- Classic video game publisher Atari has branched into the GameFi sector in collaboration with Coinbase’s Ether L2 solution, Base.
- The team is launching a blockchain-hosted version of retro arcade game Asteroids, with plans of more to come.
- The Web3 version of the game will use blockchain tech to record scores, grant NFT access passes and distribute weekly (and overall) prizes.
Does anything else scream “the good old days” like sitting on a 70s-style couch, drinking a full-strength Coke and playing Asteroids on your Atari?
Well, considering the demographic of most crypto investors, probably lots of things – but the point still stands. Atari consoles are a bastion of video game nostalgia, and with GameFi all the rage, the retro publisher is pushing some of their most iconic titles back into the modern era.
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Top Scorers Can Win Over US $1,000 in Rewards
Everyone’s favourite arcade games are coming to the blockchain. Atari has teamed up with Coinbase, leveraging their Layer 2 Ethereum scaling network Base to reinvigorate a list of vintage classics.
Obviously, you can simply Google “Asteroids online” and play the game on any number of spin-off websites. But the GameFi element of Atari’s new venture is set to bring higher stakes and community involvement to the arcade world.
There’s an entry fee to access the online platform, which will take the form of an inexpensive Ether NFT (approximately $7 AUD). This provides gamers with the opportunity to participate in a weekly leaderboard. The top three overall scores – which will be recorded to the blockchain – are eligible for prizes, the crowning jewel being a US $1,000 (AU $1,500) gift card.
Weekly rewards include a retro Atari console, a merchandise voucher and free access to a Steam version of Asteroids: Recharged.
Asteroids May Just Be the Beginning
Atari’s director, Tyler Drewitz, was excited about the team’s new direction.
All scores are logged on-chain, and from there it gets pretty fun… Once you participate, it can evolve and change – the level of prizes, what games come next, who owns the high-score cartridge.
Tyler Drewitz, AtariAdding a competitive element back to the arcade will undoubtedly bring back memories (for some) of spending hours with friends playing Pac-Man, Asteroids and Pong. With so much competitive gaming now focussed on complex strategy and fast-paced titles – think League of Legends, Fortnite etc. – the casual scene has room to embrace a new direction.
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This isn’t Atari’s first rodeo. The classic video game developers have long been fans of the blockchain, previously minting branded NFTs and even a new console (ATARI VCS) that could operate as a network validator.
More arcade games are set to be released as Atari and Base deepen their involvement in the retro GameFi ecosystem.
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