Ubisoft to run a Cronos blockchain validator node

Ubisoft, a video game creator and publisher, is growing its footprint in the non-fungible token (NFT) gaming industry after partnering with Cronos, a blockchain network, per an update on July 18.

Ubisoft to run a Cronos validator node

Ubisoft, famous for franchises such as Just Dance and Assassin’s Creed, will manage a node on the Cronos network, an open-source platform compatible with Ethereum and Cosmos blockchains.

As a validator, Ubisoft will be responsible for producing and verifying new blocks on the Cronos network, joining forces with 27 other blockchain validators, including Crypto.com and Blockdaemon. 

This move is expected to enhance the network’s decentralization, a key feature of blockchain systems.

Cronos Labs, the organization behind the Cronos network, said their gaming company’s expertise, mainly through its Strategic Innovation Lab, could help in advancing blockchain gaming.

Ubisoft had previously mentored startups in the Cronos Accelerator Program back in 2022.

Ubisoft’s expanding footprint in NFT gaming domain

Ubisoft’s involvement with Cronos is part of its broader strategy to explore and expand its footprint in the NFT gaming domain.

The publisher has been actively prototyping and launching blockchain-based games and supporting various networks and platforms. It has also made strategic investments in NFT projects.

In 2021, Ubisoft introduced in-game NFT items on the Tezos blockchain for its Ghost Recon: Breakpoint PC game marking Ubisoft as the first major publisher to integrate NFTs into an existing video game. However, the company faced backlash from traditional gaming fans who were critical of this foray into the NFT world.

Ubisoft’s interest in blockchain technology dates back to 2018 when it experimented with a Minecraft-like prototype called HashCraft, which ultimately did not see a public release. Subsequently, the company ventured into NFT-based projects, including a Rabbids-themed experiment and collaborations with games like Sorare and The Sandbox.

Ubisoft actively supports blockchain ecosystems like Tezos and Hedera by running validators. The game creator has also shown interest in various NFT games like Axie Infinity and Sorare and the crypto gaming marketplace Ultra, based on EOS.