The Epic Games Store’s first NFT game is Gala’s Wild West shooter GRIT

At the leading PC gaming marketplace, Steam decided to ban Web3 games as well NFT or Crypto Hooks last October, up-and-coming rival Epic Games Store claimed it would stay open to such games.

And now we know which game will be the first Web3 Titles appear on Epic’s platform.

Today Gala Games announced that its Wild West-style battle royale shooter will be released GRIT would be the first NFT-based game to be released through the Epic Games Store. GRIT will be a free to play online multiplayer game for Windows PC players and will contain custom NFT assets that can be purchased, resold and used within the game.

An NFT is a blockchain token that proves ownership of various items and is commonly used for digital goods such as artwork, collectibles, and in-game assets for video games. Game examples include avatars, vehicles, weapons, clothing, and virtual lots.

Gala will release 10,000 player avatars for GRIT and provide unique looks and customization items for owners. The company will be offering the avatars through a Gunslinger’s Box sale beginning this week at the publisher’s Galaverse event in Malta.

GRIT appears to be a Fortnite-like experience, pitting large numbers of players in a fight to the death at any cost, albeit with a distinctive Western aesthetic. It’s due out later in 2022 and will run on Epic Games’ own Unreal Engine.

Gala Games’ press release suggests that GRIT won’t be the company’s only game to be released on the Epic Games Store.

“Epic is a pioneer and visionary in the video game industry. Gala Games’ titles available on the Epic Game Store bring legitimacy to this new gaming genre,” Gala Games President John Osvald said in a press release. “Ease of access to Web3 games is a game changer for those gamers who haven’t seen how digital ownership can enrich the gaming experience.”

Gala Games has quickly become a prominent player in the blockchain gaming space, enlisting veteran game developers like Will Wright (The Sims) and Peter Molyneux (Fable) to create NFT-enhanced games, while also attracting NFT-savvy celebs like Signed Snoop Dogg and Steve Aoki.

Currently priced below $0.08, the GALA token has a total market cap of $555 million, according to CoinMarketCap.

Crypto finds a home at Epic Games

Epic Games is not only the company behind the Epic Games Store and the Unreal Engine, but also the developer of the leading battle royale shooter, Fortnite. The Epic Games Store had 194 million total users from late 2021, making it a sizeable launchpad for Gala and GRIT.

Valve’s Steam marketplace is currently the leading PC gaming platform and took a tough stance on games using NFTs or crypto tokens last October when it banned such games from launching on the platform.

In response, Epic Games co-founder and CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted a welcome message to the developers of such games.

“The Epic Games Store will welcome games utilizing blockchain technology provided they comply with relevant laws, disclose their terms, and are age rated by an appropriate group,” he wrote. “While Epic does not use cryptography in our games, we welcome innovation in technology and finance.”

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