Katana Inu releases free idle battler for Windows, ties shop discounts to $KATA

In Brief:

• Katana Inu (official site) released a free-to-play Windows idle auto-battler, announced on X by @katanainu as “Katana Inu: Samurai Task Warriors” and listed on its download site as Samurai Task Force.
• The game is in open beta with 39 heroes, five leagues, a shop and a leaderboard. Mac and mobile versions are “coming soon,” the account said.
• The shop gives tiered discounts to $KATA KATA $0.0000303 ▼ -18.5% holders and free or half-price bundles to holders of two Katana Inu NFT collections.

Katana Inu has released its first spinoff title, a free Windows idle auto-battler in which a samurai clan fights in a thin strip above the taskbar.

“Today, we’re launching our first arcade game under the Katana Inu IP!” the project’s X account, @katanainu, said in a launch post. The post said the game is “100% FREE-TO-PLAY!” and pointed players to force.katanainu.com. It said the game is “Available on Windows! Mac and mobile version coming soon!”

The post and the download site use different names. The X post calls the game “Katana Inu: Samurai Task Warriors.” The site, and an earlier @katanainu post, call it Samurai Task Force.

Open beta, with bugs expected

The site labels the release an open beta. A banner reads: “Bugs can still happen. Report them in the game under ‘Report a Bug’.”

The site lists 39 heroes in five classes, each with its own power attack. Four heroes march at once. Combat is automatic, and players trigger Ki attacks and healing waves themselves.

Progress runs through five leagues: Wood, Iron, Silver, Gold and Master. Each league has eight waves and ends with a boss: Moonfang, Iron Oni, Frost Lich, Shogun Wraith and Void Knight. Beating all five leads to Shogun rank.

The game keeps counting progress for up to eight hours while the PC is closed. Players can compare, upgrade or break down recovered weapons and armor in a dojo. The starter hero is Katana Inu, a Blade class fighter who leads every new clan from the first wave.

“Combat and progression run locally,” the site’s FAQ reads.

Shop terms and token perks

The site says the game has “No loot boxes” and “No pay-to-win.” It says packs show every item they contain. On whether the shop is pay-to-win, the FAQ reads: “No. Cosmetics change no combat stats; hero packs offer sideways options with the same class values.”

Heroes, skins and packs are sold through the website with a Katana Inu account or in the game. “Every price is final and includes VAT,” the site reads.

Holding $KATA cuts shop prices. The site lists three tiers: “15% from $300,” “30% from $800” and “40% from $1,500.” It says holdings count on Ethereum, BNB Chain or Base. Players link a wallet once through the Katana Inu Launcher.

Two NFT collections carry their own perks. TAKERU GENESIS holders get “The Complete Bundle at no cost, once per NFT token ID,” according to the site. Forge NFT holders get “Half price on the Complete Bundle, once per NFT token ID.”

The site warns: “Crypto tokens can lose part or all of their value. This is not investment advice.”

First of 10 planned games

In an earlier post, @katanainu said the title is “the first of our 10 upcoming games.” That post said the game would carry “Optional in-game items and a Founder’s Pack for those who want to support us.”

It also set out a token commitment: “First $1000 income will get burned in $KATA.”

The download site’s menu also links to Showdown, Strikers and the Katana Inu Launcher, which handles accounts and wallet linking. The site’s tagline for the new game is “Work on top. War underneath.”