According to Friday’s press release, the NFL has officially launched its first-ever licensed game incorporating Web3 technology.
“NFL Rivals” embodies a groundbreaking collaboration between the NFL, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), and next-gen blockchain gaming technology studio Mythical Games, allowing fans to step into the role of general manager as they work to build and own their plow.
Led by game industry veterans, the Mythical Games team specializes in building games around player-owned economies and has helped develop major franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Marvel Strike Force, And Skylanders.
Gamers first
Although NFL Rivals contains Web3 technology, according to Mythical Games, this is not something that would be noticeable to players. It told Venture Beat that players will not be burdened with understanding or engaging with the complexities of blockchain technology.
Arcade style gameplay allows players to participate in competitive matches as they rise through the ranks. With regular updates including new seasons and events, the game ensures that players will have an engaging and dynamic gameplay.
A unique feature of NFL Rivals is the “squad system,” which allows players to team up with fellow general managers. These are opportunities for fans to rock their favorite NFL franchises while still teaming up and competing with others.
During gameplay, players will have the opportunity to unlock and level up their NFL players and other digital collectibles.
The NFL Rivals in-game blockchain marketplace is hosted on the Mythical platform, which helps facilitate the trading and sale of these collectibles. For the benefit of the players, these collectibles are listed in ‘Rivals Credits’, which can be purchased as ‘in-app purchases’, which comply with both Apple’s AppStore and Google Play Store policies.
While the market initially offers items at fixed prices, Mythical Games plans to introduce a bidding system, improving the interactive aspect for users.
While NFL Rivals had its soft launch on April 26, it was downloaded more than 2 million times and played more than 15 million games.
John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games, told me Venture Beat that the “incredible reception by fans during the preseason of [the game] blew [them] away.”
With the game’s global launch, Linden said they’re excited to finally give NFL fans the ability to essentially run their own team of licensed NFL players as the NFL regular season unfolds.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with NFL rivals to provide new innovative ways to engage the Miami Dolphins fan base with the team,” said Katharine Bohlmann, Miami Dolphins Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “With the evolution of gaming, we understand the importance of embracing change and believe this is the perfect partnership that will allow us to capitalize on this new frontier and engage with our fans in a unique way.”
Miami Dolphins sign with NFL rivals
As we all prepare for the 2023 NFL season which kicks off on September 7, the Miami Dolphins franchise has just signed a deal with NFL Rivals, marking the gaming studio’s first NFL partnership. As part of the partnership, NFL Rivals branding will be displayed throughout Dolphin’s home stadium during games. Throughout the season, Dolphins fans will have many opportunities to earn VIP experiences at home games.
The biggest takeaway from the NFL, NFLPA and Mythical Games collaboration is that when it comes to the next phase of Web3 gaming, it’s finally starting to make sense how to integrate Web3 technologies like blockchain and digital collectibles into an experience – without forcing them on players in a way that makes them timid or uncomfortable.
Last year, the NFL and Reddit teamed up and dropped Super Bowl LVII Collectible Avatars.