Neill Blomkamp's battle royale Off the Grid is an NFT game, unfortunately Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Neill Blomkamp's battle royale Off the Grid is an NFT game, unfortunately District crime. News by Wesley Yin-Poole Deputy Editorial Director Published on 24 Aug 2022 30 comments District 9 director Neill Blomkamp is making a video game! I knew that. But what I didn't know is it's one of those blockchain / NFT games. Sigh. This evening's The Future Games Show ended with a fancy CGI trailer showing off the world of Off the Grid, a free-to-play third-person shooter battle royale from new developer Gunzilla Games. The trailer, below, is very Neill Blomkamp, with sci-fi soldiers in super serious combat mode. Yes, the faces have uncanny valley written all over them, but I'm getting a District 9 vibe and that's all good with me. A District 9-looking battle royale from Neill Blomkamp! That sounds exciting, right? Unfortunately, while researching this write-up of the trailer, I came across a press release from Gunzilla posted 9th August that announced the company had raised a bunch of money from investors - and in the same breath confirmed Off the Grid is a blockchain / NFT game. Sigh. Off the Grid players can buy and trade in-game items, and yes, trading will be handled by a blockchain marketplace that supports NFTs. It's all part of Gunzilla's appropriately-named GunZ platform. Watch on YouTube Eurogamer Newscast: Gamescom Opening Night Live special Gunzilla insists it will never sell NFTs directly to players or hide progression behind a paywall, promising "trading is entirely optional". "We are striving to provide players with complete freedom in every detail of OTG, and with each step of its gameplay," Gunzilla boss Vlad Korolev comments in the note to press. "In OTG additionally to the core gameplay, players will be able to own and trade their in-game items with other players. As well as assure players that their hard-earned items remain theirs to keep, no matter what. "In today's free-to-play games, if you pay for something, it isn't yours. You do not, and cannot, own anything. Anyone can read the EULA of any game to verify this. If you're banned, for example, any item can be taken away from you, even if your ban is accidental. When you stop playing any free-to-play game, the money you've put in also disappears. "We are re-inventing the system, putting the power back in the hands of gamers, and are using blockchain technology to make this happen. With OTG and GunZ, we are creating a universe that will set a new standard for the industry." Bold claims indeed! But Gunzilla's press release avoids commenting on the environmental impact of the blockchain. It's worth remembering the blockchain industry is creating significant carbon emission, and in the US is even contributing to rising utility bills. Back to "Chief Visionary Officer" Neill Blomkamp and Off the Grid, which is supposedly coming out on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S in 2023. As IGN pointed out when it covered the confirmation of blockchain in the game earlier this month, "during our interview with him [Blomkamp], he didn't mention that it would have NFTs." Sigh. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 7 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store