Wildcard, the upcoming PVP MOBA hybrid, is moving its digital assets from Polygon to the Ethereum mainnet starting February 24. The migration covers the game's Wildpasses NFTs and signals a major shift as the studio gears up for the next development phase.
Wishlist Wildcard Now on Steam for Alpha Playtesting
Steam Wishlist and Playtests
Wildcard has been in the works since 2018 under Paul Bettner and Katy Drake Bettner, industry veterans behind Age of Empires and Words With Friends. The project has pulled in $46 million from backers like Paradigm and Griffin Gaming Partners. That extended timeline shows Playful Studios is taking its time to get things right.
The game just landed on Steam's wishlist, boosting its reach before launch. Playful Studios has also opened closed playtest signups, giving select players early hands-on time. The studio is eyeing a Q2 or Q3 2025 release window.
Upcoming Litepaper and Thousands Platform
The shift to Ethereum comes alongside fresh info about the WC token. Unlike most game tokens, WC will be fully distributed to the community with no developer or investor allocations. The goal is a healthier in-game economy that keeps players engaged long-term.
Playful Studios plans to drop a litepaper soon covering WC token mechanics, gameplay details, and the broader blockchain ecosystem. The studio has also unveiled Thousands, a spectator streaming and rewards platform built to work with Wildcard and other third-party titles.
ETH Migration Coming Soon
What is Thousands?
Thousands debuted during Wildcard Alliance's October TownHall livestream with a demo showing its main features. Viewers saw a crowd of digital avatars, many representing real people through NFTs, reacting to live esports matches in a virtual arena. Thousands includes an NFT-based rewards system where random spectators win prizes, mimicking the vibe of physical sports events.
The platform takes cues from existing social and streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), aiming to connect players, creators, and fans. It offers interactive features similar to X's Spaces for real-time community engagement during esports broadcasts.
Final Thoughts
Moving from Polygon to Ethereum is a big step for Wildcard as it preps for launch. With Steam visibility, incoming playtests, and a community-first token model, the game is carving out a spot in the web3 gaming space. Whether these moves pay off depends on how players respond when the game actually ships.
