Gala Games' Champions Arena, the turn-based mobile battler launched back in August of this year, is making strides with its integration of next-gen web3 technology. Developed by OneUniverse/Uniflow and published by Gala Games, the mobile RPG aims to offer players an engaging experience while laying the groundwork for a new era of blockchain gaming.

Gala Games' President of Blockchain, Jason "Bitbender" Brink, outlined the strategy of gradually introducing web3 elements without alienating mainstream gamers in a recent interview, stating: “The web3 space is still a tiny crowd compared to the mainstream gamers of the world, and the last thing we want to do is alienate the majority of players who would enjoy the game by waving web3 in their faces incessantly. The solution is to create a game that everyone can enjoy before gradually warming up the loyal web2 player base to the idea of ownership by giving them a taste of its benefits." 

Gala Games boasts a diverse portfolio of web3 games, encompassing over 50 titles and forging key partnerships with renowned studios. These titles now span a wide range of genres, extending their appeal far beyond the traditional gaming landscape. Gala Games says it is an organization focused on ownership and that they "believe in a future where gamers and developers can work together with new economic structures and incentives that aren't the same old broken systems the industry has dealt with forever."

Some of their hit games include: Town Star, Spider Tanks, Superior, The Walking Dead, and more. These are just some of the many games that play an integral part of Gala Games' ecosystem. The company believes there's a way, through blockchain technology and ownership concepts like "play to earn" or "play to own," to create new economic structures that incentivize different developers to build different types of games.

The team describes Champions Arena as "addictive" and "casual-friendly," with a strong core gameplay loop. The game allows players to enjoy its features without immediate pressure for NFT ownership. However, for those ready to embrace web3, Champions Arena seamlessly integrates NFTs into the experience. Players can utilize minted NFT characters in the PvP arena, earning Victory Points for daily GALA rewards. Jason Brink explained the use of Minting Scrolls, allowing in-game characters to become owned NFTs, enabling players to level up characters before committing to minting. An upcoming update will introduce Nexus items, allowing owners to rent out their top Champion characters to free players, unlocking GALA rewards.

Champions Arena is available on iOS, Android, and PC via Gala Games' launcher. GalaChain ensures that upgrades and levels stay with NFTs, creating a dynamic market on platforms like OpenSea. Jason Brink envisions a player-driven market, stating: "It gives players a chance to spend time grinding with a low-level NFT, then sell it on OpenSea." This player-centric approach allows for the purchase of low-level NFTs with potential price increases based on accumulated levels.

The Champions Arena team emphasize that they are prioritizing delivering a compelling gaming experience, and that web3 features are positioned as additional perks, in commitment to try bridge the gap between web2 and web3 gaming. Thus offering all players an accessible journey into the future of play. As Gala Games continues to expand its portfolio, embrace decentralized gaming experiences, and strengthen quality control, it becomes evident that their commitment to reshaping the gaming industry is unwavering. With the support of a vibrant community and a clear vision for the future, Gala Games stands at the forefront of a transformative era in gaming. Watch out for more groundbreaking developments and innovations as they forge ahead in the exciting world of web3 gaming.