The National Football League and NFL Players Association have joined forces with gaming technology studio Mythical Games to create a new NFL-themed mobile game that is redefining the application of blockchain in the mobile gaming industry.
Introducing NFL Rivals
On Wednesday, the first-ever blockchain-based NFL game, named NFL Rivals, was launched on the App Store and Google Play stores. The game allows users to manage their own teams as general managers and play as their favorite players in arcade-style gameplay. By utilizing blockchain technology, players can also purchase, collect, and trade NFT digital items that provide access to special events and in-game rewards.
Ed Kiang, VP of video gaming at the NFL, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “Collaborating with Mythical Games and the NFLPA to produce an innovative gaming experience such as NFL Rivals is a testament to the organizations success in the world of Web3 gaming.”
To celebrate the NFL draft, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, the game will feature draft-themed in-game events and player packs that transform into game characters as players are drafted.
The game, now available for download on mobile platforms, aims to offer a simple yet interactive experience targeted at casual fans. According to Mythical Games CEO John Linden, the company is focusing on mainstream appeal and not advertising the use of NFTs or blockchain technology. Instead, they are prioritizing the provision of great functionality to users.
Linden explained that by leveraging blockchain, the game can potentially achieve capabilities that would otherwise be unattainable with conventional game technology.
Mythical Chain’s transition to Polkadot ecosystem
Mythical Games’ transition of its Mythical Chain from Ethereum to a parachain on the Polkadot ecosystem will enable these Web3 capabilities and assist with scalability. Over the past 30 days, the Mythical Chain has recorded approximately 3.2 million on-chain gaming transactions. Linden emphasized the company’s ambition for massive scale and audiences.
Björn Wagner, CEO of Parity Technologies, a leading contributor to the Polkadot network, explained that due to Polkadot’s structure, Mythical will gain more flexibility, control over gas fees, and faster transaction times – all of which are essential for gaming. He anticipates a significant increase in awareness of Polkadot, especially for consumer-facing projects powered by the network.
