Zynga, a leading casual and mobile game publisher that has offered many popular games to users in the past and has attracted millions of players, has made a bombshell announcement. The company revealed that its first blockchain game to utilize Ethereum NFTs will be called Sugartown.
What is Zynga Sugartown?
In Sugartown, three farm animals have opened a wormhole to another dimension. These creatures, called Oras, have transformed Sugartown into a fun and gamified world by passing through this wormhole. According to a Zynga representative, the game will be released at a later date and can only be played through web browsers. The compatibility of this approach with today’s world, however, raises some questions.
Zynga will release 10,000 Ora NFTs this year, which will be required for players to enter the game. These Ora NFTs will grant players access to the experience in Sugartown and to free mini-games. Players will also be able to lock their Ora NFTs or stake them to accumulate a non-crypto in-game currency called “Sugar.”
High Expectations for Sugartown
Matt Wolf, Vice President of Web3 Games at Zynga, stated the following:
Our goal is to empower players through a sustainable Web3 platform filled with fun and lasting games. We created Sugartown to target a local Web3 market, but as we build a passionate and engaged community that we hope will enjoy bringing this experience to life, we will aim for much broader scalability over time.
Zynga, founded in 2007, made a breakthrough in the gaming industry by launching highly popular casual games such as FarmVille and Words With Friends in 2009. Since then, the company has expanded by adding new games, leading it to the year 2023. Now, it seems like Zynga is trying to keep up with the requirements of the era by stepping into the blockchain world.
The publisher first announced plans to develop blockchain-based games in late 2021 but has not shared many details about the effort since the beginning of 2022. Last year, Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive acquired Zynga for $12.7 billion, signaling their plans to collaborate on future blockchain games.