Japan video game developer Square Enix said Wednesday it will launch its first Web3 game Symbiogenesis on the Polygon blockchain, saying the decision reflects what it called the environmental sustainability of the network among other advantages.
See related article: Final Fantasy’s Square Enix stays committed to blockchain despite backlash
Fast facts
- “Leveraging the Polygon network also allows Square Enix to ensure that Symbiogenesis is highly sustainable — thanks to the network’s carbon-neutral status,” the company said in an emailed press release.
- Fans of the Square Enix franchise had expressed opposition to the company’s blockchain initiatives, one reason for which was the technology’s potential harm to the environment.
- Square Enix dubs the upcoming Symbiogenesis as an interactive digital collectible art experience, where players can use and trade non-fungible tokens (NFT) as items within the game. It’s expected to be available in the spring of 2023.
- The company said Polygon offered high transaction speeds, low gas fees, and overall user-friendliness for gamers.
- Square Enix, which produced hit franchises such as Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, reported 365.2 billion Japanese yen (US$2.8 billion) in net sales as of March 31, 2022, according to its website.
- Last October, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Japan will promote a digital economic transformation with more investments in NFTs and the metaverse. Other major Japan-based game companies such as Sega and Konami also announced blockchain ventures.
See related article: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says NFTs and DAOs can bolster ‘Cool Japan’ strategy
