Developer Stratton Studios has teamed up with blockchain gaming publisher Chain Games and the PGA Tour to announce the development of a web3 golf game: PGA Tour Rise.
What Is PGA Tour Rise?
PGA Tour Rise is an upcoming web3 interactive golf game designed to enable millions of fans around the world to experience in-depth and competitive blockchain-powered golf gameplay on mobile devices and web browsers. Players will get to participate in real-time tournaments on popular courses while topping leaderboards and earning ‘Rise Bucks’ to make various upgrades, which likely means that you will be able to improve your customizable golf equipment and/or your own character as you rise from amateur ranks to becoming a top golfer. It will be possible to collect and trade unique NFT golf assets, which will not only include golf equipment, but also digital memorabilia. The full launch of this officially licensed web3 game is planned to take place in 2026 on Android, iOS, and web browsers on a blockchain that will be announced later on.
The SVP Licensing & Merchandising of the PGA Tour, Matt Iofredo, said the following in a press release:
“The TOUR looks forward to working alongside Stratton Studios and Chain Games as we continue to connect and engage with golf enthusiasts and gamers alike. By integrating Web3 technology in golf games through our collaboration with these two innovative organizations, we are pushing the boundary of what’s possible in sports games.”
Minigames
Ahead of this web3 sports game’s full launch, golf enthusiasts can look forward to playing a variety of fun and challenging minigames, with the first minigame planned to go live likely in December 2024, based on the game’s official page from the web3 publisher. While it’s not currently clear what the first minigame will be, the official announcement teases that some of the minigames you can look forward to include hole-in-one competitions, precision putting contests, and long drive challenges.
The CEO of Stratton Studios, Jay Klauminzer, added:
“We are thrilled to collaborate with the PGA TOUR to create a game that captures the essence of professional golf while harnessing the potential of Web3 technology. Our partnership with Chain Games as the publisher ensures that we have the expertise and support necessary to deliver an innovative game that is not only entertaining but also technologically advanced.”
Chain Games is an Ireland-based web3 gaming publisher who announced a strategic partnership with Stratton Studios on August 13th to produce console games. That collaboration doesn’t seem to be related to this more recent one, as the earlier partnership led to the publisher getting publishing rights for 3 upcoming console games, with the goal of combining the worlds of web2 and web3 to deliver a seamless blockchain-powered gaming experience for those in-development titles and future console games as well.
Chain Games’ Founder and CTO Adam Barlam also added:
“At Chain Games, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming. Working with Stratton Studios and the PGA TOUR allows us to bring blockchain technology to a mainstream audience in a fun and engaging way. This project is a testament to the innovative spirit of our teams, and we’re excited to create a gaming experience that will resonate with fans worldwide.”
Stratton Studios is a global gaming studio and middleware developer who have experience in working in co-development partnerships and helping clients solve various technical issues. Which also means that this studio is actually no stranger to blockchain technologies and web3 gaming in general, with their portfolio listing metaverse TCG World as one of the projects they’ve previously worked on. They’ve even worked with ConsenSys to deliver the MetaMask SDK, and also have Polygon, the SKALE network, Unity, Nickelodeon, and major game consoles listed as partners.
