Gaming Company Square Enix Partners With Polygon for NFT Art Project

Square Enix, the Tokyo-based video game giant behind popular franchises such as Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, is partnering with the Polygon network to launch a gamified art collecting experience.

The project, titled Symbiogenesis, was announced in November. Sales of the Symbiogensis NFT collection and free browser service are slated to launch in spring 2023.

According to a press release, the project will "offer a unique experience built around digital collectible art that is tied to a storyline players will unfold in a virtual (turn-based) adventure. The art evolves with each strategic move a player makes."

The company says that only three players that meet certain criteria will be chosen to participate in the final “World Mission.”

"These special three will decide the ending of the story, the fate of the world, and everyone in it."

The project will allow users to collect utility items off-chain, which they can choose to trade on-chain via Polygon.

Square Enix, which was launched in 2003, has been steadily marching toward Web3. In a New Year's letter from its president and representative director, Yosuke Matsuda, published last month, the company doubled down on its push into blockchain gaming, pledging "aggressive investment and business development efforts" in blockchain entertainment.

As part of its strategy for 2023, the gaming company said it has "multiple blockchain games based on original [intellectual property] under development."

While gamers remain skeptical of blockchain integration, investment in Web3 gaming has continued to grow despite the broader crypto market downturn. During the third quarter of 2022 it is estimated that venture capital funds invested an estimated $1.5 billion into Web3-based companies.