The popular blockchain-based game NFL Rivals has seen significant growth, reaching nearly 3 million signups in just four months since surpassing the 1 million milestone. This announcement came from John Linden, the CEO of Mythical Games, the studio behind NFL Rivals and several other successful games.
Game Milestones and Popularity
In June, NFL Rivals achieved over a million downloads, just two months after its launch on Google Play and the Apple Store. By September, the game had attracted over 2 million players. Furthermore, the number of new players downloading the game continues to rise, with more than 20,000 new players joining daily.
“We’re closing in on 3 million [new players],” John Linden told The Block.
Linden also revealed that since its launch in August, NFL Rivals has generated “millions of dollars” in revenue, indicating its financial success.
Factors Contributing to NFL Rivals’ Success
Several crucial factors have played a significant role in the growing popularity of NFL Rivals. First, both Apple and Google approved the game’s in-game marketplace, allowing players to trade non-fungible tokens (NFTs). This feature will be rolled out in three phases, with the second phase enabling players to sell assets through a “credit system.”
“The [in-game marketplace] decision has been huge,” Linden said.
Another contributing factor is undoubtedly the start of the NFL season, which has resulted in an increase in daily and monthly active users, as well as revenue per player. Additionally, the game benefits from strong brand recognition, with partnerships with the NFL, the NFL’s Players Association, the Miami Dolphins, and the recently announced Amazon Prime Gaming. Furthermore, Mythical Games’ decision to migrate from Ethereum to Polkadot, citing scalability as the primary reason, has also played a role in its success.
It’s worth noting that Mythical Games has received substantial backing from major players in the industry, with a valuation of $1.25 billion in 2021 after raising $150 million. The company aims to raise an additional $38 million in funding.
“The first close of the round was about half of what Mythical had aimed to raise,” Linden revealed.
Despite this, Mythical Games has faced challenges, as PitchBook reports that the company had to cut 15% of its staff in three waves of layoffs since November. However, the company spokesperson clarified that these layoffs were necessary for right-sizing the business and not directly related to fundraising.
