New Esports Chess Game, Anichess, in Public Alpha

Games continue to evolve with the passing of time. Chess enthusiasts and esports fans are sharing excitement for a new game development that came into the gaming scene. This revolutionary Web3 browser-based chess game, Anichess public alpha phase, finally arrived. This game was the fruit of the shared efforts between Chess.com, Animoca Brands, and grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. With this, more people hope that it’ll quickly move on to another phase.

What is Anichess?

The classic chess game had a new look through this game project. With Anichess, it injects a dose of modern gaming excitement into the traditional chess rules. The game initially launched in January 2024, where it introduced standout mechanisms. 

In this modern chess game, you are able to swap positions of the pieces. This deviates from the original chess rule where you cannot occupy nor switch the positions. Aside from this, it will also let you move the chess pieces in unconventional ways. In ordinary chess, it allows limited movement for pieces. It includes spell-like mechanics to make changes in gameplay to switch things up. 

Anichess Enters Public Alpha

From the initial release, Anichess displayed growth in the number of their active players. So far, they have over 1 million registered wallets and 30,000 monthly active players. With these numbers, it definitely shows the potential of the game to appeal in the competitive gaming market. Moreover, this was all achieved during the early phase of the game. 

As Anichess enters the public alpha phase, it will feature several key developments in the game: 

• Player-vs-Player (PvP) Matches: A competitive match against users rolls off in the new phase. This gives players the opportunity  to test out their skills in the new variant of chess at work. 
• Unlockable In-Game Items: It adds in-game items to keep the gameplay engaging. With this, players get to acquire digital assets to enhance their experience.
• Orbs of Power NFTs: It offered special challenges to players through non-fungible tokens. It will bring interesting changes to known chess gameplay. 

Partnership with Yield Guild Games (YGG)

While everyone is excited for the launch of public alpha, an announcement came in to level things up in Anichess. The Web3-based gaming guild platform, Yield Guild Games (YGG) contracted a partnership with Anichess to bring significant development. With this, they seek to expand the presence of Anichess in Southeast Asia. This is a strategic move, as the game has already piqued interest from the region. 

Moreover, they plan to establish the game’s significance through organizing several upcoming tournaments. With these, it will further boost the popularity and attention with the level of plays and prize pool. They have already prepared two major events to take place within this year.

1. An online tournament in October 2024
2. An in-person event at the YGG Play Summit in Manila, November 2024

Players will have the opportunity to firsthand experience the esports potential of the game. Besides, this just assures that more exciting contents will come through in this joint partnership. 

The Future of Chess and Gaming

Animoca Brands spearheaded the excitement for the launch of the Anichess in the Public Alpha phase. The VP Operations and Projects, Brian Chan, stated, “We’re excited to launch the next phase of Anichess and invite players to the new player-versus-player experience. Our partnership with YGG expands our reach to a diverse audience across Southeast Asia, a region that is strategically important due to its vibrant gaming and chess communities.”

In addition, the YGG co-founder, Gabby Dizon, was as pleased as the former. He shared, “The Philippines has always had a very active competitive gaming community. Of course, that includes chess. We’re excited to see the YGG community dive into this new take on one of the world’s oldest competitive games.” With this, the Philippines will be their first target audience in this game expansion. 

Conclusion

Growths are meant to happen as the classic chess is having a new face through Anichess. With Anichess entering public alpha, more developments are seen in the chess game. Through this, it bridges the gap between traditional players and modern gamers to bring back the game’s popularity. Moreover, it challenges the users to come up with smart strategies not only in their attacks but in other game aspects as well. 

Definitely, the game still has a long way to go before it eventually booms globally. Fortunately, they are gradually taking steps into expanding its regional impact. Its partnership with YGG will bring significant events starting in October and November 2024. From there, all that is left to see is how people will receive the game on a wider scale.