SNK launches Samurai Shodown R MMO on the Sui blockchain

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SNK‘s Samurai Shodown R, a multiplayer online game for mobile players, is now live on the Sui blockchain.

The game from SNK and developer Lumiwave is a new mobile MMORPG with real-time multiplayer and onchain progression powered by Sui.

The game brings fast-paced combat, evolving non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and cooperative multiplayer to mobile, with blockchain features running under the hood to support progression, real-time interactions, and in-game economies.

At the heart of the game are four core Sui technologies that drive progression, economy, and multiplayer gameplay:

  • zkLogin: Onboards players instantly with familiar Web2 credentials such as Google or Apple, with no need for a crypto wallet or seed phrase.
  • Dynamic NFTs: In-game assets like Mount NFTs evolve in real time based on player activity.
  • These NFTs progress from level 1 to 20, gaining new attributes and visual changes as they advance, and unlock a final form entirely onchain.
  • Shared Objects: Allow players to interact with the same game assets at the same time, enabling seamless multiplayer features such as clan quests and PvP battles.
  • Closed-Loop Tokens: In-game tokens remain within the game ecosystem. Clan leaders can earn rewards for completing quests that benefit all members, creating sustainable incentives for collaboration and long-term progression.

With these blockchain systems running in the background, Samurai Shodown R delivers a gameplay experience that requires no prior crypto knowledge or expertise. Players can explore dungeons, complete story-driven quests, team up with clans, or jump into competitive PvP, all without interacting directly with wallets or tokens.

“Samurai Shodown R is a powerful example of what is possible when top-tier game design meets scalable blockchain infrastructure,” said Adeniyi Abiodun, chief product officer and of Mysten Labs, the original contributor to Sui, in a statement. “It’s the latest, innovative, fast-paced experience that lets the gameplay shine, powered quietly but effectively by Web3.”

First released in arcades in 1993, Samurai Shodown helped define a generation of fighting games with its weapon-based mechanics and distinct visual style. Since then, it’s been featured in competitive tournaments and adapted across multiple formats. Samurai Shodown R builds on that foundation by introducing multiplayer quests, cooperative clan systems, and upgradeable NFTs that reflect in-game progress.

“We’re proud to bring Samurai Shodown R to life on Sui,” said Kangyong Yi, cofounder of LumiWave, in a statement. “Together, we’ve built a game that honors the franchise’s legacy while introducing reward-driven blockchain mechanics that reward players for progressing, collaborating, and returning.”

Samurai Shodown R will be available on the SuiPlay0X1, a handheld gaming device developed in collaboration with Playtron. It supports both Web2 and Web3 games, with hardware capable of running PC and blockchain-native titles. The SuiPlay0X1 sold out its first preorder run and is expected to ship soon. Samurai Shodown’s availability on the SuiPlay0X1 will be announced at a later date.

Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the ground up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. Its object-centric model, based on the Move programming language, enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich onchain assets.

With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications with high speed at low cost.