Play-to-earn platform ASPO World has confirmed the launch of its integrated marketplace, where gamers can trade a range of NFTs including spirits, equipment, lucky charms and mystery boxes. Represented by various mystical beings based on the Japanese chibi style, the ‘Common Spirit’ NFTs have several unique characteristics (speed, attack, defence, etc) and can be leveraged in ASPO’s gamefi ecosystem to earn rewards.
The unveiling of a dedicated NFT marketplace isn’t the only piece of news ASPO World is sharing with its community: the platform is also opening whitelist registration for its upcoming beta test on December 22. The window will slam shut on December 26 while the beta test run commences on December 28 and concludes on January 4.
Hunter, Fighter or Witch?
Developed by a veteran Vietnamese game studio, ASPO World is a strategy-based RPG that enables players to earn tokens through winning battles, improving their level, and contributing to the overall ecosystem. In terms of storyline, the premise is refreshingly simple: a tournament is on the horizon, a big one. While a Loki-like menace called Asakura Hao is out to cause trouble, a gang of intrepid high school kids are angling to win the event and become heir to a coveted title, King of Sorcerers.
Players entering ASPO World’s Xianxia style landscape can opt to control a Hunter, Fighter or Witch, all of whom can summon a quartet of spirits to give them a helping hand. Cue fierce PvP battles where combatants coordinate waves of attack via their militant spirit NFTs, themselves split into several categories comprising Common (Green), Rare (Blue), Elite (Purple), Ascension (Orange) and Legendary (Red).
Rewards for victories are disseminated in the native ASPO token, and sometimes in the form of prizes that have utility in the game: spirit stones, for example, or protective equipment that gives warriors better odds in battle. Naturally all such commodities are tokenized, meaning they can be bought and sold directly on the marketplace.
As well as hand-to-hand combat, would-be Sorcerers can engage in daily quests that pay out sums corresponding to their difficulty level: characters with stronger attributes due to high performance in the game (or savvy purchases in the marketplace) stand a better chance of completing quests and earning more tokens. Interestingly, gamers can also earn ASPO tokens simply through logging in every day.
Proponents of a classless Marxist society might condemn the idea, but ASPO World has a unique feature called Class Transition, whereby players can graduate from basic Hunters, Fighters or Witches to more powerful versions thereof. There are two sub-classes of Hunter (Scout and Sniper), two of Fighter (Rageblade and Guandao) and, you guessed it, two of Witch (Enchanter and Asura); each offering attributes such as improved mobility, better damage absorption, and superior combat skills.
Mapping the Future
Launched on December 16, the marketplace is a veritable warehouse of NFT goodies right out of the gate – though there are plans to add additional features in the weeks ahead. One week from launch, mystery boxes will appear on the platform and a week after that, staking will become available for those seeking to earn passive income.
Continuing on the once-per-week schedule, the marketplace will support NFT lending from three weeks post-launch before an auction mechanism follows in week 4. Naturally, the latter enables players to put coveted commodities under the hammer. All in all, there are countless ways to earn in this gamified Xanadu.
According to the core team behind ASPO World, revenue raised from transaction fees will go towards sponsoring giveaway events, as well as marketing campaigns that bring the release to a wider audience. Early next year, the first tournament will commence on the platform before an IEO is conducted later in 2022.
There is plenty to like about ASPO World: the eye-catching Japanese manga drawings; the immersive quests and battles; the endless tiers and levels that determine which characters and materials have value. Given how hot P2E is right now, the project’s recent $2 million raise – which saw it win investment from the likes of Icetea Labs, Hashed and gate.io – makes perfect sense. For the studio behind the scenes, the focus will now be on the imminent beta test, as 2022 and the rest of their ambitious roadmap looms large.
