《Off the Grid》Early Access Live Stream attracted 150,000 viewers

After the previous popularity of Axie Infinity, is it possible for blockchain games to become popular again?

Prior to this, the battle royale game 'Off the Grid' developed by Gunzilla Games, after the early access version was released on October 8, topped the free games chart on the Epic Games Store, attracting approximately 150,000 viewers to watch live streams on the Twitch platform.

However, what many Web2 gamers do not know is that "Off the Grid" is actually a Block game built on the Avalanche Blockchain, but the early access version has not yet introduced Cryptocurrency-related features.

《Off the Grid》takes the style of reality show for the design of online shooting games, allowing players to experience unique battle fun. Although it is still in the early access stage, it has shown strong viral potential, and many highlights of internet celebrities and live streamers are widely circulated online.

Recently, the two editors and journalists from the crypto world media "Decrypt" discussed the features of "Off the Grid" and the shortcomings of the early access version. Most importantly, whether this game can maintain the current popularity, or even further influence the operation mode of Blockchain games.

Game Features of 'Off the Grid'

Decrypt reporter Ryan Gladwin pointed out that unlike other blockchain games, "Off the Grid" is not simply imitating existing games, but bringing innovative gameplay to the battle royale genre.

The biggest feature of "Off the Grid" is the "mechanical prosthetic" system, where players can replace their mechanical arms and legs to gain various special abilities. Although "Apex" also has a character skill system, "Off the Grid" allows players to freely combine different abilities in combat, bringing a more interesting gaming experience.

The game zone editor-in-chief of Decrypt, Andrew Hayward, also agrees with this view. He mentioned that he is still adapting to the special systems such as jetpacks and cybernetic limbs, which not only give the game a unique cyberpunk style but also help Off the Grid break away from the label of being a clone of battle royale games.

Image source: Art promotional image of 'Off the Grid' from PlayStation

The issues with the 'Off the Grid' early access version

However, there are still some optimization issues with the early access version. Ryan said that even with a high-spec computer using an Intel i5 12th generation processor and an RTX 4070 graphics card, it is necessary to lower the image quality to the lowest and drop the resolution in order to maintain stability above 30 frames per second, which may affect the willingness of casual players to play.

In addition, the game's hit feedback and injury prompts are not obvious enough, sometimes players don't even know they are in a dangerous situation.

However, Andrew pointed out that these are common issues in the early access version. His experience with PS5 gaming was relatively smooth, and he believes that with continuous optimization, the performance issues of the PC version should be improved.

He emphasized that compared with other "learning while doing" Block chain games, "Off the Grid" is already quite complete.

Image Source: Decrypt 'Off the Grid' Exclusive Preview Game Screenshots

"Off the Grid" has not yet issued coins, and the Non-fungible Token function will be launched.

Andrew also mentioned that 'Off the Grid' did not issuanceToken or Non-fungible Token before going online, which is different from general Block games. Currently, the game's Token $GUN and Non-fungible Token functionality are still under development, and only a few 'Node' holders can earn rewards in the early access version.

However, Gunzilla Games has kept a low profile on the plan to introduce Crypto Assets functionality, possibly to avoid discouraging Web2 players, or to coordinate with Sony and Microsoft on related matters.

Andrew further compares 'Off the Grid' with games like 'Deadrop' and 'Shrapnel', the latter choosing to involve Non-fungible Token holder in the progressive development process. However, 'Off the Grid' remains low-key until the release of a complete 3A game, which may change the operation and promotion mode of blockchain games.

Image Source: Decrypt 'Off the Grid' Exclusive Preview Game Screenshots

Can 'Off the Grid' bring positive impact to the blockchain gaming market?

Ryan believes that if "Off the Grid" is a big success, it will be the first time that the outside world will see Block chain games break through the industry bubble and let more people begin to accept the concept of Block chain games.

However, he also warned that if Off the Grid introduces an exploitative or Pay to Win system, it may cause irreparable harm to the chain game industry.

Using Cyberpunk 2077 as an example, he pointed out that the game had numerous bugs during the issuance. Therefore, he suggested that Gunzilla Games should keep it simple, allowing players to only trade Non-fungible Token skins on the market, to prevent 'Large Investors' from hoarding powerful weapons and affecting the gaming experience of ordinary players.

Andrew pointed out that 'Off the Grid' could change the operational model of blockchain games. In the past, many teams would first sell Non-fungible Tokens or issue coins for fundraising before investing in game development.

In contrast, Off the Grid chose to release the complete game content first, which caused low marketing heat in the early stage and also raised questions about the game's sustainability from early participants. However, from the response of Web2 gamers, this game still has the potential to become mainstream in the market.

He looks forward to seeing the success of 'Off the Grid' have an impact on the entire gaming industry, not just limited to the Block chain gaming sector.

Introduction to Off the Grid: Play the popular game on the EPIC store! Off the Grid is a popular blockchain game, with 150,000 people watching the live stream at the same time.

Well-known live streamer highly praises the fun! What is the Battle Royale online game 'Off The Grid'? Gameplay and features, all in one glance