In a remarkable achievement for the blockchain gaming community, Etherscape, a dungeon-crawling MMORPG fully integrated with the Enjin Blockchain, has secured its place among the top five trending games on the Epic Games Store. This announcement was made by Enjin, the leading blockchain ecosystem for gaming, and marks a significant milestone for indie game developers in the crypto space.
Etherscape’s rise to the top 5 is particularly notable as it shares the spotlight with globally known titles such as Fortnite, Genshin Impact and Assassin’s Creed. These games have an impressive 300 million monthly players combined, highlighting the magnitude of Etherscape’s success in a highly competitive environment dominated by AAA titles.
A milestone for indie developers and blockchain gaming
Sam Bayless, the indie game developer behind Etherscape, has leveraged the power of the Enjin blockchain to differentiate his game from other crypto and mainstream games. By integrating blockchain technology, Bayless has enabled a unique gaming experience where players can own, craft, and trade in-game items as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). This feature has resonated well with players and is helping Etherscape not only trend on the Epic Games Store, but also rank at the top of several key categories for newly released titles:
- No. 1 in Dungeon Crawler
- #2 in MMO
- No. 2 in Rogue-Lite
- #2 in co-op mode
- #3 in role play
The game’s open alpha was released on August 16, 2024, and has since captivated a growing player base with its innovative blend of traditional MMORPG elements and blockchain integration. Players can team up to complete dungeon adventures and special events, then use the Etherforge process to turn valuable handcrafted items into NFTs. These NFTs can be traded on NFT.io, Enjin’s global marketplace, giving players tangible ownership of their in-game assets.
Building a strong community through Enjin’s Spark program
Etherscape’s success can also be attributed to the early adoption of Enjin’s newly launched Spark program. Thanks to this initiative, Etherscape was able to build a loyal community of alpha testers and advocates who played a crucial role in refining the game before launching at Epic Games. The feedback and content from this community played a key role in ensuring Etherscape was well-prepared for a strong launch.
The Open Alpha release was strategically timed to coincide with the upcoming launch of Enjin’s Multiverse on August 27. This cross-game experience allows players to use NFTs across ten different games and showcases the transformative potential of NFTs in the gaming industry.
A new era for Web3 gaming with Enjin
Founded in 2017, Enjin is a pioneer in Web3 development. The company offers the first game-specific development tools on Ethereum and has developed the ERC-1155 token standard. Enjin’s ecosystem, designed to support the delivery of scalable Web3 games and applications, has been adopted by hundreds of developers worldwide. Key components of this ecosystem include:
Enjin Blockchain is specifically tailored for gaming and app development, offering scalability, enhanced security, and ease of use, making it an ideal foundation for Web3 projects. The Enjin platform and API provide powerful tools that enable developers to efficiently integrate Web3 functionality into their games and applications, often within hours.
Complementing these tools is the Enjin Wallet, a robust digital wallet known for its extensive features and seamless integration with the Enjin Blockchain, Marketplace, Platform, and API, serving a user base of over 3 million individuals. Additionally, the NFT.io Marketplace is an intuitive platform designed for creators, traders, and developers to easily create and trade NFTs within minutes. To further enhance the user experience, Enjin Beam introduces a novel way to send NFTs via QR codes, making it easy to distribute thousands of items with just a few clicks.
Etherscape’s success on the Epic Games Store is a testament to the growing appeal of blockchain-based games. As an early adopter of Enjin’s Spark program, Etherscape has set a new standard for indie developers in blockchain gaming. Other projects looking to emulate Etherscape’s success can learn more about the Spark program by visiting Enjin’s portal at enjin.io/join.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, the integration of blockchain technology promises new opportunities for developers and players. Etherscape’s rise to the top of the Epic Games charts is just the beginning of a potentially transformative era for blockchain gaming.
