Join Transform 2021 for the most important themes in enterprise AI & Data. Learn more.
Ubisoft and the Belgian Pro League have partnered to develop One Shot League, a new blockchain-driven fantasy soccer game.
Ubisoft’s Strategic Innovation Lab and its existing Pro League partner Sorare (the global fantasy football game where players collect, buy, sell and manage a virtual team with digital player cards) have partnered for the launch of the beta version of One Shot League.
With this collaboration, the parties are looking for new innovative ways to engage with fans worldwide and this first phase will be the opportunity to welcome players’ feedback.
One Shot League will be a competitive free-to-play fantasy soccer game in which players form a five-player team from a previously selected deck of cards of Jupiler Pro League soccer players. With a new team selected for each match day, they will compete with the entire community for the top of the leaderboard.
Above: Ubisoft’s One Shot League
Image Credit: Ubisoft
One Shot League requires players to use their best tactical skills and insights as each card can only be used once during the championship. The key to success therefore lies in monitoring the actual individual performances — indexed on the official Jupiler Pro League stats from StatsPerform by Opta, market leader in sports data analytics — and studying the statistics of their players to make the right decisions and discover future talent.
Pierre Francois, CEO of the Pro League, said in a statement that his was the first soccer league to embrace Sorare’s technology in 2018.
In addition to its original game design, One Shot League offers winners of each match day limited edition official Sorare trading cards, another fantasy football platform. These football player cards, shared and usable in both games, will accelerate the player’s progress in One Shot League.
Above: Ubisoft is partnering with the Belgian Pro League.
Image Credit: Ubisoft
The main technological innovation of the game is the use of blockchain which allows players to be the true owners of the cards they collected and thus to use them in One Shot League as in Sorare. In addition to granting greater freedom to the player, this technology also makes it possible to establish the scarcity of digital cards and to exchange them on several dozen digital asset marketplaces.
Through this new experience that is One Shot League, Ubisoft’s Strategic Innovation Lab continues to explore the possibilities that blockchain can bring to gamers and to the future of video games. In particular, this project offers the opportunity to implement the concept of interoperability of game elements between different games without the usual barriers of blockchain for the general public (possession of a digital wallet, technical knowledge, etc.).
Nicolas Pouard, director of blockchain initiatives at Ubisoft, said in a statement that the game will show how blockchain gives players more opportunities to play with their digital card collections. He said blockchain allows players to stay with the same card in both fantasy football games today, and it could allow them to play in a wide variety of games and environments in the future.
The beta version of One Shot League is available for free today. The Pro League is responsible for the organization of Belgian professional soccer.
GamesBeat
GamesBeat’s creed when covering the game industry is “where passion meets business.” What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you — not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
How will you do that? Membership includes access to:
- Newsletters, such as DeanBeat
- The wonderful, educational, and fun speakers at our events
- Networking opportunities
- Special members-only interviews, chats, and “open office” events with GamesBeat staff
- Chatting with community members, GamesBeat staff, and other guests in our Discord
- And maybe even a fun prize or two
- Introductions to like-minded parties