Bitcoin halving collectible hits blockchain game Splinterlands

With the Bitcoin halving on the horizon an estimated two weeks from now, excitement for the once-in-four-years event is growing across the crypto industry.

Earlier this week, crypto collectible card game Splinterlands, which has been climbing up the ranks among most-popular blockchain gaming apps, announced a new limited edition card as well as in-game tournaments that will reward winners with Bitcoin and commemorate the halving.

Splinterlands is set to release the “Halfling Alchemist,” a themed, playable card (non-fungible token) that will only be produced in limited quantities. A total of 12,000 “Halfling Alchemist” cards will be printed, with just 240 of those released as Gold Foil editions. The card introduces a new “halving” mechanic to the game that cuts the attack power of an affected enemy in half.

“Everybody is excited for the halving and we're no exception. To celebrate this event that only happens once every four years, we thought we'd do something fun and give some sweet, sweet loot to players,” Splinterlands CEO and co-founder Jesse “aggroed” Reich told Decrypt.

“We work hard building the game, and they play hard. They've put in more than 60 million games, so we try to do things to honor their achievements as we break them together,” he said. “The halving might be Bitcoin-centric, but it impacts the entire crypto community, and we're happy to cheer it all on while giving thanks and prizes to our base!”

Splinterlands, which is based on the Steem blockchain, will hold in-game tournaments that award a total of $2,000 in Bitcoin, with players able to link their wallets ahead of the competitions. Those tournaments are slated to take place on May 9, 10, 16, and 17, and details on how to obtain the Halfling Alchemist card will be announced on May 3.

Reich, who is developing the game with CTO and co-founder Matt "yabapmatt" Rosen, said that the game has seen steady growth since launching in May 2018. Splinterlands is currently ranked #1 on State of the Dapps based on factors such as active users, transaction volume, and user recommendations, with more than 4,000 daily users playing the game.

“Most weeks we're hitting new all-time highs for accounts playing and interacting with the game,” added Reich.