Animoca Brands has launched the public alpha version of Anichess, its chess-based strategy game developed in collaboration with Chess.com and five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen. Alongside the launch, Anichess announced a partnership with Yield Guild Games (YGG) to expand its presence in Southeast Asia—one of its top three regions in terms of player registration.
The game’s alpha introduces players to a combination of traditional chess and unique spell mechanics across four different game modes: ranked match, quick match, friend match, and bot match. Players can now enjoy player-versus-player (PvP) matches, train against AI, and unlock new spells. The partnership with YGG aims to boost the game’s reach among students, chess enthusiasts, and gamers through tournaments, community-building events, and educational initiatives.
Brian Chan, head of Anichess, emphasized the strategic importance of the Southeast Asian market, noting that the collaboration with YGG will help engage a vibrant gaming and chess community in the region.