With the increasing popularity of blockchain games, a growing number of “AAA” or “major” studios are branching out into this new genre. With higher funding and top-notch game developers, those upcoming AAA NFT games are establishing new standards in the p2e gaming market and could attract new masses of mainstream gamers. There are a few notable upcoming AAA NFT games in early access and some that have been announced but not released yet. Here are 13 upcoming AAA NFT games that will interest gamers. 

What are AAA NFT games?

AAA is an identifying trait of games produced by large publishers that have a large budget for their production. These games are often regarded as the absolute best in terms of their gameplay and visual appeal. In traditional gaming, some examples of this are Call of Duty, GTA, and The Witcher.

NFT games reward players with NFTs and cryptocurrencies for their participation. Thus, they are also known as “Play-to-Earn” games. Their crypto assets are stored on decentralized blockchains, so they act as if players have complete ownership of the respective assets and eliminate third-party ownership.

Upcoming NFT games (AAA)

Illuvium

One of the most highly anticipated AAA NFT games, Illuvium, is a decentralized open-world fantasy RPG game that allows players to explore the landscape, collect alien creatures called illuvials, and battle one another for rewards. The game draws inspiration from Pokémon for its open-world game design and aims to be the first truly AAA video game.

The game’s lore mixes fantasy, space, and Pokemon. Players are travelers on a spaceship that crashes on a mysterious planet full of illuvials—unknown creatures that possess supernatural abilities. Your goal is to explore the world and capture illuvials by taming them. Tamed illuvials are minted as NFTs. The game will also feature a battle arena mode where players can battle each other to earn ether.

The goal is to create an effective team of Illuvials that may be applied in fights and earn rewards. A free mode will be included, but many in-game assets such as land and illuvials are registered as NFTs that may be bought and offered for cash.

Illuvium is built on Ethereum, but it will leverage the zero-fee layer two transfer of the Immutable X blockchain. You can currently sign up for a chance to play the private Beta Illuvium Arena mode.

Star Atlas

Star Atlas is a top upcoming space grand strategy game based on Solana. In 2620, humans, aliens, and androids are engaged in a conflict for control. The game revolves around four core game styles; grand strategy, exploration, role-playing, and space flight simulation.

Players can build their own intergalactic empires and receive rewards for holding their ground and using offensive and defensive tactics to destroy their enemies and acquire rich logistical routes, ultimately influencing the outcome of this intergalactic conflict while creating the opportunity to earn rewards for their actions. Most game assets will be represented on the blockchain as non fungible tokens and traded on the Star Atlas marketplace. NFT collectibles include structures, spaceships, mining equipment, resources, and elements that have specific roles in the ecosystem.

Atar Atlas is powered by Unreal Engine 5, which enables complex and in-depth graphics. Additionally, the blockchain technology for the game, Solona, allows for fast transactions and is designed for server-free online multiplayer games.

Bigtime

BigTime is a multiplayer action RPG on Ethereum with an all-star game development team from studios like Epic Games, Riot, Blizzard, and EA. Players travel through time and space to explore mysteries and battle their way through history. The game is set up to be free to play and will allow players to grind their way to earning the game token and NFTs.

Players can form teams of up to six and wander the 3D overworld where masses of opponents are cut through using a real-time blend of melee and magic-based combat. NFT goods can be obtained by defeating bosses in the game’s dungeons. The NFT drop is awarded to the player who defeats the dungeon’s final boss. To avoid a pay-to-win situation, these wearable NFTs will be cosmetic.

Early access is available for VIP Pass holders.

Guild of Guardians

Guild of Guardians is an upcoming Role playing mobile game set in a fantasy world that runs on Ethereum and scales on ImmutableX. You can play the game for free and receive rewards as you progress through the levels. The game is played out by assembling a squad of heroes, completing dungeon tasks, and earning resources. Like in other games, collecting resources allows in-game objects to be made, which may then be sold for a profit. Guilds can work together to complete in-game challenges to earn loot.

Gold Fever

Gold Fever is an upcoming P2E game that aims to recreate the feel and mechanics of the gold rush through a large-scale RPG experience.

The action takes place in a vast jungle full of chance and peril. NFTs enable players to own and control parts of the jungle. Players can construct structures on plots to generate passive income.

Gameplay will entail defending against enemy attacks, coping with climate issues and predators, basic survival actions, and working together to explore and maximize the game’s huge virtual globe.

The NGL currency, which players may mine and use to purchase in-game items, is central to Gold Fever’s gameplay. It’s also the game’s native governance token, allowing users to affect the game’s progress through voting.

Sidus Heroes

Sidus Heroes is a multiplayer Roleplaying space exploration and battle game with a large open universe on Ethereum. The game offers a variety of gaming scenarios, including interplanetary exploration, conflicts, and settlements, as well as political, social, and economic development.

Players can join units and communicate with one another to fulfill complex missions in the game. The game will also feature a battle arena where players can challenge each other in P2P or P2E mode to earn SIDUS token rewards.

The game also has a political system that includes political parties and councilors. Players can form a party, lobby for their causes, and even become ministers and presidents. The council decides on the present trajectory of technology and whether or not to colonize a planet. The councilors will be rewarded if their decision is successful.

The Sidus Heroes game is available in early access form, covering basic functions including the marketplace and the DAO.

Stormrite

Stormrite is an open-world action RPG game utilizing the Enjin blockchain. The game is story-driven and shares some resemblance to Skyrim. You will take the role of a squire, exploring the fantasy-medieval kingdom of Redreach. Your character will progress, and your choices will affect the ending.

The game incorporates non-fungible tokens, such as skins and weapons that players can use to customize and improve their character’s magic combat and single-player adventures.

Phantom galaxies

Phantom Galaxies blends a fast-paced mech shooter and an open-world space simulator utilizing the polygon blockchain. Players can choose between four different mechanized starfighters and follow through with story-driven missions and quests, operations, and raids. Action-packed gameplay permeates the entire experience. Phantom Galaxies also has a multiplayer mode. You can join guilds engaged in conflicts with other players in PVP battles over resources.

Players can level up and improve their mechs to unlock new specializations as they progress through the game. The most potent upgrades are only found in end-game content, whereas common loot frequently drops from common foes.

Early access is available, but you will need to hold a Halberd-001 NFT to access the game. Those NFTs were distributed for free from the official website (Claim NFT).

Synergy land

Synergy Land is currently under development by Synergy Games, a blockchain-based multiplayer action role-playing game similar to Diablo and Path of Exile. It takes place in a fantasy world divided into four ecosystems, each based on the elements of earth, water, fire, and ice. Players can join together, explore dungeons, and engage in adventures against powerful creatures. The game has a spell system that enables players to combine elements to cast spells and create new synergies between them.

Synergy land is utilizing the Solana blockchain. Some of the features will enable players to own boss NFTs in the game and earn passive income, breed pets, Own a private island and make it their home and business, and craft powerful NFT items.

Champions ascension

Champions Ascension is an upcoming fantasy game developed by Jam City. The game is set in the world of Massina, where players explore, battle, and earn rewards with unique NFT champions. The game will have various champions, each with their own abilities and fighting styles.

There will be a heavy focus on combat. Players can fight in the Colosseum Eternal and choose between various battle modes. Some will be AI-controlled auto-battle, while others will require players to command their own Champions on the battlefield to Move, Attack, and Use Abilities.

Players in Champions Ascension will be able to build various facilities on the land plots they own. These facilities will serve the needs of the larger community. For example, players can make a shop to sell items to other players or a forge to create weapons and armor.

Gear forging is a process that can be used to improve the stats of your champions. The game will have various types of gear with different attributes. By combining gears of the same type and rarity, you will be able to forge new gear with better stats. Forging also requires a certain amount of materials and resources

Aurory

Aurory is a 2D retro-futuristic turn-based Japanese role-playing game on Solana. Players will travel to the worlds Antike and Tokane, complete quests, and compete against other players using creatures known as “Nefties.”

ANTIK is a world where few wealthy barons rule over the poor, violent creatures. TOKANÉ, is a world where beautiful creatures called Nefties thrive and the distribution of wealth is equal. The Antikians have discovered the existence of a world called Tokané and are using it to flee their corrupt enslavers, the barons. In the PvE storyline, players will follow the adventures of SAM and HELIOS as they fight against the manipulative Barons.

Players in PvE mode can find eggs, hatch them with $AURY, and get a new Nefty companion! Nefties can also be obtained through special events or purchased from the marketplace. Nefty eggs can be obtained by winning fights in player-versus-player mode.

Aurory will employ a turn-based combat system in which two teams compete on a battleground grid using three Nefties per team (3v3), with a goal  to destroy your opponent’s Nefties.

Mob Land

Mob Land or Syn City is a Mafia metaverse with a GTA vibe. Players will own Turf (real estate) and obtain business licenses in Syn City, allowing them to improve their in-game abilities, experience, and earnings. They will be able to establish a base for their syndicate, build businesses, rent space, collect taxes, and loot and raid to take over the businesses and resources of other syndicates, leveling up their empire to achieve their goals.

MOBLAND players can stake $SYNR governance tokens and in-game NFT assets on the Ethereum chain to mint cross-chain assets on BNB Chain and other networks.

Mirandus

Mirandus is a fantasy RPG that allows players to choose their own quests and adventures. In, players will have absolute freedom of choice to determine their own quests and role in the game. They can own land deeds allowing them to claim portions of the wilderness and establish holdfasts ranging from small farms to massive cities. To play, combat is optional. Owning land near a dungeon entrance or on a heavily traveled path allows you to choose which goods or services to provide and profit and play accordingly.

Mirandus is part of Gala games and will be free to play it will not require the purchase of an NFT. Elite avatars, known as exemplar avatars, with special abilities to enhance gameplay can be purchased, but they are optional. Common Avatars will be available for free.

Conclusion

P2E gaming has grown into a massive industry, particularly in developing countries where the daily payout is equivalent to a living wage. This represents a new gaming audience that traditional AAA publishers and developers do not currently reach.

The AAA NFT games list we presented here is probably just the beginning.  Major AAA game publishers will eventually move into the NFT and P2E gaming space because it offers financial savings and brings users into the ecosystem as stakeholders. Many major game publishers are already exploring the use of blockchain technology. For example, Ubisoft has been one of the most active AAA publishers in the NFT space, with plans to use them in their games. We expect this trend to continue as more AAA game developers discover the potential of integrating blockchain and NFTs with high-quality games .