At last week's Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, industry icon Tomoya Ogawa, alongside game director Karin, introduced their latest venture, Kreation Verse, and its inaugural project, TAT Rumble. This mobile gaming experience promises to redefine the landscape with its blend of anime-style card battling, captivating artwork by Tatsuro Iwamoto, and the integration of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

What is TAT Rumble?

Kreation Verse is the studio building the Japanese anime-style mobile fighting game TAT Rumble, coming this summer on iOS and Android. The studio is led by Tomoya Ogawa and game director Karin, known for their work on Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle (published by Bandai Namco Entertainment).

Set against the backdrop of a global martial arts tournament known as the "Twelve Anonymous Tournament," TAT Rumble invites players to engage in strategic combat using a diverse array of collectible cards. The game's characters, drawn and animated by renowned artist Tatsuro Iwamoto of Capcom's Ace Attorney fame, add a distinct visual flair to the proceedings.

Tomoya Ogawa, CEO of Kreation Verse, shared insights into the game's genesis and its ambitious vision. "Our goal is to bridge the gap between Japanese creators and the global gaming community," he explained. "With TAT Rumble, we aim to offer a captivating experience that transcends cultural boundaries, while also exploring the potential of NFTs as a new avenue for digital IP."

NFTs in Gaming

One of the most intriguing aspects of TAT Rumble is its integration of NFT technology, allowing players to collect, trade, and own unique in-game assets. Tomoya Ogawa elaborated on this innovative approach, emphasizing its accessibility and potential impact on player engagement.

"Players can enjoy the game for free, with the option to enhance their experience through NFT-based items," he noted. "This not only adds a new layer of depth to the gameplay but also opens up avenues for players to participate in the burgeoning NFT marketplace."

The game's mechanics, including gacha rewards and the innovative Martial Byte technology, promise to offer a seamless blend of strategy and action, catering to players of all skill levels. With controls optimized for mobile devices, TAT Rumble aims to deliver fast-paced matches that captivate and challenge players in equal measure.

Converting Web2 to Web3

“This is mostly a web2 free-to-play mobile game,” said Tomoya Ogawa. “And then you can get the NFT conversion item. And then, you can convert your characters into NFTs. And if the user [does that], they can get additional power through the NFT conversion. So this is an additional game cycle. There’s the character creation, development, and battle. And then on top of that, there’s an NFT cycle, and the user can own the NFTs, export them, and sell them on OpenSea or another marketplace.” 

Gamers won’t need to create a wallet or prepare any crypto first.

“They can play the mobile game and enjoy it for free,” Ogawa continues. “But if the user purchases an item, they can accelerate their progress. There’s also a chance for the user to get that NFT for free. Our hypothesis is the NFT, as a tradable, ownable asset, will drive the users’ engagement and also lifetime value as well. We start from the web2 mobile game, and on top of that, we add the NFT elements.”

Looking Ahead

As anticipation builds for the game's official release, players can pre-register for TAT Rumble and prepare to embark on an exhilarating journey into the world of mobile gaming and blockchain technology. With its bold vision and innovative gameplay mechanics, TAT Rumble represents a promising step forward for the industry, poised to captivate audiences around the globe. It’s possible to pre-register for TAT Rumble now in the US at https://tat-rumble.io/.