Multiplayer Sparkball will introduce blockchain-enabled capabilities through a new integration with Somnia, a layer 1 network built for real-time applications.
The partnership offers Opti Games, the studio behind Sparkball, access to infrastructure for fast transaction processing and low-cost infrastructure, features that will now support chain tournament rewards, Wager-based matches and AI simulations.
The news comes shortly after Sparkball is scheduled to appear on Steam Next Fest, and the public will be able to conduct testing from June 9 to June 16. Sparkball has been shown in events featuring several major esports teams and is actively developing a wider release.
Source: FlashWhat is a lightning ball?
Sparkball is an online multiplayer game developed by Opti Games, built in 4V4 team competitions where players control different characters in matching formats, combining target scoring mechanisms with combat-style games.
The development team includes employees with previous experience in companies such as Riot Games, Blizzard and Electronic Arts. Sparkball has attracted early attention through activities organized by professional esports including G2, Cloud9 and Fnatic.
Although the game is still in development, it will be publicly used in Next Fest, allowing players to try free demos and provide feedback.
Source: DreamWhat are our expectations for this partnership?
The partnership enables Sparkball to introduce several blockchain-based systems, including:
- Betting-based match format: Allow players to make digital assets before the game.
- ai versus-ai battle: Simulation matches can be automatically run and parsed on the chain.
- Competition Rewards: Use blockchain to issue and track competition results.
Players will also be able to access cosmetics (skins themed on the Somnia network), although the project will not affect the gameplay. Importantly, players who do not use blockchain wallets or infrastructure can still use Sparkball.
Opti Games has not confirmed when Sparkball will exit its current testing phase or whether blockchain functionality will be mandatory in future builds. Currently, testing integrations are being conducted with traditional game modes as part of the gradual launch of the game.
