Jon Jones – Vice and Virtue

While scrubbing Twitter for anything interesting the other day, I saw something that stopped my thumb mid-scroll. MMA legend Jon Jones is starring in and launching a Web3 game called Vice and Virtue. As dead as the market has been, this news was like an electric shock to the giblets. I had to know more.

Jon Jones

Jon Jones, a legendary MMA figure and the current UFC Heavyweight Champion, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the sport’s history. Born on July 19, 1987, Jones has had a stellar career in the UFC, where he became the youngest champion in UFC history at the age of 23. Known for his versatile fighting style, unparalleled reach, and strategic insight, Jones has secured victories over numerous former champions and top contenders.

Jones boasts a remarkable professional record of 27 wins, 1 loss, and 1 no-contest. His sole loss came as a result of a controversial disqualification, and the no contest resulted from a fight originally declared a victory for Jones being overturned due to a failed drug test. Notable victories in his career include wins against elite fighters such as Daniel Cormier, Alexander Gustafsson, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

As of today, Jon Jones is still an active competitor in the UFC. After vacating the light heavyweight title in 2020, Jones has been preparing for his move to the heavyweight division, and recently won the heavyweight championship, further cementing his legacy in the sport.

Beyond the octagon, Jones has ventured into various business and entertainment projects, including his latest foray into the world of Web3 gaming with the development of “Vice and Virtue,” being developed by Raini Studios and operated on Beam Network.

Raini Studios

Raini Studios is a pioneering web3 gaming studio based in Sydney, Australia. Known for its innovative approach to integrating blockchain technology into gaming, Raini Studios has made a significant impact with its flagship title, “Raini: The Lords of Light.” This digital trading card game leverages non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to provide players with true ownership of their in-game assets. Players can trade, sell, and battle with their collectible cards, enjoying a blend of strategic gameplay and digital asset management. Raini Studios is dedicated to expanding the possibilities of blockchain gaming, making it accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

Beam Network

Beam Network is a specialized gaming-focused blockchain built as a subnet on the Avalanche blockchain. Developed by Merit Circle DAO, Beam aims to provide a seamless, user-friendly experience for both gamers and developers. The network supports a variety of games, enabling cross-chain capabilities and easy wallet integration to enhance the gaming experience. Beam’s infrastructure allows for low-latency gameplay, secure transactions, and the flexibility needed to support complex in-game economies. As the underlying blockchain for “Vice and Virtue,” Beam Network is poised to deliver the robust performance required for a large-scale, interactive gaming environment.

It’s worth explaining what is meant by “easy wallet integration.” During a Twitter space a few days ago, I heard the same question a few times – “How do we seamlessly onboard players?” One of the big concerns behind Web3 gaming is that players don’t want to deal with the hassle of creating specialized crypto wallets, remembering seed phrases, and so forth. Well, Beam’s answer to this is something called “account abstraction.”

Account abstraction simplifies blockchain interactions by allowing users to manage their accounts and execute transactions through customizable rules and logic, without needing to handle private keys directly. This can include features like multi-signature security, automated transaction approvals, and social recovery mechanisms. It enhances user experience by making blockchain more intuitive and secure, enabling gas payments in various tokens, and supporting advanced security measures like two-factor authentication. ​

What Could Gameplay of “Vice and Virtue” Look Like?

When I was listening to the Twitter space for Vice and Virtue the other day, I came in late and didn’t hear any specific details about high-level conceptual gameplay. However, there was much discussion around motion capture of Jones’ signature moves and certain “power-up” elements. So for now, we’ll have to speculate what the overall gameplay might be like.

Based on current trends in Web3 gaming and the capabilities of Raini Studios and Beam Network, the game is likely to incorporate a mix of traditional gaming elements with blockchain enhancements.

Players might engage in combat and strategy-based missions, earning in-game rewards in the form of NFTs and tokens. These digital assets could be traded or sold on various marketplaces, providing a dynamic and immersive economic system. Also, based on the Twitter space discussion, we can expect this to be done behind the scenes so that players don’t even notice the underlying tech and functionality of tokens and NFT assets, but can still sell, trade, and profit from the in-game economy.

Given Jones’ background in MMA, Vice and Virtue will likely include realistic combat mechanics and character progression systems that reflect his expertise and life experiences. The game’s narrative could explore themes of morality, decision-making, and the duality of human nature, aligning with the title’s name. I can envision the player experiencing everyday life as Jones, encountering different people with some interactions being positive and others potentially leading to fights (basically identical to real life). Then the player also has the opportunity to fight in UFC battles.

With the innovative use of blockchain technology, players might experience unprecedented levels of interaction and ownership, making “Vice and Virtue” a groundbreaking addition to the Web3 gaming landscape. I’m looking forward to learning more about this game and seeing what Jon Jones, Raini Studios, Beam Network, and Avalanche can cook up. These are some big names and I expect a top-notch product with mass appeal.

Cheers!