Beta Release of Crypto Battle Royale Game Off the Grid

Despite blockchain gaming's recent growth, fuelled by the success of simple Telegram-based games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat, the sector still has much room for improvement.

However, the industry may have reached a turning point as one of the most highly anticipated blockchain games entered early access this week.

Gunzilla Games has launched an early access version of Off the Grid, a battle royale title that offers AAA-level graphics and gameplay, marking a significant milestone for blockchain-based gaming.

Built on Avalanche and available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via the Epic Games Store, Off the Grid immerses players in a reality show-style battle for survival, offering a sneak peek at the future of blockchain gaming.

Gunzilla's own Avalanche subnet, GUNZ, powers the game, further expanding the use of blockchain in the gaming ecosystem.

Off the Grid Integrates Blockchain Features in Early Access Launch

Gunzilla Games envisions Off the Grid as a groundbreaking free-to-play title that allows players on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC to trade in-game assets using blockchain technology.

If fully realised, it could become the first game on these consoles to feature on-chain functionality, giving players more control over their assets.

A statement read:

"GUNZ, built on a custom Avalanсhe L1, empowers game developers with the tools to build player-driven economies by providing players full ownership of in-game assets as tradeable NFTs."

The game runs on Gunzilla's GUNZ blockchain and, while it shares similarities with other battle royale hits like Apex Legends, Fortnite, and PUBG, Off the Grid introduces unique mechanics, such as robotic limb swaps that grant new abilities mid-match.

Additionally, players will have the option to mint rare weapons and items as NFTs, tradable within an economy built around the upcoming GUN token on the Avalanche blockchain.

While full trading functionality is not yet available, the current early access version gives players a glimpse of what's to come.

The game features a large city map and a 60-player "Extraction Royale" mode, where teams of three compete to be the last squad standing.

The release was promoted through a live Twitch event featuring major streamers like Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, Seth "Scump" Abner, and Tim "TimTheTatman" Betar.

With 60 hours of narrative-driven content planned, Off the Grid aims to bring a more cinematic storytelling element to the battle royale genre.

Co-founded by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Chappie), Gunzilla Games is poised to offer a unique blend of gaming and storytelling.

Blomkamp is both Gunzilla co-founder and serves as chief creative officer.

Crypto Integration on Gaming Consoles

A key question surrounding Off the Grid is how it will incorporate crypto integration on consoles, especially since platforms like Sony and Microsoft have yet to fully embrace blockchain games.

The answer, for now, remains somewhat unclear.

The game includes in-game items linked to the GUN token, which players can earn by completing missions, but there is currently no way to purchase additional GUN tokens in the game.

Moreover, the GUN token has not officially launched on the Avalanche mainnet, meaning full blockchain integration is still pending.

A testnet version of the token has been used in earlier playtests, but its full implementation is yet to be seen.

So, does Off the Grid signal that blockchain gaming has truly evolved, or is there more ground to cover?