Ubisoft Reveals ‘Captain Laserhawk’ Game on Ethereum Layer-2 Arbitrum

Assassin’s Creed and Just Dance publisher Ubisoft will make its next big step into the crypto gaming world on Ethereum layer-2 scaling network Arbitrum, as the company announced Tuesday that it is working on Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E.

Based in the same universe as the Netflix animated series “Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix”—itself loosely inspired by the 2013 game Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon—Ubisoft says the game will feature characters from other franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Rayman, and Beyond Good & Evil.

However, it’s still unclear what form the Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. will take. Tuesday’s announcement describes it as a “transmedia experience,” with the “first activation and core” of the “ambitious community-driven project” to be built on Arbitrum. A teaser trailer viewed by Decrypt does not show gameplay footage, instead showcasing a cinematic that's similar to the vibe of the Netflix show.

The statement also notes that players can make progress by “overcoming challenges across various channels inside and outside Ubisoft's ecosystem,” and that players can push forward the narrative “through innovative Web3 governance.” That could point to an experience that’s less of a big, immersive game world and more of an experimental web-based affair.

“As the story unfolds, the entire community will have the opportunity to influence the plot and participate in key decision-making moments by unlocking, creating, and sharing content,” according to a statement. “This experience stands out for its unprecedented level of player influence over the game’s development, empowering the community to help craft its evolution.”

Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E.—that is, per the website, “General Assignment Mandatory Entertainment”—is being built in collaboration with the Arbitrum Foundation along with Sequence, the crypto game development suite from Horizon.

“Here, players can have fun and actively contribute to the lore and evolution of the game,” said Ubisoft Labs VP Nicolas Pouard, in a statement.

Pouard said the features on Arbitrum would enable the creators to provide the community with a means to shape the story, gameplay, and side experiences.

“This fosters transparency and shared creation, paving the way for a truly collaborative future for Captain Laserhawk," Pouard said.

Ubisoft has long been the biggest traditional video game publisher building in the crypto world, amassing a pile of collaborations, investments, and experiments over the last few years. 

That includes the launch of in-game NFTs for Ghost Recon: Breakpoint in 2021, as well as development of the upcoming original game Champions Tactics on gaming network Oasys.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair