In a significant leap into the mainstream gaming arena, Parallel, an Ethereum-based competitive card game, has made its debut on the Epic Games Store, potentially exposing itself to a vast new audience.
The Epic Games Store stands as a powerhouse in the PC gaming market, boasting a staggering 270 million users by the close of 2023, with 75 million active monthly users. Known for titles like Fortnite and Rocket League, Epic Games hosts games from various developers, now including Parallel.
Previously hailed as GG’s 2023 game of the year, Parallel had already widened its player base earlier this year with the release of an open beta following a closed beta phase.
At its core, Parallel revolves around NFTs minted on Ethereum and the layer-2 scaling network Base, while also incorporating traditional, non-tokenized in-game cards. Players diving into the free-to-play experience on Epic Games Store can enhance their decks with five additional “Apparition Packs,” featuring these traditional cards.
Beyond expanding accessibility through Epic Games Store and planning a future mobile version, Parallel Studios, which secured $35 million in March and recently launched the Planetfall expansion, is also venturing into esports. They have earmarked over $500,000 in prizes for the inaugural year of the Parallel League, with grander ambitions ahead.
Franklin Fitch, Head of Partnerships at Parallel Studios, hinted at the broader vision, stating, “Going live on Epic opens us up to millions more players worldwide, but we’re not stopping there. As we introduce more ways to play Parallel, our competitive prize pools are set to scale into the millions next year.”
Looking ahead, Parallel Studios is not confining its ambitions to just one game. They are concurrently developing Colony, an innovative generative AI-driven simulation game built on Solana, showcasing their commitment to pioneering blockchain-based gaming experiences.
With Parallel now available on a platform as influential as the Epic Games Store, the future looks promising for blockchain gaming’s integration into mainstream gaming culture, setting a precedent for other innovative projects to follow suit.
