Ubisoft is set to roll out a new text-based governance component in its Captain Laserhawk game in July, marking an integration of AI agents and blockchain technology. This new feature, which we created together with French company LibertAI, brings AI agents to the game’s competitive shooter gameplay mode. This new governance component is just one interesting aspect of a broader, ambitious experiment with blockchain technology. That’s because it’s linked to a customizable set of 10,000 NFT characters known as the Niji Warriors.
The integration is heavily centered around creating a more immersive gaming experience. In doing so, it provides players amazing new possibilities for how to engage creatively with its world. Ubisoft’s decision is part of a broader trend of exploring the potential of AI and blockchain in the gaming industry. The company is being deliberate in its trial of these technologies to learn how they might enhance core gameplay and possibly extend player engagement.
AI Agents in Captain Laserhawk
AI agents is the latest move in the evolution of Captain Laserhawk. These agents, created in collaboration with LibertAI, are meant to be trained and run within each user’s personal game environment. This means that the actions of these AI agents are confined to the user's personal gameplay, and they cannot directly influence or affect other players' experiences.
This method makes it a fair and equal playing field while still giving competitors the opportunity to test out AI-based assistance. These agents aim to offer both strategic assistance and individualized gameplay improvements. Players will be able to employ these AI agents to enhance their in-game performance. They can test different strategies and learn how the game’s mechanics work on a more fundamental level.
Blockchain Governance Component
The new, blockchain-based, governance component of the platform is an experimental allocative feature. This element is accompanied by a roster of 10,000 NFT avatars called Niji Warriors. We view the integration of blockchain as a means to establish a transparent and secure platform for in-game governance.
Players who hold Niji Warriors are expected to have unique opportunities to engage in governance processes that will shape the future of the game. This might mean voting on proposed changes, proposing your own new features, or just helping shape the overall direction of the game’s development. Blockchain technology further guarantees that these public governance processes are fully verifiable and immutable.
Experimentation and Future Implications
Ubisoft’s introduction of AI agents and blockchain technology within Captain Laserhawk is just one example of experimentation as an overall strategy. The studio is just experimenting with the possibilities that these exciting technologies have to offer in order to enrich and deepen the gaming experience. Through rigorous testing of these features, Ubisoft hopes to bleed them out over time so they can learn their effects on the overall gaming ecosystem.
The findings of this small experiment may have important implications for the future of gaming. Examples of successful merging of AI and Blockchain technology could lead to different types of player engagement. Beyond aligning gameplay mechanics, this integration would result in more decentralized models of governance within games themselves. Ubisoft’s approach highlights not only an admirable commitment to innovation, but a willingness to explore emerging technologies in the gaming space.
