Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles – Ubisoft's Big Bet on Blockchain Gaming
By BCGamer —
Tags: oasys, oas, champions tactics, grimoria chronicles, ubisoft
Let's talk about the elephant in the room.
Ubisoft—the Assassin's Creed people—made an NFT game. And not some half-assed experiment. A full tactical RPG with breeding mechanics, marketplace, and two separate NFT collections.
Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles launched in October 2024. It's Ubisoft's first original blockchain game. And the reception? Let's just say... complicated.
Who Made This?
Developer & Publisher: Ubisoft
Yes, THAT Ubisoft. $4+ billion market cap. Assassin's Creed. Far Cry. Just Dance. Rainbow Six.
This isn't some indie studio with a whitepaper and a dream. This is one of the largest gaming companies on Earth doubling down on web3 after the entire industry walked away from NFTs.
Ubisoft's Strategic Innovation Lab partnered with Oasys (Japanese gaming blockchain) and double jump.tokyo to build this. They've been experimenting with blockchain since 2021 when they launched Tezos NFTs for Ghost Recon Breakpoint. That flopped. They came back anyway.
Say what you want about the strategy, but they're committed.
Champions Tactics is a turn-based tactical PvP RPG. Think Fire Emblem meets auto-battler meets NFT breeding game.
Setting: Grimoria, a dark fantasy world divided into seven factions battling for dominance.
Gameplay:
Assemble teams of 3 Champions
Turn-based combat on hexagonal grid
Each Champion has unique stats, skills, and DNA
Strategy and positioning matter—no RNG wins
Factions:
The Empire
The Rebellion
The Order
The Chaos
The Nature
The Void
The Balance
The combat draws comparisons to Darkest Dungeon and Dota Underlords. It's tactical, it's skill-based, and if you don't know what you're doing, you'll get destroyed.
Platform: PC only (Ubisoft Connect + Steam)
The Blockchain Integration
Here's where it gets interesting—and messy.
Blockchain: Oasys (Layer 2 gaming chain)
Oasys is a Japanese gaming-focused blockchain using Proof-of-Stake. The game runs on Oasys Homeverse, their Layer 2, which means instant transactions and zero gas fees for players.
Two NFT Collections:
1. The Warlords (Ethereum)
10,000 pixel-art PFP NFTs
Released Q3 2023
Grants in-game bonuses (extra XP, extra Gold per match)
Can be used as in-game profile pictures
Floor price fluctuated between $60-$300+
Warlord holders got priority mint for Champions
2. Champions (Oasys)
75,000 total supply
Free mint in July 2024
These are your actual playable characters
Each has unique traits, DNA, and abilities
Tradeable on the official marketplace using WOAS (Wrapped OAS)
Floor price around $10 worth of OAS
The Forge:
This is the breeding mechanic. Combine two Champions to create a new one with inherited traits and DNA. Costs Gold (in-game currency) or $OAS (crypto). Each Champion has limited "Crafting Charges"—use them up, and that Champion can't breed anymore.
The genetics system includes dominant, recessive, and minor recessive genes. Figuring out optimal breeding combinations is basically a metagame within the metagame.
Free-to-Play... Sort Of
Champions Tactics IS free to download and play. But here's the catch:
Ethereal Champions:
These are free, non-NFT characters
Can be used in unranked matches
Limited uses in ranked matches before they disappear
Unlock more by completing quests
NFT Champions:
VIP Tiers: The more NFT Champions you own, the higher your VIP tier. Higher tiers = more Gold per match, more XP per Champion, better rewards overall.
So yeah, you CAN play for free. But the game is clearly designed to push you toward NFT ownership. Make of that what you will.
The Problems
Let's not sugarcoat this.
Launch Exploit: Within days of launch, a single player discovered an exploit that let them auto-win every match before it even started. This player—appearing as "Schilleri11" or "Paulstar111"—racked up 56,000+ matches and sat at #1 on leaderboards while making the game literally unplayable for everyone else. Ubisoft eventually banned them, but the damage to first impressions was done.
Steam Reception: Ubisoft released a non-NFT version called "Champions Tactics Reforged" on Steam in May 2025. Current rating? 47% Mixed (274 reviews). Players complain about:
Pay-to-win mechanics
Gacha-style champion acquisition
Boring animations
Matching against bots instead of real players
Ubisoft Connect requirement
The Broader Context: Ubisoft launched this game at a time when:
NFT gaming sentiment is at all-time lows
Major publishers (EA, Mojang, Valve) have backed away from blockchain
Ubisoft itself is struggling with layoffs, delays, and failing releases
The timing is... questionable.
What They're Doing Right
Credit where it's due:
1. Actual AAA Developer
This isn't a Discord mod's side project. Ubisoft has resources, experience, and infrastructure. The game looks polished. The mechanics are deep.
2. No Gas Fees
Oasys Homeverse handles transactions with zero gas. You're not paying $50 in ETH to list a $10 Champion.
3. Free Mint for Champions
75,000 Champions were minted FREE in July 2024. You just needed to participate in the ecosystem (stake OAS, complete tasks, hold Warlords). That's better than most projects demanding hundreds upfront.
4. Skill-Based Combat
The game markets itself as "tactical play-to-win"—skill over luck. If the balance holds, that's respectable game design.
5. Warlords Buyback
In September 2025, Ubisoft announced a Warlord buyback program—purchasing 50 Warlords to add to their vault for future rewards. That's a signal they're trying to support the ecosystem long-term.
Quick Facts
Developer: Ubisoft
Blockchain: Oasys (Layer 2)
NFTs: Warlords (10k on Ethereum) + Champions (75k on Oasys)
Token: OAS / WOAS (Wrapped OAS for marketplace)
Release: October 23, 2024 (Web3) / May 19, 2025 (Steam)
Platform: PC (Ubisoft Connect, Steam)
Price: Free-to-play
Steam Reviews: 47% Mixed (Reforged version)
Gas Fees: Zero (Oasys Homeverse)
Country Restrictions: Not available in France, China, Russia, and several other regions
Final Take
Champions Tactics is a fascinating case study.
On one hand: major publisher, real development resources, solid tactical gameplay, free champion mint, no gas fees.
On the other hand: questionable timing, rough launch, mixed reception, clear pay-to-win elements, and an industry that has largely rejected NFT gaming.
Is it a good game? The core mechanics seem decent. Is it a good investment? That's a much harder question.
If you're a tactics fan curious about web3 gaming from a major studio, it's free to try. Download it, mess around with Ethereal Champions, see if the gameplay hooks you.
But if you're thinking about dropping serious money on Warlords or Champions expecting guaranteed returns? The 47% Steam rating and launch exploits should give you pause.
Ubisoft is betting big on blockchain gaming surviving. Whether that bet pays off remains to be seen.
What's your experience with Champions Tactics? Did you mint Champions during the free period? Let us know in the comments.
DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. NOT A FINANCIAL ADVICE.