Overview
Blankos Block Party was developed by Mythical Games, a well-funded game studio that raised over $350 million from investors including a16z, Binance Labs, and others. The game was a free-to-play multiplayer party game where players controlled customizable vinyl toy-style characters called Blankos in a colorful, physics-based environment. Players could race, shoot, and complete challenges in user-created levels.
The game achieved a significant milestone by launching on the Epic Games Store in September 2022, making it one of the first blockchain games on a major gaming platform. This was seen as a breakthrough for crypto gaming legitimacy. Blankos were minted as NFTs on Mythical's proprietary blockchain (built on EOSIO), and limited-edition Blankos from brands like Burberry, Deadmau5, and others sold for significant prices.
However, the project was undermined by corporate turmoil. In November 2022, Mythical Games' board fired CEO John Linden and later sued him for allegedly diverting approximately $150 million in company funds. The lawsuit alleged secret deals and personal enrichment at the company's expense. While Linden was later reinstated as CEO, the damage was done — the company's credibility was severely shaken.
In November 2023, Mythical Games announced the shutdown of Blankos Block Party servers, effectively killing the game. NFT holders were left with digital assets for a non-existent game — a worst-case scenario that critics of blockchain gaming had long warned about.
Gameplay
Credit where due: Blankos Block Party was one of the better-playing blockchain games. The party game mechanics were accessible and fun, the art style was appealing (vinyl toy aesthetic), and the user-generated level creation system added replayability. The game felt like an actual game rather than a crypto app with game-like skin.
However, the gameplay wasn't strong enough to retain players without the earning incentive. Once NFT prices declined and the earning potential diminished, player counts dropped. The game needed to be fun enough to compete with free-to-play games that had no blockchain components, and it wasn't quite there.
Technology
The game was built on Unreal Engine with high production values. Mythical Games developed its own blockchain infrastructure based on EOSIO for handling NFT minting and trading, which provided gas-free transactions invisible to players. The technical approach of hiding blockchain complexity from players was correct and ahead of its time. The game's technology was its strongest attribute.
Economy
The economy is dead. Blankos NFTs that once sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars are now worthless — the game's servers are shut down, making the NFTs display pieces at best. The economic model depended on continuous player demand for Blankos, which evaporated with the market downturn and server shutdown. This is the ultimate risk of game-dependent NFTs: they're only valuable if the game exists.
Adoption
At peak, Blankos had a modest but meaningful player base, boosted by the Epic Games Store listing and brand partnerships. However, player retention was poor — most players tried the game and left. The blockchain elements (NFT ownership) were not compelling enough to retain players, and the core gameplay, while decent, wasn't competitive with top free-to-play titles. Post-shutdown, adoption is zero.
Tokenomics
Mythical Games did not launch a public token for Blankos. The economy was NFT-based, with Blankos, accessories, and in-game items serving as the primary value-carrying assets. Without a game to use them in, these NFTs have no utility and minimal secondary market value.
Risk Factors
- GAME IS SHUT DOWN. Servers closed in November 2023.
- Corporate scandal: CEO fired and sued for allegedly diverting $150M
- NFTs are worthless: Digital assets for a non-existent game
- Trust destruction: High-profile failure undermined blockchain gaming credibility
- Unsustainable model: Player acquisition costs exceeded lifetime value
- Single point of failure: Centralized game servers meant shutdown killed everything
Conclusion
Blankos Block Party was one of the most promising blockchain games — real funding, real gameplay, Epic Games Store listing, major brand partnerships. It was as close to "mainstream crypto gaming" as the industry got. And it still died. The 2.5 score acknowledges the genuine quality of the game and technology while reflecting the catastrophic outcome: corporate scandal, server shutdown, and worthless NFTs. Blankos' failure is particularly significant because it wasn't killed by bad gameplay or scam developers — it was killed by corporate mismanagement and the unsustainable economics of blockchain gaming. If Blankos couldn't make it work with $350M in funding, it raises hard questions about the entire crypto gaming model.