Spells of Genesis was the first mobile game to integrate blockchain technology meaningfully into its core gameplay and economy. Developed by Swiss company EverdreamSoft and launched in 2015, this innovative trading card game combined traditional arcade slingshot mechanics with revolutionary blockchain-based asset ownership. The game pioneered the concept of "utility NFTs"—digital assets that functioned both as collectible items and playable game pieces with real strategic value.
Spells of Genesis merged the collecting mechanics of traditional trading card games with the skill-based gameplay of arcade projectile games. Players used teams of four cards (called "Orbs") to complete levels by launching them at targets and enemies in a physics-based slingshot system. The revolutionary aspect was that many of these cards existed as permanent blockchain assets on the Bitcoin-based Counterparty protocol, giving players true ownership that persisted outside the game itself.
The game's hybrid economy allowed for both traditional mobile gaming monetization and blockchain-based secondary markets. Players could purchase cards using conventional app store payments or acquire rare blockchain cards through trading, creating multiple pathways for engagement and investment in the game ecosystem.
EverdreamSoft was founded in 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland, by Shaban Shaame, a game industry veteran with over a decade of experience in mobile game production. Initially focused on traditional mobile games like "Moonga" (2010), the company began exploring blockchain technology in 2013-2014 as Bitcoin and its associated protocols matured.
Shaame and his team recognized that blockchain technology could solve persistent problems in digital gaming: players investing time and money in games only to lose everything when servers shut down, lack of true ownership of digital items, and inability to trade valuable in-game assets. They envisioned a game where valuable items could exist independently of the game itself.
Before launching the main game, EverdreamSoft created the FDCARD as a proof-of-concept for blockchain gaming assets. Released on March 11, 2015, the FDCARD was:
Collaborative Innovation: Created in partnership with FoldingCoin, a cryptocurrency project that rewarded users for contributing computational power to scientific research through the Folding@home network
Distribution Method: Only 300 FDCARD tokens were created, distributed proportionally to FoldingCoin participants who contributed hash power to help find cures for cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes between March and May 2015
Technical Implementation: Issued as a Counterparty asset on the Bitcoin blockchain (block 347173)
Gaming Utility: Playable in Spells of Genesis as "The Healing Formula," a rare card with unique abilities
Historical Significance: Widely recognized as the first gaming NFT and one of the earliest blockchain collectibles
The FDCARD project demonstrated that blockchain assets could serve meaningful purposes beyond mere speculation, establishing the viability of utility-based NFTs years before the concept became mainstream.
To fund development and create the game's blockchain economy, EverdreamSoft conducted one of the earliest utility token sales:
Token Design: BitCrystals (BCY) served as both the game's premium currency and the fuel for its blockchain economy
Sale Structure: Launched on August 4, 2015, through the Swarm platform
Funding Success: Raised over 930 BTC, reaching 90% of funding goals within three days
Innovative Tokenomics: When players made in-app purchases using traditional payment methods, EverdreamSoft committed to buying back and burning 50% of the equivalent value in BitCrystals, creating deflationary pressure
Card Distribution: GENESISCARD tokens were distributed to BitCrystals backers as exclusive collectible cards
This sale pioneered many concepts that would later become standard in gaming tokens, including buy-back-and-burn mechanisms and exclusive asset distribution to token holders.
The full Spells of Genesis mobile game entered beta in early 2016 and officially launched later that year on iOS and Android platforms. Key features included:
Hybrid Gameplay: Combined trading card game strategy with arcade physics-based shooting mechanics
Three-Tier Card System:
Spells of Genesis pioneered a hybrid approach to blockchain gaming that balanced innovation with usability:
Counterparty Protocol: Used Bitcoin's security while enabling complex asset functionality
Card Metadata: Rich data including artwork, statistics, and lore stored on-chain
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Cards could be viewed and traded outside the game through standard Counterparty wallets
Upgrade Mechanics: Players could "crystallize" in-game cards into permanent blockchain assets
Trading Infrastructure: Native integration with Counterparty's decentralized exchange
Orb Physics: Cards functioned as projectiles with unique properties affecting trajectory, damage, and special abilities
Elemental System: Cards aligned with different elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air) with strategic strengths and weaknesses
Evolution Mechanics: Cards could be upgraded and combined to create more powerful versions
Rarity Tiers: Multiple scarcity levels from common in-game cards to ultra-rare blockchain collectibles
Utility Design: Every blockchain card had meaningful gameplay effects, ensuring utility beyond collectible value
Spells of Genesis established the template for utility-driven NFTs that would influence the entire blockchain gaming industry:
Functional Value: Demonstrated that NFTs could serve purposes beyond speculation and collecting
Interoperability: Showed how blockchain assets could exist independently of specific platforms
Player Ownership: Gave players genuine control over valuable game items
Economic Sustainability: Created sustainable loops between collecting, playing, and trading
The game's innovations directly influenced hundreds of subsequent projects:
Gods Unchained: Adopted similar trading card NFT mechanics
Axie Infinity: Built on the utility NFT concept with pet collection
The Sandbox: Incorporated asset ownership and upgrading systems
Decentraland: Used utility-based tokens for virtual world assets
The FoldingCoin partnership demonstrated how blockchain gaming could support scientific research and social causes, prefiguring later "play-to-earn" concepts that benefit both players and broader communities.
FDCARD Values: Initially traded for small amounts but gained recognition as the first gaming NFT
BitCrystals Performance: BCY tokens maintained steady value throughout early development
Limited Supply Assets: Promotional cards became sought-after collectibles
Crypto Boom Impact: Rising cryptocurrency values increased interest in blockchain games
Mainstream Recognition: Featured in numerous gaming and blockchain publications
Secondary Markets: Active trading on Counterparty's decentralized exchange
Player Growth: Thousands of active users across mobile platforms
Continued Development: EverdreamSoft has maintained and updated the game consistently
Historical Recognition: Cards gained value as pioneering blockchain gaming artifacts
Cross-Chain Expansion: Some assets migrated to newer blockchain platforms
NFT Renaissance: 2021 NFT boom brought renewed attention to early gaming NFTs
FDCARD: Original cards have sold for thousands of dollars as historical artifacts
GENESISCARD: Founding backer cards maintain premium values
Special Editions: Limited promotional cards command high prices among collectors
Game Availability: Spells of Genesis remains playable on iOS and Android app stores as of 2024
Blockchain Assets: All card data permanently preserved on Bitcoin blockchain via Counterparty
Company Continuity: EverdreamSoft continues active development and support
Documentation: Comprehensive technical documentation and community wikis maintained
Cross-Chain Presence: Some assets have been bridged to Ethereum for broader accessibility
The game's use of Bitcoin-based storage ensures long-term preservation of its digital assets, making it one of the most securely archived early blockchain games.
Shaban Shaame - Founder and CEO of EverdreamSoft, visionary behind blockchain gaming integration. Shaame's background in traditional mobile gaming provided crucial industry expertise for creating commercially viable blockchain games.
EverdreamSoft Development Team - The Swiss-based team of developers, designers, and blockchain specialists who implemented the technical innovations that made Spells of Genesis possible.
FoldingCoin Community - The distributed computing enthusiasts who received the first gaming NFTs through their contributions to scientific research, demonstrating early utility-based token distribution.
Early Players and Collectors - The gaming and crypto communities who supported the project during its pioneering phase, providing feedback and market validation for blockchain gaming concepts.
Hybrid Economies: Seamless integration of traditional and blockchain-based monetization
Utility Token Design: BitCrystals' buy-back-and-burn mechanism influenced numerous gaming tokens
Cross-Platform Assets: Cards that existed independently of specific platforms or interfaces
Crystallization Mechanics: Converting in-game items to permanent blockchain assets
Scientific Partnership: Using gaming to support research through the FoldingCoin collaboration
Spells of Genesis established design patterns that became industry standards:
The blockchain cards of Spells of Genesis represent the earliest gaming NFTs ever created, each with deep historical significance in the evolution of digital collectibles. These cards not only served functional purposes within the game but became cultural artifacts representing key moments and figures in cryptocurrency and blockchain history.
Asset Name: FDCARD
Issue Date: March 11, 2015 (Block 347,173)
Total Supply: 300
Illustrator: Alejandro Hurtado
The FDCARD holds the distinction of being the first blockchain gaming asset ever created. Issued in collaboration with FoldingCoin, this pioneering card was distributed to participants who contributed computational power to scientific research through the Folding@home network. Between March and May 2015, contributors shared hash power to help find cures for cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes, receiving FDCARD tokens proportional to their contributions.
Visually, the card depicts a laboratory flask containing a swirling, luminescent blue healing formula, symbolizing the intersection of gaming, blockchain technology, and scientific research. The card's subtitle, "The Healing Formula," represents both its literal association with medical research and its metaphorical role as a cure for the problems of digital asset ownership and scarcity in gaming.
Historical Significance: As the world's first gaming NFT, FDCARD established the template for utility-based blockchain assets. Its distribution mechanism pioneered the concept of earning digital collectibles through meaningful real-world contribution, predating modern "proof-of-contribution" models by nearly a decade.
Rarity & Value: Originally distributed for free, FDCARD has appreciated significantly in value as the crypto collectibles market matured. Individual cards have sold for thousands of dollars, with collectors recognizing their foundational importance to the entire NFT ecosystem.
Asset Name: SATOSHICARD
Issue Date: August 2015
Total Supply: 2,015
Element: Air
The SATOSHICARD stands as one of the most iconic early cryptocurrency collectibles, depicting a tribute to Bitcoin's anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. The card shows a mysterious figure in flowing robes standing before a glowing Bitcoin symbol, embodying the enigmatic nature of cryptocurrency's founding father.
This card achieved multiple historic firsts: it became the first NFT to sell for over $1,000, reaching $3,700 by summer 2016. From 2015 to 2017, SATOSHICARD maintained the highest market capitalization of any NFT until the launch of CryptoPunks. Its influence extended beyond gaming, inspiring the creation of the Rare Pepe collection in 2016, with "Rarepepe Nakamoto" serving as an ironic homage to the original SATOSHICARD.
Cultural Impact: The SATOSHICARD transcended its gaming origins to become a symbol of the early cryptocurrency movement. Its interoperability across multiple games (Spells of Genesis, SaruTobi, and Sarutobi Island) demonstrated the metaverse concept years before the term gained mainstream adoption.
Asset Name: GENESISCARD
Issue Date: August 2015 (ICO period)
Total Supply: Distributed to BitCrystals ICO participants
The GENESISCARD commemorates the creation of Bitcoin's Genesis Block, featuring artistic representation of the first block in the Bitcoin blockchain. This card was exclusively distributed to early supporters of the BitCrystals token sale, making it one of the earliest examples of ICO-based collectible distribution.
Asset Name: XCPCARD
Issue Date: July 8, 2015 (Block 364,420)
Total Supply: 1,000
The XCPCARD pays homage to the Counterparty platform that enabled these early blockchain games. Featuring a regal figure representing the power of decentralized finance, this card celebrated the technical innovation that made blockchain gaming possible.
Asset Name: ETHXCPCARD
Issue Date: July 8, 2015
Total Supply: 1,000
A dual-tribute card representing the relationship between Ethereum and Counterparty, this card depicted the emerging multi-chain ecosystem. It featured artistic representations of both platforms, acknowledging Ethereum's rising significance alongside Counterparty's established position.
Asset Names: FWCFCUMRATTC, FWCMYSTICELF, FWCCMISTY, FWCCAMELOT, FWCTIMELORD
Issue Date: 2016-2017
Partnership: Force of Will Trading Card Game
This series represented the first major collaboration between a traditional trading card game and blockchain gaming. Five special cards were created to be playable in both Force of Will and Spells of Genesis, pioneering the concept of cross-platform digital assets.
Innovation: The Force of Will collaboration demonstrated practical interoperability between traditional and blockchain-based gaming systems, establishing a blueprint for future cross-platform initiatives.
Asset Name: BCYCARD
Issue Date: 2015
Element: Multi-element
The BCYCARD represented the game's native utility token, BitCrystals. This card showcased the integration between gameplay mechanics and token economics, featuring crystalline formations that represented the digital currency's role in the game ecosystem.
Asset Name: DOGECOINCARD
Issue Date: 2016
Cultural Reference: Dogecoin meme culture
This card celebrated the lighthearted spirit of the Dogecoin community, featuring the iconic Shiba Inu dog amid a cosmic background. It represented the intersection of meme culture and serious blockchain technology, acknowledging Dogecoin's role in making cryptocurrency accessible to mainstream audiences.
Ultra-Legendary (Supply ≤ 300):
Legendary (Supply ≤ 1,000):
Epic (Supply ≤ 2,500):
Historic (Supply ≤ 10,000):
Beyond the original blockchain cards, Spells of Genesis introduced a revolutionary "blockchainization" system on December 6, 2017. This mechanism allowed players to permanently transform their fully-upgraded in-game cards into blockchain assets, giving them a choice between Ethereum (ERC-721) and Counterparty (Bitcoin-based) storage.
Process Requirements:
This system created a bridge between traditional mobile gaming and blockchain ownership, allowing dedicated players to earn permanent digital assets through skill and dedication rather than just financial investment.
The early Spells of Genesis cards established many precedents for the digital collectibles market:
Price Milestones:
Market Evolution:
All original Spells of Genesis blockchain cards remain permanently preserved on their respective blockchains:
Bitcoin/Counterparty Cards: Secured by Bitcoin's hash rate and network effects, ensuring the longest-term preservation of any blockchain collectibles.
Ethereum Cards: Benefit from Ethereum's smart contract ecosystem and broader NFT marketplace integration.
Cross-Chain Bridging: Some cards have been wrapped or bridged to other chains through services like Emblem Vault, increasing accessibility while maintaining provable authenticity.
The cards remain playable in the original Spells of Genesis mobile game, which continues active development and support from EverdreamSoft, ensuring their utility endures alongside their collectible value.
All cards maintain their original Counterparty asset names in ALL CAPS format, following the platform's naming conventions established in 2014-2015.
Hall Score: 92/100 - Historic Tier
Spells of Genesis earns an elevated Hall Score for pioneering utility-based NFTs and demonstrating practical blockchain integration in gaming. As the first mobile game to meaningfully incorporate blockchain assets, it established design patterns that influenced the entire GameFi industry. The FDCARD's status as the first gaming NFT, combined with the game's continued operation, its innovative hybrid economy, and the historical significance of its individual cards, make it a cornerstone of blockchain gaming history. The platform's role in creating the template for cross-chain gaming, utility NFTs, and community-driven distribution models justifies its historic significance in the evolution of digital ownership and blockchain-based entertainment.