How Mobile Gaming Forever Changed The Way Fans Interact With Brands
What do Fortnite, Genshin Impact, Among Us or Arena of Valor have in common? They’re part of the mammoth sized mobile game market. As of 2020, there are 2.5 billion mobile gamers and the number of players continues to grow as game makers develop more engaging content and devices are more readily available for players all over the world. These players spent $77.2 billion and this number includes sales of digital collectibles and items to customize their in-game character.
A mobile phone is a gateway into virtual worlds and, unlike a video game console, your phone is with you when you’re at the office, waiting in line for groceries, and sitting in an Uber ride during traffic. You can turn on a game and be a part of a global event anytime anywhere. And the best in-game events are moments you can share with your friends. Whether that’s sporting a costume from your favorite brand or watching a virtual concert together, shared virtual experiences are EPIK.
EPIKPRIME uniquely specializes in creating unforgettable virtual experiences where fans can connect with the brands they love. Take Food Truck Chef, a popular mobile game with 25 million downloads that has players cook and serve delicious dishes in a fully customizable restaurant on wheels, as a starting point. We brought Duff Goldman, a celebrity chef and star of Ace of Cakes on the Food Network, into the game. This event added the Charm City Cakes owner as a cameo in Food Truck Chef for a limited time and players could take on special challenges to see if they were tough enough for Duff. EPIKPRIME added three of the master baker’s recipes into the game for players to collect.
For Mushroom Wars 2, an award-winning real-time strategy game available for iPhones and Android devices, EPIKPRIME brought the Stormtrooper into the game. This crossover let players transform their characters into galactic troopers by using virtual items.
These kinds of EPIK collaborations between brands and games are just the beginning. Right now, you can only see your Stormtrooper costume by opening Mushroom Wars 2 and the recipes you earned from Chef Duff are stuck inside Food Truck Wars. This is going to change with the power of the blockchain. Items saved as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) can be used inside games, but live outside of a game. That means the exclusive items you have can be seen online using a NFT viewer and the item, like your phone, is always with you. Even if you delete a game where a NFT is used, the NFT is safely tucked away in your wallet. The next time you reinstall the game the virtual item you purchased is still with you and it you can use it again. Virtual items become more than costume parts, as NFTs they’re full-fledged collectibles now that can even be transferred to other players. Similar to how limited-edition merchandise only sold at conventions is sold on eBay, rare NFTs can be sold on OpenSea or Rarible.
The blockchain will also makes payments for virtual goods easier too. Let’s say you want to get a skin for Fortnite, a character in Genshin Impact, and a raid pass in Pokémon Go. Right now, you’ll need three separate wallets — one for V-Bucks, one for Primogems, and one for Pokécoins. Players will need to transfer money into these separate accounts and any virtual currency that isn’t spent is locked to the game forever. Cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ether will simplify the process of buying virtual items since cryptocurrency is more like cash. Players can use one wallet to buy items for multiple games. They can even use the same wallet to hold all of their NFTs which can be used in multiple games too.
EPIKPRIME is on the forefront of creating premium virtual experiences and items. We’re building branded blockchain powered digital items and have agreements with a vast network of licensors including Warner Music, Universal, Zenescope Entertainment and Valiant Comics. Want to hear about our EPIK drops first? Follow our Twitter and Telegram communities to keep up with the latest news.
