Mythical Games’ NFL Rivals, a free-to-play gaming sensation, has defied the odds by amassing an impressive one million downloads.

This remarkable achievement becomes even more noteworthy when considering the challenging crypto landscape and the fact that the game launched during the NFL’s off-season.

Unveiled on April 26th, NFL Rivals made its grand entrance into the Google Play and Apple Stores. Despite the unfavorable circumstances, the game managed to generate substantial excitement from its initial user base, propelling it to the coveted pinnacle of the App Store’s rankings.

At the heart of NFL Rivals lies a unique feature: the integration of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the form of player cards. These digital collectibles, varying in rarity from common to legendary, serve as the foundation for constructing teams and engaging in thrilling gameplay.

While the concept of NFTs may remain largely concealed from the average player, John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games, emphasized that it doesn’t hinder their enjoyment of the game. Each player is equipped with an in-game wallet, which often goes unnoticed until they opt to explore the marketplace for buying, selling, or trading player card collectibles.

According to Linden’s estimates, approximately 10% of NFL Rivals’ player base has ventured into the market to partake in the exciting world of player card trading.

This fervor for collecting extends to exclusive cards released in anticipation of Super Bowl LVII, captivating enthusiasts with their limited availability and unique attributes.

“What we are seeing is that players when they come in, even if they’re not familiar with Web3 concepts, they do understand the concept of hey, somebody wants to pay me $100 for my cards,” Linden said.

“We love the idea that we can onboard them very gently into the space.”