Date Everything! is undeniably quirky. A cool hundred dateable objects, voiced by indie darlings including talent such as Ashley Johnson? That's… something. It’s an ambitious aim for novelty, but Sassy Chap Games’ debut title is definitely worth a spin. The Date-a-dex might take you on an unromantic journey to new friendship or rivalry—even with your toaster! Deep down, I can’t help but feel that a massive opportunity was lost. A blockchain-sized opportunity.

NFTs Could Have Been Everything

Imagine this: each dateable object in Date Everything! is a unique NFT. Forget merely unlocking endings; you inhabit that ending. You own that connection. And just like AR, you own a piece of the game’s universe.

This isn't just about digital bragging rights. Think about the possibilities:

  • Verifiable Scarcity: That rare, human-like character with the perfect dialogue? Only 100 exist. Prove it on the blockchain.
  • Player-Driven Economy: Trade, sell, or even breed (yes, I said breed!) new dateable objects with unique traits. The game becomes a living, breathing marketplace, powered by its players. Forget release day DLC with just two new objects. The community creates content, incentivized by a real, tangible reward.
  • Decentralized Storytelling: Imagine writing fan fiction and having it validated and stored as an NFT. Then it could be used in a future game or expansion.

Date Everything! has a built-in "Date-a-dex" already. So why not make that into an on-the-ground verifiable, blockchain-based treasury of social goods?

Centralized Dating? Seriously?

The game’s premise really hooks you. Our heroine gets laid off by AI and soon ends up dating robots…creating a biting satire on automation, finding love in a digital world, and the search for control. The actual game still myopically sticks to the AAA centralized game model.

Think about the irony! Which is to say that you’re playing a game about overcoming technological displacement in a technological system that wholly dictates your experience. That’s as absurd as protesting capitalism while purchasing shares of Amazon.

A creative blockchain integration would have provided a perfect real world counterpoint. A player-driven dating ecosystem, where players are compensated for matchmaking, compensated for content generation, compensated for building community. Instead, we’re left with talking options that force you down totally set paths of ending. Fun, sure, but ultimately shallow.

What's Missing? Real Ownership

Look, I get it. Blockchain is still a buzzword for some. The potential for empowering players, for creating truly unique and valuable in-game assets, is certainly exciting. Date Everything! indeed had the perfect setup for this. A quirky premise, a dedicated fanbase (judging by the pre-purchase discount and social media presence), and a world ripe for expansion.

We received the Thumb Culture Platinum Award! Sadly, this is marred by how janky the gaming experience still is, and even excellent voice acting can’t fix it. Why settle for that?

The game is priced at £30. Now imagine spending £30, or considerably more, on a cosmetic slice of the game’s universe. In doing so, you become the master of your own experience—as opposed to simply a pawn on the playing field! What if instead of just spending money to play, to create, to contribute, you actually received some for doing so.

  • The potential for player empowerment is massive.
  • The missed opportunity is gut-wrenching.

Don’t get me wrong, Date Everything! is a blast, I’ll grant you that. It could have been revolutionary. What better use case than this to serve as the brightest beacon of hope for the way the blockchain revolutionizes gaming? It gives players agency and facilitates completely one-of-a-kind moments! That’s not the case at all—instead, it’s your run-of-the-mill dating sim with a fun little twist.

Perhaps one day in the future, we’ll see a sequel to Sassy Chap Games that’s been integrated with blockchain infrastructure. In the meantime, I’ll be over here daydreaming of a blockchain-based, decentralized dating economy. In this wonderful NFT fantasy, my toaster NFT will be worth more than my actual car IRL!

Maybe, just maybe, Sassy Chap Games will consider a blockchain-integrated sequel. Until then, I'll be over here, dreaming of a decentralized dating economy where my toaster NFT is worth more than my real-life car.