WEB3WAR has officially launched out of public beta alongside the FUS1ON Gaming Hub.
WEB3WAR is a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Roll1ng Thund3rz and built around seasonal content and skill-based gameplay. The 1.0 version of the game features cosmetic skins and other digital assets that are tokenised and secured by the Zilliqa blockchain.
Cosmetic skin NFTs are purchasable and tradable through MARK3T - a newly launched marketplace, currently in beta, that is a component of the FUS1ON Gaming Hub.
The blockchain-based features of WEB3WAR will be expanded with the launch of its first seasonal content update, set to take place later this year.
The upcoming Season 1 update will add a variety of new content and digital assets, an in-game currency tokenised on the Zilliqa blockchain, and the ability for players to earn currency based on their in-game performance through the game’s Skill2Earn ranked gameplay mechanic.
WEB3WAR and the FUS1ON Gaming Hub have undergone constant development and seen significant improvements since the launch of the game’s public beta in October 2022. Many of these changes were based on community feedback and were aimed at improving the player experience while implementing exciting new features and blockchain-based functionality.
To find out more about the launch of WEB3WAR, the FUS1ON Gaming Hub, and the upcoming seasonal content updates, we spoke to Roll1ng Thund3rz CTO and co-founder Valentin Cobelea.
The road to WEB3WAR 1.0
WEB3WAR has changed significantly since the launch of the public beta last year. Several new features and gameplay mechanics have been added, and the graphics have been overhauled based on feedback from the player community.
“WEB3WAR is now a complete game. In contrast to what it was in early October when we started the beta, we now have a customisation system that’s much better than many popular games on the market. We have many more weapons, maps and skins which are greater both in volume and quality,” Valentin says.
“We have a complete progression and unlock system, a variety of game modes, daily and weekly missions, achievement ribbons, and more.”
When asked what changes he is most proud of making to the game over the course of its public beta, Valentin answers with the major graphics overhaul the team implemented at an impressive pace.
“I’m most proud of the graphics. The fact that the new high-definition maps run even better than the old ones, which are more low-poly, really makes me proud because the team really understood the grade of quality I was looking for and the speed of delivery we needed to make it happen.”
“I think the graphics changes have been the biggest challenge we had and we achieved that in about a month and a half. The beta started in October and about a month and a half later, we overhauled the graphics.”
The game now includes five high-definition maps alongside the eight older maps, and all graphical models and skins for characters, weapons, and attachments have been overhauled for a better visual experience while retaining performance.
Valentin adds that the team has also been working hard to improve the matchmaking and multiplayer experience to deliver an essentially lag-free experience at launch, provided players are matchmaking in the same region.
“We optimised quite a lot on the multiplayer side. We have a lot of mechanics to compensate for players having varying internet connections to make the multiplayer gameplay experience as seamless as possible.”
“There may still be some issues that we will continue to monitor and iron out, but if players are connecting in the same region, they are going to have a great online gameplay experience,” he says.
NFTs, cross-game skins and FUS1ON
The launch of WEB3WAR version 1.0 sees the introduction of cosmetic weapon skin NFTs that are available to purchase from within the FUS1ON Gaming Hub. These skins are truly owned by the player and stored in their Zilliqa wallet, which is seamlessly integrated into the hub.
Valentin explains that the FUS1ON Gaming Hub is designed to make its powerful blockchain features as accessible as possible to gamers who are used to traditional platforms like Steam.
“Getting started is simple - you install the hub and create an account the usual way, with your email, username, and password. You can then install WEB3WAR and while the game is being downloaded, you can go to the marketplace and browse the available Founders Edition skins.”
“When it comes to loading ZIL into your integrated wallet and buying skins, we have a partnership with RAMP, one of the biggest fiat on-ramp providers in the Web3 space. All you need to do is input your payment details and fulfil their KYC process from within the hub’s interface before buying ZIL to load into your wallet,” Valentin says.
“Once that is done, you can go to the marketplace and buy any skins you might like. You can always sell them later on and list them for whatever price you like. The skins you buy will be automatically available to equip in WEB3WAR after they appear in your inventory in the FUS1ON Gaming Hub.”
Note that because these cosmetic skins are secured by blockchain technology, it might take a few minutes for your NFT to appear in your inventory once you have bought it.
“All the blockchain infrastructure is attached to your account details in our backend to make the user experience as accessible as possible. You don't need to know what your wallet address is, and if you do want to share it with others, it is available right from the token balance screen in the FUS1ON Gaming Hub,” Valentin says.
“I want non-crypto users and gamers to be comfortable with the interface and sign-up process. I want everyone to be able to enjoy the game and benefit from the ability to own and trade cosmetic skins through the marketplace.”
The utility of the new cosmetic skin NFTs for WEB3WAR will only grow with the ecosystem of Web3 games and services that Roll1ng Thund3rz is building, Valentin explains.
“All of these skins will be available to use in a number of future games. As we continue to publish new games, the skins you purchase for one of those games will be available to use in others.”
“We're going to have continuity in respect to your gear, for example a skin for a specific weapon in WEB3WAR could also be usable in another game that features the same weapon. So you’re no longer buying one skin for a single game like you may be used to, but for the whole ecosystem that we are building,” he says.
A number of additional features are planned for the FUS1ON Gaming Hub as development on its various components continues, including an integrated radio streaming service with licensed music, the ability to transfer ZIL to external wallets and withdraw fiat currency through an integrated off-ramp.
Skill2Earn and seasonal content
One of the marquee features of WEB3WAR is its Skill2Earn system, which will be launched with the first seasonal content update later this year. Skill2Earn will allow players to compete in ranked gameplay and earn tokens based on their performance, which they can then use to purchase cosmetic skin NFTs, Season Passes, or cash out for fiat currency.
Valentin explains that this system and WEB3WAR’s token system will be launched with the Season 1 update to ensure that multiplayer gameplay is as balanced as possible before the introduction of ranked gameplay.
Implementing the token economy is also a complex process that requires careful consideration and testing from a blockchain integration perspective, and it’s important that when Skill2Earn is implemented, it provides the best possible player experience for all gamers.
“Ahead of the launch of the token economy and Skill2Earn, we will roll out additional cosmetic skin NFTs and a number of new features. We're going to have even more NFTs and lots of new content for people to enjoy,” Valentin says.
“Season 1 will take some time to roll out, and this is because we want to ensure the token economy is properly implemented and it delivers an enjoyable and fair experience for all players.”
“We are building games on blockchain, and that means putting players and the gameplay experience first. That’s the philosophy behind everything at Roll1ng Thund3rz,” he says.
The pre-season launch phase is all about testing the multiplayer gameplay at volume before adding ranked gameplay, Valentin adds.
“Before Skill2Earn is launched with the first seasonal update, we want to ensure the game is balanced and fair. We are constantly working to balance weapons and game mechanics and improve the multiplayer experience.”
The pre-season phase will also see the introduction of perks based on trading cards, which will allow players to unlock active and passive abilities based on their in-game performance.
“All these perks can be skinnable, and those skins will be NFTs and you can trade them, you can buy them, you can sell them,” Valentin says.
The Season 1 update will see the launch of the Season Pass, which unlocks ranked gameplay and a host of new content and skins, including five new high-definition maps for players to enjoy.
“In order to get access to Season 1, you will need to purchase the Season Pass, which will be a wallet-bound item in your inventory that gives you access to these new features,” Valentin says.
“You will receive access to new weapons and skins. You'll also have access to five additional new HD maps besides the five that are already in the game.”
With WEB3WAR now officially launching out of public beta, and the first seasonal content update coming in the near future, there has never been a better time to start playing.
“I encourage everyone to download the game and try out all these improvements and new features that have been added since the launch of the public beta,” Valentin says.
“This is the best time to start playing WEB3WAR. Hone your skills, tweak your loadouts, and unlock new weapons during the pre-season launch period to prepare for ranked gameplay, the Skill2Earn system, and the opportunity to earn rewards with the launch of Season 1”.
