- Animoca Brands has launched the first phase of Anichess, a web3-based chess strategy game which blends elements of chess with the fantasy genre
- The game was made in collaboration with Chess.com and grandmasters including Magnus Carlsen
- Anichess aims to make chess more engaging and accessible to new audiences
Web3 developer Animoca Brands has launched the first phase of Anichess, a web3-based chess strategy game, which it built in collaboration with Chess.com and World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen. Anichess combines traditional chess rules with innovative spell mechanics, a unique storyline, and web3 functionality in order to try and make the game “more engaging and accessible to all.” The first phase allows anyone to test the game out free of charge, with more developments coming in 2024 to enrich and expand the user experience.
When Chess Met Fantasy
Animoca Brands revealed in a press release that the current launch phase features player-versus-environment (PvE) gameplay which combines chess with the fantasy genre to make it more about games and puzzles and less about two men staring at a board and thinking.
Anichess involves solo adventures where players use unique magical spells to solve daily chess puzzles, allowing them to collect Orbs of Power as in-game assets by completing challenges, unlocking new puzzles with greater rewards. The second phase, scheduled for later this quarter, will introduce player-versus-player (PvP) gameplay, which is where the excitement really ramps up.
Bringing Chess into the Future
Animoca Brand’s stated aim is to make chess more engaging and accessible to players of all skill levels, and the company has seemingly gone about things the right way; other collaborators alongside Carlsen and Chess.com include chess Grandmasters Anish Giri and David Howell.
The company wants to cater to a global community of chess enthusiasts and attract new audiences interested in strategy games, hence the inclusion of innovative elements like spellcasting, a fantasy storyline, and web3 functionality.
In a press release, Carlsen expressed his excitement about Anichess, stating, “I am excited that Anichess is bringing innovation to chess with spells and strategy gaming elements that provide a refreshing chess experience.” Yat Siu, the co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, highlighted Anichess’s revolutionary approach of fusing traditional strategy and gameplay with innovative elements and added that the collaboration with Chess.com and the involvement of chess grandmasters aims to pioneer a new dimension in the world of chess gaming.
Those wishing to test out Anichess can do so for free from www.anichess.com.
