Anichess, a chess game co-created by Animoca and Chess.com, has partnered with multinational esports organisation Team Secret.
As a result, Team Secret’s CEO, John Yao, will join Anichess as an advisor and the esports organisation will work with Anichess’ team to refine its PvP mode ahead of its scheduled release.
Anichess is a free-to-play game with Web3 elements created by blockchain gaming company Animoca Brands and online chess platform Chess.com. The game combines elements of traditional chess with abilities and new mechanics. Anichess aims to appeal to both chess and gaming fandoms. The game’s single-player mode was released in early 2024, with a competitive multiplayer mode planned to come out in the near future.
The new partnership with Team Secret aims to further refine Anichess’ player-versus-player mode by advising the Anichess team on game design and supporting the growth of the game’s player base. Team Secret noted in a release that the main goal is to ‘solidify chess’ esports status by combining a new platform to play and learn on’.
Team Secret will also use its roster of talent to promote the game to its community and help scale Anichess’ reach up to and after the official release of the PvP mode. Team Secret has a large fan base across the world, with competitive rosters in Rainbow Six, Rocket League and Dota 2.
John Yao, CEO of Team Secret, commented on the partnership: “Anichess is a promising twist on chess, with even more of what makes the original great: compelling tactics, broad recognition and rewards for players willing to think outside the box and surprise opponents.
“I’m looking forward to guiding Anichess into the realm of esports and integrating the new chess platform into our dedicated community.”
