In brief
- Cross the Ages is launching a free-to-play action role-playing game called Arise. It has just entered a two-week alpha testing phase on the Epic Games Store.
- It follows a strategic partnership with crypto venture capital firm Animoca Brands, which previously committed to purchase “several million dollars” worth of the CTA token.
- Cross the Ages is best known for its NFT trading card game, but has also released a novel, an album, and merchandise in which is being touted as a transmedia ecosystem.
The makers of crypto-fueled gaming franchise Cross the Ages have launched a two-week alpha test for the new multiplayer action role-playing game, Arise, which is available via the Epic Games Store. It’s billed as an expansion of the game universe, which debuted with the trading card game, Cross the Ages.
Arise is touted as a free-to-play RPG that features dungeon exploration, player vs. player combat, resource gathering, and trading. Players choose between being a fighter, builder, or strategist to form the foundation of their gameplay experience.
Plus, players of the trading card game can use their NFT assets in Arise—and vice versa. Cross the Ages recently migrated to Solana after previously being on Ethereum scaling network Immutable.
“With the launch of Arise, every asset holds use beyond a single game, from cards, weapons, and lands that move freely across the entire CTA ecosystem,” Quentin Giraud, CTO of Cross the Ages, told Decrypt. “This is a fully interconnected system where progression, economy, and collection amplify one another to create a gaming model that tells players: This is your world, your assets, and your power.”
The game, which has been in development for approximately three years, will feature both a casual-focused Exploration Mode, as well as a Competition Mode for players to battle for formal rankings. Arise’s alpha testing stage will finish on December 10.
“Arise embodies our vision of a modern action-RPG: a living, open, community-driven world with every player setting their own pace,” Anthony Gérard, COO of Cross the Ages, told Decrypt. “Whether it’s a one-hour session or dozens, the experience stays intense, seamless, and deeply personal. We are creating a new standard for MMOs that are dynamic, collaborative, and shaped by players.”
The Arise alpha launch follows crypto venture capital firm Animoca Brands committing “several million dollars” to purchase the CTA token earlier this year, Sami Chlagou, Cross The Ages CEO, told Decrypt. Animoca did so as part of a “strategic partnership” to support the launch of Arise.
“It’s been four years since we first backed Cross The Ages, and during that time we’ve seen them build far more than a game; they’ve built a true universe,” Yat Siu, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands, told Decrypt. “Their mastery of transmedia IP, combined with a clear long-term vision for digital ownership, makes them one of the most compelling creative forces in the space today.”
Cross the Ages is tied into a novel series, with the first of seven books already available. Written in French, the novel tells a dystopian story that establishes the CTA lore and attempts to serve as a “mirror” to society. The second book will be released next year, plus the project has released merch, as well as an album on Spotify.
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