First Game Built on Tezos Blockchain Preparing for Alpha Launch

A blockchain card game developed by Tezos co-founder Kathleen Breitman is set to launch in alpha during April.

Tezos (XTZ) co-founder Kathleen Breitman is preparing to launch the alpha version of the game built on top of Tezos — a crypto-powered collectible card game called ‘Emergents.’

Emergents’ in-game cards will comprise non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that players have full ownership over. Coase intends to comprise both the primary and secondary marketplace for the cards. The company will also act as both a buyer and a seller for the NFTs.

Emergents to launch in alpha next month

While Breitman has been planning the game since 2018, she announced Coase — the company that will launch Emergents — in May 2019. The company is composed of Breitman, former professional Magic: The Gathering player Zvi Mowshowitz, former Pokemon and Magic developer Alan Comer, and game designer Brian David-Marshall.

Coase will initially launch a free base set of cards with new cards being made available for purchase on a weekly basis. Cards will be priced and paid for in XTZ, however, there will also be a fiat gateway that conceals the cryptocurrency transaction for players who do not wish to handle crypto.

Each card will have a fixed supply, with prices fluctuating according to an algorithm that measures demand for a card. When a specific card is purchased the algorithm will increase its price slightly, and vice versa. Coase will purchase cards from sellers for approximately 95% of their market value.

Players are incentivized to develop effective strategies with under-valued cards

The pricing system will likely lead to significant fluctuations in a card’s price, as cards may fall in and out of favor with players as different meta-strategies are developed that emphasize the strengths or weaknesses of specific cards within the context of different decks. As such, players are incentivized to develop strategies built around undervalued cards in order to drive demand and allow them to sell the card back to Coase for a profit.

While other blockchain-based card games reserve the right to alter an overpowered card’s stats or supply, Coase will nerf overpowered cards by minting new cards designed to rebalance the game.

NFT-Powered games rush to launch

The alpha launch of Emergents comes amid a glut of projects offering unique blockchain-based gaming experiences featuring in-game items that players can own and trade.

During March, Horizon Blockchain Games opened the final closed beta season of its Ethereum-based NFT-powered card game, SkyWeaver. Enjin launched a program to entice developers to work on its NFT and blockchain-powered gaming network. While the creator of FarmVille announced the development of a blockchain-based gaming network built featuring NFT in-game items.