PUBG Developer Krafton Partners with Solana Blockchain, Likely to Add Crypto and NFT Twist to Games

PUBG developer Krafton has struck a deal with Solana Labs, sparking rumors about its potential plans to add crypto and NFT elements to its games. As part of this partnership, Krafton has obtained the official rights to create blockchain games on the Solana networks. These games are likely to have a metaverse feel, supporting interactive digital avatars as well as crypto-related rewards and services. The deal comes amid Krafton accelerating its efforts to stay with the emerging Web 3 sector.

South Korea-based Krafton and US-based Solana Labs will collaborate to design games and explore opportunities to jointly invest in the blockchain industry, Korea Economic Daily reported on Wednesday, March 23.

“We are actively pursuing partnerships with companies and communities that have demonstrated impressive technological development, such as Solana, to create a Web 3 ecosystem,” the report quoted an unnamed Krafton spokesperson as saying.

Solana was launched in 2020 as an Ethereum competition. While Ethereum offers a more developed blockchain system, Solana boasts of greater efficiency. Its native token is SOL, which currently has a market capitalization of $29 billion (roughly Rs. 2,23,130 crore).

According to its latest energy consumption report, Solana claimed that two Google searches consume more energy than a single Solana transaction.

The blockchain network was recently chosen by the EDM Tomorrowland festival to support its NFTs.

PUBG, which reportedly hit the 70 million user mark in July 2020, could soon connect its large user base to the deeper levels of virtual reality.

The blockchain gaming industry grew by 765% in 2021, according to a report by Forbes in January this year.

Last month, crypto exchange FTX announced the launch of FTX Gaming, a “crypto as a service” platform, aimed at enabling gaming companies to create tokens and provide support for NFTs. to customers.

Zynga, the San Francisco-based online and mobile game developer best known for FarmVille and CSR Racing games, has also announced plans to venture into blockchain gaming.

A report by DappRadar had recently stated that a whopping 804,000 unique active players logged into blockchain-based games in July 2021.