets over different games and platforms. The company has described a system that could tie NFTs to in-game achievements, but it remains to be seen whether Sony’s project will come to fruition.

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Calling all Final Fantasy VII fans! Square Enix has just announced a new way for you to collect all the commemorative items related to the game that you’ve been dreaming of. The Final Fantasy VII Anniversary Art Museum Digital Card Plus is a physical trading card set that features over 200 artworks in celebration of the game’s 25th anniversary.

The best part? You can collect these cards both physically and digitally! The physical box set contains 20 card packs that each come with six randomly selected physical trading cards from a pool of 207 unique designs. On top of that, each pack also includes an exchange ticket that can be redeemed for any one digital card of your choice.

But what sets these digital cards apart from the rest is that they use blockchain technology, also known as NFTs. This means that your digital cards will be secure and unique, making them even more valuable to collectors. And with the exchange ticket included in each physical pack, you can easily add to your digital collection with ease.

The Final Fantasy VII Anniversary Art Museum Digital Card Plus collection has a wide range of designs for you to choose from, with 207 variations in total. From normal cards to premium foil cards, variant cards to secret cards, there’s something for every collector. And with the ability to collect both physical and digital versions of the cards, you can enjoy your collection anywhere and anytime.

Redeeming your digital cards is simple, too. Using the exchange ticket that comes with each physical pack, you can choose any one digital card of your choice from the 207 design variations available. Simply download the Enjin wallet app and create a free account with the Enjin NFT platform to get started.

So whether you’re a die-hard Final Fantasy VII fan or simply a collector looking for unique and valuable items, the Final Fantasy VII Anniversary Art Museum Digital Card Plus collection is definitely worth checking out. Keep an eye out for the dedicated website, where you can find more details and start building your collection today!

ENJIN BLOCKCHAIN

Enjin is a blockchain-based gaming and NFT platform that is leading the charge in creating secure and unique digital assets. By using Enjin’s platform, Square Enix is able to offer Final Fantasy VII fans the opportunity to collect digital versions of the Anniversary Art Museum Digital Card Plus using NFTs. This means that each digital card is unique and cannot be replicated or tampered with, making them even more valuable to collectors. To redeem your digital cards, you’ll need to download the Enjin wallet app and create a free account with the Enjin NFT platform, which offers a user-friendly interface for managing and trading your NFT assets. Overall, the partnership between Square Enix and Enjin is an exciting development for fans of Final Fantasy VII and collectors of unique digital assets.

TL;DR: Each exchange ticket can be redeemed for one digital card, which can be viewed and redeemed through a dedicated website with an internet connection. Digital cards are NFT products managed on the blockchain using Enjin’s Efinity. TokenID and other system IDs are automatically assigned at the time of issuance and cannot be selected arbitrarily. Square Enix Co., Ltd owns all copyrights, patent rights, trademark rights, and other proprietary rights related to digital cards, and the reproduction, processing, distribution, republication, etc. of digital cards without prior consent is prohibited. Digital cards redemption start and end dates will be announced at a later date, and there is no restriction on the number of digital cards that can be redeemed by a user. To redeem digital cards, the Enjin wallet app is required, and users must create a free account with Enjin NFT platform and agree to their terms and conditions. Square Enix Co., Ltd will not be held responsible for any services provided by third party entities, and there is a risk that viewing and usage of digital cards may become unavailable in the future in case of termination of service.

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MetaKing Studios, a web3-focused game development studio backed by industry giants such as Square Enix, Krafton, FunPlus, Bitkraft, Animoca Brands, Delphi Digital, Shima Capital, and Makers’ Fund, has partnered with Polygon Labs to launch its upcoming medieval metaverse grand strategy game, BLOCKLORDS. Polygon Labs is the development and growth team behind leading Ethereum Layer-2 scaling platform Polygon, which enables developers to build scalable, cost-efficient, and secure blockchain applications.

BLOCKLORDS is a hardcore medieval dynasty simulator with an asymmetric, fully player-driven economy and political warfare, inviting players to shape their own stories in its medieval world. Boasting 265,000 registered users to date, the game combines the best elements of cult classics such as Age of Empires, Total War, and Crusader Kings with a web3-based shared multiplayer experience. The game also features a unique dynasty system that allows players to pass down their heroes’ traits and attributes to their descendants.

MetaKing Studios comprises developers from some of the gaming industry’s best and most acclaimed games and studios, including Crusader Kings, Liberators, Seascape.Network, EA, Ubisoft, Disney, Apple, Paradox, and Creative Assembly. Last May, the studio announced a raise of $15 million in seed funding, led by industry giants such as Square Enix, Krafton, FunPlus, Bitkraft, Animoca Brands, Delphi Digital, Shima Capital, and Makers’ Fund.

By leveraging the Polygon blockchain, BLOCKLORDS developers will be able to further power the game’s unique in-game asset experience and the expansive medieval universe. Polygon Labs’ scaling solutions will allow MetaKing Studios to offer its players lightning-fast and cost-efficient transactions backed by Ethereum’s native security and decentralization.

“We’re delighted that MetaKing Studios has chosen Polygon to power their revolutionary AAA-level blockchain game. BLOCKLORDS is unlocking the power of web3 for gamers by allowing them to benefit from digital asset ownership and utility,” said Urvit Goel, VP and Head Of Global Business Development at Polygon Labs. “Supported by Polygon’s scalable, low-cost solution, BLOCKLORDS has the potential to go stratospheric.”

BLOCKLORDS CEO David Johansson added, “It is truly remarkable to see what the Polygon Labs team has been doing for mainstream adoption, and we are thrilled and lucky to have them on board as we move toward game launch later this year.”

With the partnership between MetaKing Studios and Polygon Labs, BLOCKLORDS is poised to offer players a truly inclusive, accessible, seamless, and dynamic medieval world, paving the way for the next generation of web3 gaming experiences.

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Square Enix remains resolute in its commitment to launching blockchain games throughout 2023 and beyond, even in the face of mounting criticism over the incorporation of NFTs and blockchain technology within the gaming industry. The publisher is undeterred and continues to develop a variety of blockchain-related games set to debut this year, next year, and possibly even further into the future.

According to the trailer’s accompanying details, fans can anticipate the launch of the project’s official website on March 17th, which will also mark the commencement of a “Scheduled Free Mint campaign.” The project’s roadmap on the teaser website reveals the same timeline.

Symbiogenesis is set to revolutionize NFT entertainment by combining a rich narrative with 10,000 distinctive NFT characters. These characters, featuring a diverse range of races and professions, will be portrayed through stunning bust-up images that can double as profile pictures. The project’s six-chapter rollout ensures that fans have plenty to look forward to.

Despite the recent resignation of Square Enix’s president, the company remains steadfast in its commitment to the ambitious Symbiogenesis project.

Addressing investor concerns that the quality of Square Enix’s upcoming Final Fantasy titles may be too high for sustainable growth, CEO Yosuke Matsuda reiterated the company’s dedication to NFT and blockchain games in the coming years. This response was met with disappointment by many, as the gaming community has been vocally opposing the integration of blockchain games and NFT projects within the industry.

“We have organized our pipeline so that major title launches will not be concentrated solely in FY2024/3. We aim to have a well-distributed array of new releases in FY2025/3 and beyond. Additionally, we hope that you will eagerly anticipate the blockchain games we plan to launch in FY2024/3 and thereafter.”

The gaming industry has seen several companies attempt to venture into the blockchain and NFT space with limited success. Ubisoft’s foray into NFT-focused projects, starting with Ghost Recon Breakpoint, faced significant community backlash and ultimately faltered. In July 2022, the cryptocurrency market crashed and NFT sales reached record lows, more than a year after they first gained traction.

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Square Enix has officially revealed Symbiogenesis, an upcoming NFT collectible art game set for release in Spring 2023.

Symbiosis will launch in Spring next 2018 as a browser-game for PC and mobile, and be a new “franchises” for Square Enix which will use the Ethereum Blockchain.

Players will be able to collect characters from the game as digital art. There’s also an interactive story where you can “unravel a mysterious tale by solving puzzles”. There’s no explanation of why this includes non-fungible tokens at all.

‘SYMBIOGENESIS’ is brand-new entertainment content set in a self-contained world where a wide cast of characters symbiosis, all of which can be collected as digital art; an interactive story and a dedicated community. The art can be used for social media profile pictures (PFP) and as a character in a story that takes place in an alternate world where the player can ’untangle’ a mystery by completing missions that revolve around questions of the monopolization and distribution of resources. With each strategic move players make, more of the story unfolds.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd.

Square Enix Co., Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX® and TAITO® branded entertainment content around the world. The Square Enix group of companies includes a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 173 million units worldwide; and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

More information on Square Enix Co., Ltd. can be found at https://www.jp.square-enix.com/

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Square Enix was created on April 1st, 2003, by the merger of two game developers, Square and Enix. It is best known for its role-playing game franchises, which include Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The company has more than 1,500 employees, with headquarters in Tokyo.

Square Enix started out as a computer game developer in the 1980s with their first ever release of ‘The Death Trap’ (1980) for the Apple II home computer. They also released ‘Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord’ (1981) for the PC-8801 home computer; this was their first major success. They continued to grow and produce many new games including ‘Chrono Trigger’ (1995) and ‘Kingdom Hearts

Final Fantasy is a video game series that is considered to be one of the most popular and influential role-playing game franchises in history.

The Final Fantasy series has sold over 130 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises in history. The series has been critically acclaimed for its innovation and groundbreaking visuals, music, and narratives. The franchise includes 15 games released across thirteen platforms with multiple spin-off titles. The word “Final” does not in any way refer to the ending of the series; rather it refers to the challenging difficulty that endears the games to their fans.

In President of Square Enix New Years Letter, Yosuke Matsuda the leader of one of the worlds top gaming companies discussed at length how NFTs and COVID will change the future of gaming forever.

 The advent of NFTs using blockchain technology significantly increased the liquidity of digital goods, enabling the trading of a variety of such goods at high prices and sparking conversations the world over. I see 2021 not only as “Metaverse: Year One,” but also as “NFTs: Year One” given that it was a year in which NFTs were met with a great deal of enthusiasm by a rapidly expanding user base. However, we do observe examples here and there of overheated trading in NFT-based digital goods with somewhat speculative overtones, regardless of the observed value of the content provided This, obviously, is not an ideal situation, but I expect to see an eventual right-sizing in digital goods deals as they become more commonplace among the general public, with the value of each available content corrected to their true estimated worth, and I look for them to become as familiar as dealings in physical goods.

He went on to discuss the blockchain at large

Lastly is blockchain games. Be they single-player or online games, games have traditionally involved a unidirectional flow whereby creators such as ourselves provide a game to the consumers that play them. By contrast, blockchain games, which have emerged from their infancy and are at this very moment entering a growth phase, are built upon the premise of a token economy and therefore hold the potential to enable self-sustaining game growth. The driver that most enables such self-sustaining game growth is diversity, both in how people engage with interactive content like games, and in their motivations for doing so. Advances in token economies will likely add further momentum to this trend of diversification. I see the “play to earn” concept that has people so excited as a prime example of this.

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