Big new step for blockchain gaming, as Ethereum-based PlayStation 4 game incoming

Sony has approved for release a new PlayStation 4 game that’ll feature a blockchain-based marketplace system…

Videogaming’s continued interest in blockchain technology is about to be ramped up, with news of an incoming game that’s been built around the Ethereum chain.

Plague Hunters is a game that’s gone through the official Sony review process, and has been duly cleared. That means it has a path to an official release. It’s the sequel to an earlier title, Plague Road, and the game is a turn-based role playing game, designed for single players.

It’s utilising the Ethereum blockchain, and that means, says publisher Arcade Distillery, that you have full ownership of any game assets (such as units and weapons) that you play with. You can trade them with others, too, and it’s this marketplace element that’s the notable step forward. It’s the first time that a blockchain-based marketplace system has got through Sony’s notoriously fussy approval process.

Here’s the official trailer for the game that’s been released.

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Plague Hunters will be free to play, with assorted optional extras costing you money. The game is scheduled for release in the first three months of 2019, and versions are also planned for the Nintendo Switch and PC as well.

It’s likely to open the gates to further blockchain-based games for consoles that are rumoured to be in development. But Plague Hunters looks like it’s going to be the one to break ground first. An official release date hasn’t been announced as of yet. Find out more about the game here.