For those who are already in the milieu of digital card gaming and trading, the fact that it is a high-potential multi-billion dollar industry is not news. This is especially true for early adopters and enthusiasts who have been involved in this since Collectible Card Games (CCGs) first emerged back in the 1990s. It is news, however, that digital Trading Card Game (TCG) platforms are getting a radical overhaul manifested in the new blockchain-based Nova Token Platform.

CCGs: brief history and business model

The evolution of collectible card games in the past few decades goes roughly like this: Magic: The Gathering was invented by Richard Garfield in the early 1990s and was an instant smashing success. Shortly thereafter, towards the end of the same decade, CCGs went digital with a couple of games. Heatherstone was a game changer in the Digital Collectible Card Games (DCCG) realm, garnering a lot of popularity and success.

So it is safe to say that in the same way that technology has changed many other industries, CCGs have caught the tech wave. It is also safe to say, that while there have been remarkable advancements in the technology, the core business model has persisted with little to no change. That is to say; most industries operate within a centralized framework, where the middleman rakes in most of the benefits. In the DCCG industry, this has affected card collectors, card game players and developers alike, who are all too familiar with the downside of digital gaming in general and CCGs in specific.

Blockchain and Nova Token Platform

It is not an overstatement to say the Blockchain technology has spurred a revolution that spans many industries today. At first, most of the innovation was restricted to the financial industry. However, this is all changing for two main reasons. First, the transparency and trust created by the Blockchain are much sought-after features far beyond finance. Second, the Ethereum Blockchain ecosystem enables building of decentralized digital projects of all sorts.

There is quite a bit of momentum for digital card games and esports in general at the moment. Platforms for digital games will slowly but surely migrate to the Blockchain. This is where Nova Token Platform, a Blockchain-based Trading Card Game (TCG) platform, comes in. The Nova Token team members are highly skilled pioneers in this arena who are merging Blockchain technology with card trading, gaming and tournament holding. And one of the team's key advisors is none other than Richard Garfield himself.

Blockchain and the Card Exchange

The first application of Blockchain technology is the Ethereum-based Card Exchange, where cardholders are able to buy and sell cards securely and transparently. In addition to having a low fee, this framework eliminates third-party meddling and fraud. This means that traders can exchange cards directly and fairly. For now, there are traders can only put in buy/sell orders, but in the future, the exchange will support and auction/bid system.

Proof-of-Stake

The proof-of-stake concept within Blockchain is based on the idea that the amount you own of a particular asset is directly proportional to the amount that you could own of that very asset. On the Nova Token Platform, that translates to the more Nova Tokens (NVT) you own, the more cards you could own. So if a player owns many NVTs, they will receive hundreds of copies of Legendary cards, which they are free to sell for 100 percent profit. Considering that scarcity is a crucial factor in keeping cards valuable, the proof-of-stake process makes NVT holders guardians of the cards and in turn the cards’ values.

Developers

Developers stand to gain a lot from Nova Token Platform. First, they are able to fundraise using NVT for their projects. Second, the platform allows integration their games. Third, they are able to tap into the established player base. Last and most important, developers can take in 90 percent of the revenue from NVT purchases against only 70 percent of the revenue on the iOS and Android app-stores.

Nova Blitz

The Nova Token Platform team has already produced a real-time trading card called Nova Blitz that is live on Steam and in beta on iOS and Android. Playing this game, players will have no wait times, quick games, simultaneous plays by opposing players and continuous interaction with them, smart packs and the opportunity to use strategy and bluffing. The platform supports tournaments that are based on a smart contract that handles entry fees and prizes.

Nova Token Platform ICO

The Nova Token Platform ICO will be launched on Dec. 11 of this year. The team is combining Blockchain technology with card gaming and trading, in doing so, allowing seamless peer-to-peer transactions for traders, players and developers thereby cutting the middleman completely out. With a fully viable product and consultation from some of the best names in the industry like the aforementioned Garfield and the creator of the Magic Pro Tour Skaff Elias, Nova Token Platform is well worth exploring. Make no mistake, the decentralized Nova Token Platform is the next evolutionary step in TCGs.

Zeina, Guest Author