NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NFL Rivals, the National Football League (NFL), and NFL Players Association’s (NFLPA) officially licensed video game that incorporates Web3 digital ownership technology, has launched worldwide in early access. It is now available for download on Apple and Google Play stores.
The general manager game with arcade-style gameplay, built through the partnership among the NFL, the NFLPA, and next-generation gaming technology studio Mythical Games, delivers on fans’ dreams of being a GM of an NFL team. The NFL’s launch of a first-of-its-kind video game, incorporating Web3 digital ownership with in-game utility, will allow fans to own, collect, and trade digital assets that unlock access to special events, in-game rewards, and other unique features.
Coinciding with the 2023 NFL Draft, this early access period - dubbed “Offseason” - will kick off with themed in-game events and player packs to celebrate the NFL Draft and allow NFL fans and gamers alike to compete against other GMs in a licensed football game built from the ground up for mobile devices. Gamers assemble their own player rosters and teams while building, leveling up, and improving their lineup – all in preparation for the upcoming global launch of the game and the start of the 2023 NFL season in the fall.
“With the arrival of NFL Rivals, fans can now journey into the fantasy of being a general manager of an NFL team while being empowered to buy, collect and trade through the digital ownership technology enabled in the game,” said Ed Kiang, VP of Video Gaming at the NFL. “Collaborating with Mythical Games and the NFLPA to produce an innovative gaming experience such as NFL Rivals is a testament to the NFL’s success in the world of Web3 gaming.”
NFL Rivals is spearheading the play-and-own video game model by allowing gamers to own, collect, and trade in-game assets while building their teams. Mythical Games’ “gamer-first” philosophy gives gamers true ownership over the gaming experience and in-game content.
“By bringing NFL players into this immersive blockchain-based world, we’re not just creating a new level of engagement for fans, but we’re also delivering a truly unforgettable experience,” said Terése Whitehead, Vice President, Consumer Products & Strategy at NFL Players Inc. “It’s going to be a game-changer, and we can’t wait for fans to join us on this thrilling new journey.”
“Mythical Games was founded to usher in the next generation of video games and gaming technology,” said Jamie Jackson, Chief Creative Officer at Mythical Games. “NFL Rivals achieves this goal by providing gamers with an engaging, fun, and entertaining game that leverages innovative new technologies to take the gaming experience to the next level. While we truly believe that Rivals is an opportunity to showcase that our technology can democratize the world of gaming through digital ownership, we also think that gamers and NFL fans will simply find that the game is a lot of fun to play on their mobile devices.”
NFL Rivals is now available for mobile download in the App Store and Google Play Store.
Interested players can also visit the NFL Rivals website for more information and to join the NFL Rivals Community.
About Mythical Games
Acknowledged by Forbes’ Disruptive Technology Companies To Watch in 2019 and Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas 2021, Mythical is a next-generation games technology company creating a web3 gaming ecosystem by leveraging blockchain technology and playable NFTs for tools that enable players, creators, artists, brands and game developers to become stakeholders and owners in new “play and own” game economies.
Led by gaming industry veterans, the team specializes in building games around player-owned economies and has helped develop major franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Marvel Strike Force, and Skylanders.
Mythical Platform protects gamers that may be new to blockchain through a custodial wallet for their digital items while allowing advanced players the freedom to link their own wallets via bridges between the Mythical Chain and public mainnets. With its “gamers-first” focus, the Mythical Platform ensures players don’t need to dive into the intricacies of blockchain to enjoy ownership of their digital collections and have a great game experience.
About the NFLPA
The National Football League Players Association (“NFLPA”) is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”) with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 NFL season.
About OneTeam Partners
A licensing, marketing, and multimedia powerhouse, OneTeam launched as a joint venture between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), and RedBird Capital Partners to maximize the collective value of athletes’ rights across group licensing, marketing, media and investing. OneTeam represents a range of commercial business interests on behalf of the athletes of the NFLPA, MLBPA, MLSPA, U.S. Women’s National Team PA, WNBPA, U.S. Rugby PA and League of Legends Championship Series PA. OneTeam also has several collegiate partnerships that include Altius Sports Partners, INFLCR and Opendorse. OneTeam Partners, facilitated the NFL Rivals deal in collaboration with all parties.
