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Some of the most popular blockchain games have earned a terrible reputation for their boring gaming experience, overdependence on crypto-economic elements, and high technical entry barriers.
However, a new third-person shooter game called Off The Grid hopes to change public perception by abstracting away complex onchain interactions.
In a bid to go mainstream, Off The Grid finds middle ground by adopting traditional gameplay mechanics, featuring video game console availability, and incorporating optional blockchain elements.
Marketing to non-crypto users is also a part of Off The Grid’s strategy, as seen in its collaboration with Ninja – one of the most popular video game streamers on YouTube and Twitch – who streamed the game to millions of viewers during its early access launch.
What is the hype around the Off The Grid crypto game? Let’s find out.
Key Takeaways
- Off The Grid is a new Cyberpunk-themed third-person shooter game that looks to take crypto games mainstream.
- The game features a 60-hour narrative campaign that combines PvP and PvE gaming.
- Off The Grid focused on collaborating with video game streamers instead of highlighting its underlying blockchain properties during its early access launch.
- The game is built on a GUNZ blockchain, validated by an Avalanche subnet.
- All in-game items, including weapons, character customization, and upgrades from Off The Grid game, will be available to trade as NFTs on a GUNZ-based marketplace.
What Is Off The Grid?
Off The Grid is a Cyberpunk-themed third-person shooter game that combines the genres of battle royale and extraction shooter. The game is developed by Gunzilla Games under the supervision of Neill Blomkamp, co-writer and director of 2009 science fiction action film District 9.
It features a 60-hour narrative campaign that combines player vs. player (PvP) and player vs. environment (PvE) gaming.
When Dr. Disrespect, a popular video game streamer, tested Off The Grid in September 2023, he explained the PvP and PvE mashup during a live stream, saying:
“Today, I am trying to complete one of the narrative jobs. This game has a 60-hour narrative campaign, with 150 players on the island fighting each other. You’ll never know if some other player will show up to interfere.”
Off The Grid has crypto elements. All in-game items are represented as non-fungible tokens (NFT) on a blockchain, giving players ownership over them and allowing trading on NFT marketplaces.
If early access video streams are anything to go by, it looks like Off The Grid sticks to traditional gameplay mechanics and does not force players to use crypto wallets and onchain transactions. Blockchain interface may only be involved outside gameplay to sync in-game items onchain to verify ownership and for permissionless item trading.
Teardrop Island desperately needs a savior. Too bad it got you instead… Download @playoffthegrid now: https://t.co/LlY6sgRLXb pic.twitter.com/aBdG6efT9q
— Epic Games Store (@EpicGames) October 9, 2024
Mixed Industry Reactions to Off The Grid Game Launch
Off The Grid is one of the most highly anticipated crypto games that has been under development since 2022.
Excitement about the upcoming launch of Off The Grid and the GUNZ blockchain has helped developer Gunzilla Games raise $30 million from CoinFund, Republic Capital, Morningstar Ventures, and Avalanche’s Blizzard Fund in 2024.
So far, reactions from video game streamers who have been sponsored by Off The Grid to stream the game have been positive.
“Off The Grid is fun, man. I played it for a couple of hours obviously before I was able to get a super sneak peek before I said ‘yes’ to the hashtag ad and to allowing my skin (in-game character appearance) in the game,” said Ninja to his 23.8 million subscribers on a YouTube streaming session on October 8.
Hyped to have my own skin in #OffTheGrid, the brand new Extraction Royale from @NeillBlomkamp @GunzillaGames. Going live with Early Access at 1 CT.
Watch me play with the boys @timthetatman & @scump and get the chance to win a PS5 Pro: https://t.co/j0NPKLa8ln @playoffthegrid… pic.twitter.com/HMRIIJKDkP— Ninja (@Ninja) October 8, 2024
Elsewhere, Tim “Timthetatman” Betar called the game “fun” and “fresh” after his first Off The Grid gaming session on October 8, 2024.
Earlier in 2023, Dr. Disrespect expressed his views on Off The Grid, saying:
“I think it has potential … that’s a different take on something and I like it.”
However, a section of the gaming community was not convinced and made their voices heard on social platform Reddit.
“Game does run poorly right now, 30-40 fps (frames per second) no matter if the game’s on the highest or lowest setting, I run it at 3440×1140 get 30-40 fps on all settings, turn it down to 1080p on low settings, still get 30-40 fps lol but it’s early access and I hope it gets sorted out, and I have a high end pc (personal computer) too,” read a Reddit post.
Some gamers were not open to playing crypto games.
“As a general rule, it is good practice to stay away from games that mention NFTs or blockchain,” wrote Karr0k.
OFF THE GRID IS SICK 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/h7T35fby4O
— timthetatman👑 (@timthetatman) October 8, 2024
Does Off The Grid Have a Crypto Token?
Off The Grid game has not launched a crypto token as of October 10, 2024.
Investors should keep in mind that Off The Grid is built on a blockchain called GUNZ that is validated by an Avalanche (AVAX) subnet.
For context, an Avalanche subnet or sub network is a collection of Avalanche-based validators that can validate transactions on one or more blockchains.
The GUNZ blockchain has a native token called GUN.
If you are looking for info on how to buy the GUN token, you should know that the GUN token has not been launched publicly as of October 10, 2024.
The GUNZ blockchain is currently in the testnet mode. Therefore, GUN crypto tokens are not available on the open market at the time of writing.
All in-game items, including weapons, character customization, and upgrades from Off The Grid game, will be available to trade as NFTs on a GUNZ-based marketplace.
Ownership and trading in-game are the most significant advantages of crypto games like Off The Grid over traditional games.
“GUNZ strives to be one of the first player-friendly crypto-economies in a AAA game, aiming to empower players by granting them complete ownership over their in-game items in the form of NFTs,” said Gunzilla Games.
How to Play Off The Grid?
At the time of writing, Off The Grid was available as an early access release on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, and Windows PC.
Xbox owners must sign up for the Xbox Insider Program to play Off The Grid in early access.
Early access games refer to games that are still under development. Players may experience bugs and incomplete gameplay mechanics.
Although Off The Grid has crypto elements, the game does not force players to use them. According to its official website, you can play the game without trying out its NFTs.
Five More Games Like Off The Grid
Here are five blockchain-based shooter games like Off The Grid that you can play, as compiled by DappRadar.
The Bottom Line
Could Off The Grid take crypto gaming mainstream? That might be a tough ask, as there are too many high-quality video game titles out there.
The video gaming community is spoilt for choice. Crypto games like Off The Grid have to offer an original and immersive experience to differentiate themselves from popular titles such as Fortnite, Valorant, CS:GO, and Call of Duty.
However, we have to take note of Off The Grid’s efforts to draw non-crypto users by not choosing to highlight its underlying blockchain properties during its early access launch.
Instead, Off The Grid focused on collaboration with popular streamers like Ninja, which has worked in its favor and drawn plenty of eyeballs.
