NFL Rivals Surpasses 1 Million Downloads Amidst Challenging Crypto Landscape

Despite being released in a difficult crypto market and during the NFL’s off-season, NFL Rivals, a free-to-play game produced by Mythical Games, has surpassed one million downloads. Since its April 26 release on the Google Play and Apple Stores, the game has sparked early interest, propelling it to the top of the App Store.

According to John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games, the amount of downloads is substantial, but he emphasizes the game’s excellent reception. NFL Rivals has attracted the interest of players, with an average rating of 4.8 out of five on the App Store based on approximately 22,000 reviews. Notably, gamers spend about two hours every day playing the game, demonstrating its intriguing and immersive character.

Mythical Games provided noteworthy statistics demonstrating the game’s popularity and player involvement. Nearly 15 million matches have been played on NFL Rivals, demonstrating that players are actively participating. Furthermore, users participate in six gaming sessions every day on average, highlighting the game’s stickiness and enjoyment.

The use of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) in the form of player cards is a significant aspect of NFL Rivals. These cards form the basis for forming teams and competing in the game. Each player card has a distinct rarity level, ranging from common to legendary, as well as unique strengths and weaknesses. While the NFT portion of the game is primarily “behind the scenes” for many players, users can enjoy the game without paying any NFTs. Only about 10% of gamers have used the marketplace to swap collectible player cards.

Linden emphasizes the easy onboarding procedure for players who are unfamiliar with Web3 ideas. Within the game, every player is given a wallet, which they may not realize until they choose to interact with the marketplace for buying, selling, or trading. Notably, even if they are new to Web3, gamers frequently understand the concept of receiving monetary bids for their cards. This incremental entry to the space enables the adoption of blockchain technology.

The NFL has chosen Mythical Games to launch its inaugural Web3 game in May 2022. This collaboration, however, is not the league’s sole foray into Web3. The NFL has also launched a ticketing collectible platform on Polygon, as well as a collectible marketplace called NFL All Day, developed by Dapper Labs. Mythical Games, recognized for other successful products such as Blankos Block Party and Nitro Nation, an NFT-based racing game, debuted Mythical Marketplace 2.0 in January 2023 and raised $150 million in a round led by a16z in 2021.