Square Enix is gearing up for the launch of the Symbiogenesis Web3 game before Christmas. Recently, the famous game developer and publisher revealed a series of auctions for its non-fungible token (NFT) assets.
Symbiogenesis NFT Auction
A post by the PR division of Symbiogenesis on X last Friday contained the dates of the game’s Ethereum-based NFT auction. According to the tweet, gamers will have the opportunity to bid on the platform’s assets on the following schedules:
- Round 1: November 27 to 28
- Round 2: November 30 to December 4
- Round 3: December 2 to December 3
Based on the Google translation of the document mentioned in the post, there are certain restrictions in each round for participants. The first round will just be exclusive for “stakeholders” and it will involve the sale of facet and mesh characters.
The second set will only be accessible to people under the platform’s “allowlist entry campaign.” These were individuals who signed up for the quizzes and “treasure hunt” events during the prototype version of Symbiogenesis from November 7 to 21.
The said campaign awarded NFT “relics” to the participants. They were also given points so that they would be eligible for the phase 2 beta build.
The last leg of the auction will be open to others who were not included in the “stakeholder” and “allowlist entry campaign” categories.
Symbiogenesis Game Launch
Symbiogenesis, the first NFT game of Square Enix, is set to launch on December 21, and it’s described as a “narrative-unlocked NFT entertainment” game. Based on its trailer and promotional materials, the game is inspired by the graphics of early Final Fantasy RPG games, particularly Final Fantasy Tactics for the Playstation One—but now revived for current mobile devices with some graphical and game engine improvements.
Initial Reactions of the Gaming Community
Square Enix’s eventual announcement of its entry into NFT gaming proved to be a tough sell for its loyal fans. Many traditional PC and console gamers were initially livid about the idea of turning their niche into “pay-to-win schemes,” saying it steers away from the fundamental nature of gaming, which used to be dependent on experience grind for leveling avatars’ stats and farming for loots.
Another issue comes from the concept of locking the game’s main story and quests behind a paywall. Critics questioned the sustainability of these mechanics as well as their effect on the stability of the game.
The first quarter glimpse into the game was bombarded with criticisms, too, as fans noticed the heavy use of artificial intelligence (AI) in generating the artwork of the game. Furthermore, many long-time fans lashed out at the decision of Square Enix to abandon the much-anticipated revival of its popular titles like Parasite Eve and Tomb Raider in favor of its new NFT cash cow.
Final Thoughts
IMHO, I don’t know what to make out of Symbiogenesis. While it holds a great potential, which could eventually open up more games of Square Enix in the Web3 space, we are not sure how it would survive the overwhelming negative publicity it is getting. Regardless, as a long-time fan of some of its franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Valkyrie Profile, and Tomb Raider to name a few, it may be worth a try when its NFT game finally comes out next month.