Fun first, finance second: How this game is transforming the world of play-to-earn

Play-and-earn games have become a significant part of the crypto ecosystem in recent months — and they've even enabled some players to make a living.

But some titles have been criticized for failing to offer compelling gameplay — with critics claiming that NFTs and financial incentives suck the fun out of games.

Monster Racing League, a multiplayer racing game, is aiming to change this by delivering an engaging experience that wouldn't be out of place on a major console. With a demo game already available, interested players are able to experience this for themselves. 

By combining skill and strategy, players are introduced to the new and slightly unusual feature of auto racing. In auto racing, offensive and defensive abilities take the upper hand as players must seek the opportune time to disrupt their components' race, thereby improving their own position. To bring this to life, Monster Racing League leverages advanced AI developed by Flightless, so users can watch the monsters navigate the track effortlessly, making it enjoyable to watch the game itself. 

It's a novel approach, and the team behind Monster Racing League says gamers were a primary consideration, with DeFi functionality providing extra value on top of a fun game.

The game's been built by Flightless Studio, an indie gaming studio with over a decade of experience based in New Zealand, and published by Phat Loot — the experienced game development and blockchain team behind Untamed Isles and Guppy Gang NFT.

Casual and competitive game modes aim to cater to players of all abilities and preferences, while tournaments enable seasoned gamers to do battle with friends around the world.

Taking over the tracks

Finishing in the top three of a race unlocks rewards for gamers, not to mention upgrades that offer an even better experience in the next race. And crucially, the monsters driving these cars can be bred together using a proprietary breeding system — taking some attributes from the parent Monsters "to create the ultimate Monster Racing League champion."

Quality of life for Guilds and Managers is of utmost importance with a Dashboard that makes renting and scholarship management streamlined. Players will even have the opportunity to own tracks if they are lucky enough to get one in their container mint. Tracks derive passive rewards for the owners, so they will be highly sought after because there are only 25 of them planned on being released. 

Speaking to Cointelegraph, the team described how they want to offer a point of difference from other titles in this fast-growing space, adding: "Rather than creating a boring traditional play-to-earn system and trying to iterate our way to a fun game, we’re creating a game that is fun to play first, then integrating the blockchain into it.”

"Everyone, including newcomers, will have an opportunity to win. We're putting the emphasis on skill and strategy so you'll have a chance to win no matter what monster you have."

This is a compelling proposition, not least because it can be difficult for some beginners to feel like they have a chance of success when they start playing a game and have a low rarity monster. Monster Racing League’s focus is to make the game friendly and easy for players new to crypto and traditional gamers through onboarding tutorials and guides on how to enter the world of crypto gaming and create a wallet. Effectively, this will result in a game that will bridge traditional gaming and crypto projects.

What's next?

Monster Racing League is hosting a container mint on July 1, that will give players everything they need to get behind the wheel, including their very own monster, a vehicle cosmetic, 1-2 tribe abilities and the chance at one of 25 ultra rare tracks. Each monster is complete with its one-of-a-kind characteristics that will enable them to be successful drivers in gameplay — but they all come with strengths and weaknesses that can affect their performance. With a playable demo available and a whitelist now open, players can sign up through Discord now for the mint.

When it's time to play, each monster can enter a standard race within the Monster Racing League. These races include a multi-round tournament with six players. And before racing commences, players can decide which abilities and boost cards they would like to equip to suit their style of racing and the randomly selected track conditions.

A steady stream of new content and tournament formats are set to be gradually released to ensure the game remains fresh for users — and Monster Racing League is set to make a roaring debut in the third quarter of 2022.

With a seemingly endless combination of monsters, tracks, abilities and boost cards, every gamer will be able to have a strategy that's as individual as they are.