Role-playing games offer players the freedom to explore new worlds, make decisions, and bear the consequences, appealing to individualists. As of the first quarter of 2025, 23% of US video gamers played RPGs, generating $9.3 billion in the first half of the year.
Despite their popularity, some players struggle with choice overload, complicated background systems, and leveling up. Traditional RPGs involve creating a character and controlling their decisions, skills, and destinations. However, innovative games like NFL Rivals, a mobile blockchain game by Mythical Games, simplify the experience while maintaining immersion.
NFL Rivals allows players to act as general managers, assembling teams, leveling up, and trading players as NFTs on the Mythical Marketplace. The game’s straightforwardness appeals to both NFL fans and non-fans alike. Other types of RPGs include action role-playing games (ARPGs), massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and tabletop RPGs, each offering unique experiences.
ARPGs focus on the main story, while MMORPGs involve group play and social interaction. Tabletop RPGs require multiple players to build the world and control the story. RPGs can help players improve their social skills, especially MMORPGs, which require collaboration and communication to succeed.
The allure of RPGs lies in their complexity, allowing players to explore virtual worlds, make choices, and feel in control. Fans of RPGs enjoy complex systems, multiple builds, and multifaceted worlds. However, some players can feel overwhelmed by the choices and complicated statistics.
Despite the challenges, the excitement of building characters and role-playing is key to RPGs’ lasting appeal. Players feel engaged as they experiment with different builds and see their creations work. Some play RPGs for the tactical aspect, analyzing fighting strategies and trying new approaches.
Even dynamic RPGs require transitions, as seen in the changes from Diablo 2 to Diablo 3. NFL Rivals is also undergoing significant changes in its third year, including eliminating non-NFT cards, locking cards earned from in-game packs, and introducing Stadiums Mode with skill-based matchmaking.
These changes aim to reduce pack prices while increasing card quality. The introduction of Stadiums Mode and resetting synergy rows will open new ways to grow and strategize with minted cards. A one-week training camp will kick off on August 20, and all new features will go live on August 27.
Control and ownership are essential to RPGs, with Web3 games like NFL Rivals giving players provable, blockchain-based ownership. Players retain control of their in-game assets even if they stop playing, and these assets hold value beyond the game.
