Ubisoft Reveals Quartz Platform
This is an interesting idea and it will be something to follow going forward.
Today, Ubisoft announced Ubisoft Quartz, a new platform for players to acquire Digits, the first NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) playable in an AAA game and running on energy-efficient technology. Launching in beta with Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Breakpoint on Ubisoft Connect for Windows PC, Digits will be released as part of limited Editions, each composed of a fixed number of cosmetic items.
Digits are a new way to experience cosmetic items, combining the fun of playing with AAA quality assets and the thrill of owning NFTs that represent unique, collectible pieces of Ubisoft game worlds. Digits are collectible in-game vehicles, weapons, and pieces of equipment that offer players unprecedented ways to connect with and enjoy more value from the games they love:
- Uniqueness: Each Digit is a unique collectible that features its own serial number for others to see in-game, also keeping track of its current and previous owners for years to come, making players an integral part of the game’s history.
- Playability: Digits are high-quality in-game collectibles with active utility value. As playable cosmetic items, Digits provide players the ability to personalize their experience and complete their missions with style.
- Control: Each Digit comes with a certificate of ownership stored on blockchain, a decentralized, community-driven technology independent from Ubisoft, which grants players more control than ever. With Digits, items are no longer bound to a player’s game inventory since they can be put on sale for other eligible players to acquire outside of the Ubisoft ecosystem.
This large-scale experiment is the next step in Ubisoft’s four-year exploration of blockchain technology through in-house research and development and close collaboration with renowned specialists within the startup ecosystem.
“Our long-term efforts led us to understand how blockchain’s decentralized approach could genuinely make players stakeholders of our games, in a way that is also sustainable for our industry, placing back into their hands the value they generate through the time they spend, the items they buy or the content they create online,” said Nicolas Pouard, VP of Ubisoft’s Strategic Innovation Lab. “Ubisoft Quartz is the first building block in our ambitious vision for developing a true metaverse. And it can’t come to life without overcoming blockchain’s early-form limitations for gaming, including scalability and energy consumption.”
To operate the first energy-efficient NFTs playable in a AAA game, Ubisoft Quartz leverages Tezos, a blockchain running on a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, using exceedingly less energy to operate than Proof-of-Work blockchains such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.
“Energy-efficiency is a key requirement to propel blockchain technology into a future where it can be widely used by millions of players. We chose Tezos because of its original Proof-of-Stake network and its leadership on clean NFTs,” says Didier Genevois, Blockchain Technical Director at Ubisoft. “One transaction on their network uses the same amount of energy as streaming 30 seconds of video, while the previous generation of blockchain networks can consume the same energy required for one year of non-stop streaming. This low carbon footprint means that both our developers and our players can prioritize innovation without compromising sustainability.”
To ensure that players can use Digits to the full extent of their utility, Ubisoft Quartz will only be available to players that meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Play Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint on Ubisoft Connect for Windows PC
- Reach at least the XP Level 5 in the game
- Be at least 18 years old
In addition, the number of Digits of a single Edition that a player can own at any time is limited to one.
Ubisoft Quartz will be available in beta starting December 9 at 6PM UTC in the USA, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Australia and Brazil. The experiment will kick off with three drops of free Digits on December 9, 12, and 15, to reward the early adopters among players. Digits can be claimed on the Ubisoft Quartz platform and played with in Ghost Recon Breakpoint. Other drops are planned for early 2022, and more details will be shared at a later date.
To learn more about Ubisoft Quartz, Digits and eligibility please visit: https://quartz.ubisoft.com
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gareth Syndicated movie & game critic, writer, author and frequent radio guest. His work has appeared in over 60 publications worldwide and he is the creator of the rising entertainment site and publication “Skewed and Reviewed”. He has three books of film, game reviews and interviews published and is a well-received and in demand speaker on the convention circuit. Gareth has appeared in movies and is a regular guest on a top-rated Seattle morning show. He has also appeared briefly in films such as “Prefountaine”, “Postal”. “Far Cry”. and others. Gareth is also an in-demand speaker at several conventions and has conducted popular panels for over two decades.
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