BigBallerBrand is known for its outspoken brashness — from its T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “Greatness Takes Balls” to outlandish statements from its founder and leader LaVar Ball, the patriarch of the family. Now, it’s bringing its unique marketing and company ethos to Web3, and Web3 enthusiasts better be ready for combat.
Yesterday, StrayShot, a new Web3 shooter title currently in open beta mode, announced a partnership with BBB that will make five Ball family members playable characters in the game. Soon, players will be able to don avatars of LaMelo, Lonzo, LiAngelo, LaVar, and Tina Ball and fight their way to victory in the game’s various formats.
StrayShot also issued an X post calling the Ball family trailblazers in the NBA space and highlighting the accomplishments of LaMelo and Lonzo Ball, who are or have been stars on the hardcourt. LaVar Ball, never one to shy away from the limelight, issued a statement saying that not only will he and his boys dominate the basketball court, they will also dominate the battleground in the game.
LaMelo Ball was the third overall draft pick in 2020 and won Rookie of the Year in that season. He has also made the all-star game and recently inked a $260 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets, one of the largest in NBA history. Lonzo Ball was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and is known for his play-making ability, specifically as a pure passer. LiAngelo currently plays in the NBA G-League.
The Ball family members will be available in the game after the full launch, which is projected for December this year or February of next year. Terms of the partnership went undisclosed.
“Collaborating with the iconic Ball family on StrayShot feels like a slam dunk,“ a representative of iBloxx Studios said. “Their innovative spirit and influence align perfectly with our ambition, and together, we’re ready to redefine gaming.”
What is StrayShot?
If you’ve never heard of StrayShot before today, you wouldn’t be alone. The project seems to be quite under the radar. But the game is innovating in this nascent technology space and is part of a new wave of titles that prioritize gameplay over Web3 elements, which could spur mass adoption. Here are the details:
StrayShot is a third-person shooter that has a variety of game formats, including “Death Match,” “Extraction Shooter,” and “Last One Standing.” In the game, you take the role of a bounty hunter. Initially you have one weapon, but you can gain more through the battles. There is a leaderboard, and players can earn prizes, such as unique skins.
According to the press release announcing the BBB partnership, the game is distinct from most blockchain-based titles. It prioritizes “top tier” gameplay while subtly using Web3 elements to enhance the gameplay, rather than overshadow it. Those Web3 elements are:
- In-game NFTs: Items, skins, and specialized characters that can be won or bought
- Invisible on-chain transactions: Trustless interactions that create fairness
- In-game rewards in the form of an ERC-20 token or NFTs
Gamers will not be required to create a crypto wallet to play the game, an important aspect many Web3 games use to acquire more players.
StrayShot runs on SKALE, an Ethereum scaling network with some of the fastest speeds in the business. That will permit background blockchain transactions to occur in near real-time, not affecting gameplay. SKALE is a relative newcomer in the space, but it has had success in a short time. Through fundraising and a token sale, it has raised millions of dollars.
Time will tell if StrayShot is successful, but prioritizing gameplay over Web3 elements is certainly a good start, at least for those who care about mass adoption.
Web3 Gaming Making Waves in Bear Market
While many NFT collections and Web3 companies struggle during the bear market, there has been one bright spot in the space: blockchain-based games. Here are three stories involving them, all in the past week.
First, two days ago, gaming ecosystem Immutable partnered with Amazon Web Services to better its infrastructure and help its subsidiaries market their games better. The agreement will provide game developers on the platform with a “turnkey” solution for building and scaling Web3 games.
Next, three days ago, ‘Nitro Nation: World Tour,’ a Mythical Games title, hit 500,000 downloads in the Google Play Store. The game features a variety of Web3 components, including cars and workshops that are non-fungible tokens. But like with StrayShot, Nitro Nation is more about the fun gameplay.
Lastly, one week ago, Nitro Nation made news through a partnership with electronic musician Deadmau5. Through the partnership, players will be able to acquire a special Deadmau5 car by participating in an in-game racing event. Deadmau5 is known for his love of supercars, making this collaboration a perfect fit.
With the Web3 gaming industry on the rise, many are expecting a flood of new users adopting the next iteration of the internet, albeit in a way that is not overt. Rarity Sniper will pay attention for any developments in today’s story and update this article if needed.