While Paydirt Games studio's Kevin Beardslee will forever be known for co-creating arguably the most beloved MMO of all time, World of Warcraft, his company recently released an intriguing new PvE survival game called Fatal Frontier 1869. This single-player game stands out not just by being a free download on Windows PC as opposed to being launched through Steam, but by adding tension to the survival experience by putting real money on the line. In Fatal Frontier 1869, PC gamers are 19th-century pioneers on the hunt for gold, and if they get enough of that mineral, they can cash out.
While Fatal Frontier 1869 isn’t the only game that attempts to pay its user base for playing, the pedigree of the studio head that’s working on it makes it hard not to be interested. The actual gameplay mechanics are satisfying, and for players concerned about gambling for real money, it’s worth noting that Fatal Frontier doesn’t use NFTs, cryptocurrency, or player-to-player trading to fund its economy. While it’s a game that younger audiences should almost definitely avoid, its unique premise should guarantee tension on every single skill check, as repeated success could result in significant profit....
