Ubisoft’s decision to release Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles as an NFT-powered RPG has sparked more criticism than celebration. With high-priced digital figurines and a quiet rollout, fans question whether Ubisoft’s NFT push is out of touch with what players really want.
Key Takeaways
- Ubisoft launched Champions Tactics quietly, avoiding major promotion after earlier NFT controversies.
- Gameplay depends heavily on NFT champions, with some items priced as high as $63,000.
- Many fans see the project as late and unnecessary, pointing to the collapse of NFT hype.
- Ubisoft earns a 6% royalty fee on every NFT trade, showing its focus on monetization.
- Past attempts like Ubisoft Quartz faced massive backlash, raising doubts about their long-term NFT plans.
Ubisoft’s NFT Launch and Quiet Rollout
This time, Ubisoft played it low-key. Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles was released with little noise—no front-page announcement, no major social media campaigns. The muted rollout looked intentional, a way to test the waters without drawing too much heat.
The game itself is free to start, but real progress depends on buying or trading NFT figurines. Built on the Oasys blockchain, every transaction sends a 6% royalty back to Ubisoft. That structure makes it less about gameplay and more about financial buy-ins, fueling frustration over its pay-to-win design.
Why Fans Are Pushing Back
Gamers didn’t hold back. Many mocked the timing, pointing out that NFTs already lost mainstream interest years ago. One Reddit user wrote, “Could not think of a more Ubisoft thing than putting out an NFT game so long after the entire concept has fallen in on itself.”
The backlash is not just about timing. Fans are also upset about fairness. With figurines priced from $6 to over $63,000, there is a huge gap between casual players and wealthy collectors. Many believe this makes competition more about money than skill, taking away the level playing field that makes multiplayer games fun.
Ubisoft’s History with NFTs
This isn’t Ubisoft’s first gamble with blockchain. Back in 2021, they launched Ubisoft Quartz inside Ghost Recon Breakpoint, allowing players to purchase “Digits” as NFT-based cosmetic items. The response was overwhelmingly negative—the announcement video got a 96% dislike ratio before being pulled, and Quartz was discontinued in 2022.
Even after all this, Ubisoft has not changed course. The company helped start the Blockchain Game Alliance and keeps working on Web3 projects. Ubisoft calls this forward-thinking, but many fans think the company is just holding on to a trend that is already over.
What This Means for Ubisoft’s Future
Ubisoft’s push for NFTs shows a growing gap between what the company wants and what its community trusts. While blockchain could bring steady income from royalties and digital collectibles, many gamers see these moves as out of touch, especially since Ubisoft is delaying popular franchises and closing well-known studios.
Releasing Champions Tactics quietly suggests Ubisoft knows NFTs are unpopular yet remains unwilling to walk away. This creates a risk: doubling down on NFTs could further damage the company’s reputation with its most loyal players.
The Disconnect Around Ubisoft’s NFT
The launch of Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles shows how controversial Ubisoft’s NFT strategy remains. While Ubisoft hopes blockchain can fuel future growth, players largely see it as an expensive distraction from the games they actually want. Unless Ubisoft finds a way to align its ambitions with player expectations, the backlash isn’t going away.
Source: https://nftnewstoday.com/
