Blockchain Gaming World

Sony's stablecoin plans, Fableborne Season 4, EVE Frontier's free week, and Footium's $600,000 funding. [0:32] Sony looks like it's going to be launching a stablecoin in the US.[1:09] It's an extension of the trend that's seen PayPal, Stripe and Klarna also announcing stablecoins.[2:00] Sony has set up a US bank, which is applying for a federal license, required for stablecoins. [4:44] One key reason is companies pay up to 2% of transactions as fees to Visa and Mastercard. [6:30] Sony could save up to $20 million for each $1 billion of spending it moves to its stablecoin.[8:55] Do other gaming platforms such as Steam start adopting stablecoins too?[10:43] Mobile RPG Fableborne has launched its Season 4, including guilds for the first time.[13:07] It's one of the last of a long line of play-to-earn games. Interesting to see how it goes.[14:43] Fableborne is on Ronin, which now has a bunch of live and liveish games.[15:35] Also on Ronin, Craft World has a new collab with Fishing [20:26] Immutable has launched an new AI-based marketing platform. [21:16] New mobile/PC action-RPG Myths will launch in 2026, using the Mythical Market for NFTs. [28:00] EVE Frontier is free for everyone until Tuesday 9th December; the end of Cycle 3.[34:44] UK studio Footium has raised $600,000 for its own-IP soccer management game.[36:25] Trying to create your own brands for clubs and players in a sports game is a hard sell.

Xociety and Arise release their first public playables, MapleStory burns $1.7 million tokens and we talk generative AI. [0:30] Ndus has raised $1.6 million for its pop extractor shooter Xociety, which hits also early access. [10:00] Cross The Ages has launched its PC RPG Arise into open alpha. [18:54] "It's like juggling an elephant and a crocodile. If it works, absolutely amazing."[21:36] Nexpace will burn $1.7 million NXPC in the first of its planned quarterly token burns.[27:32] Hytopia has had 1 million downloads on Google Play store.[29:47] JC Kim was on the podcast talking about genAI game-making platform Verse8.[37:10] Should games be hand-built like luxury shoes or watches? Rant over.

Jon Jordan talk to Verse8 creator JC Kim about the genAI game-making platform, which is now live for professionals and noobs. [3:15] How JC Kim first met Delabs' co-CEO James Joonmo Kwon as a mentor.[6:05] Why JC Kim started work on a generative AI game-making tool, which became Verse8.[7:20] Verse8 includes coding, 2D image generation, background music and 3D model generation.[8:10] The game sector's biggest issue is production costs. GenAI reduces this by 90%.[10:06] This means developers can try more ideas and be more [10:20] This is particularly important for web3 developers who want to rewards players with tokens. [11:56] Using AI, anyone can make mini-games and apps around an IP, which enables real community.[15:53] One element of Verse8 is the ability for users to recast or "spin" existing games.[19:15] Verse8 can generate a complete multiplayer game for around $10-$20. [21:50] Verse8 can suppport both professional game devs and inexperienced users (kids!).[28:35] Creators can also choose to launch tokens, effectively memecoins.[31:45] Delabs Games is already using Verse8 to develop new titles.

MapleStory Universe get $50M ecosystem fund, Legend of Ymir custom servers expanded, Stan extends Series A and we talk Hyptopia and Moku's Grand Arena.[0:40] Nexpace has announced a $50 million ecosystem fund for MapleStory Universe.[3:48] As a reminder Nexon funded Nexpace two years ago with $100 million of funding. [4:17] Technically the fund is "up to $50 million" - likely mainly NXPC tokens and work-in-kind etc.[6:56] MapleStory N is the core, but the fund is to encourage third party games and app around it.[8:55] This is a trend for many fully onchain games such as Soccerverse and EVE Frontier.[12:10] There's also a deeper trend with stablecoins becoming payment rails for Tradfi.[14:03] Our Mavens discussed the balance of financials and fun for blockchain games.[17:22] Wemade has expanded the custom server business for its Legend of Ymir MMORPG.[18:00] It originally auctioned 10 servers for +$20,000 each. You can earn 15% of in-game [21:37] Indian social gaming app Stan extended its Series A funding to $10.5 million.[23:08] One likely reason is India banned real money games so apps like Stan are now an alternative.[26:29] Jon had Maxwell from Hytopia on the podcast this week. [29:12] The platform is now live with its HYBUX token also live on Base.[30:16] Maxwell says "Crypto is cool but fun is #1".[33:13] Moku has launched the 4 week preseason for its Grand Arena game.

Maxwell Holmes from Roblox-on-blockchain UGC platform Hytopia thinks "Crypto is cool but fun is number 1"[2:30] "I like it when the house is on fire and tomorrow is unknown. I need the craziness."[05:08] "People see we have been consistent through the changes. We don't play the hype game."[09:36] "We're trying to use crypto to empower gamers." That continues to be the [12:46] Comparing Hytopia to Minecraft and/or Roblox in terms of its base functionality.[15:43] Gaming used to be about fidelity and polish. Now it's about social, virality and memes. [16:54] "The user is the most knowledgable about the product they want." That's the power of UGC.[18:07] "Attracting creators is Hytopia's top priority now."[19:30] Hytopia uses Typescript/Javascript, which is the easiest way to make games. [20:56] Our app (mobile/desktop) is basically the website wrapped into the app.[22:57] Anytime you target web3 gamers, you're going to fail. There aren't enough of [23:40] Crypto is cool but fun is number 1. If the games aren't fun, you will [25:44] Why does Hytopia have blockchain? It has to enhance the user [27:40] In future, investors will be able to fund new games in Hytopia and get a [29:15] Hytopia is currently doing 19,000 DAUs and 100,000 WAUs, and growing from organic users.[31:42] At launch, the marketplace will give 85% to creators with 15% used for token buybacks.[33:55] The marketplace uses both fiat and HYBUX but using HYBUX incentivized.

Axie Infinity tweaked its rewards and lost 45% DAUWs, MapleStory N has banned 640,000 bots, and Forkast moved to Arbitrum. [0:35] Axie Infinity's DAUWs have dropped 45% following to a change in its AXS reward system.[3:10] In April 2024, it launched its first Bounty Board, which more than doubled its audience. [4:45] There were further giveaways, which further boosted DAUWs to more than 100,000.[6:29] Now, the rewards system has been streamlined, with a paid battle pass added.[8:34] Over time, these reward systems become increasing complex to understand.[10:06] Not directly related but the AXS token is down from $7 to $1 since April 2024.[15:00] The good news is web3 games are now more focused on profit and sustainability.[17:54] Nexpace has banned 640,000 accounts from MapleStory N for botting and macros. [21:20] It's also forced 28,000 KYCed accounts to be reregistered. Only 155 succeeded. [25:10] The Forkast prediction market has moved from Ronin to Arbritrum. [32:55] Jon is enjoying playing EVE Frontier but likely won't be part of its Winter PVP tournament.

Animoca Brands is making waves with a plan for a reverse merger to list on Nasdaq, potentially valuing the company at $3-4 billion. Meanwhile, Moonfrost is shifting gears from Web3 to Web2, launching the Frost Arcade to target a new audience. Immutable's IMX token has become fully liquid, making a significant mark in the gaming market. The Sandbox commits to a user-generated content model for 2026, while Spider Tanks is set for an exciting reboot on Immutable with early access this December.

In a deep dive with Luke Barwikowski, CEO of Pixels and a visionary in blockchain gaming, he discusses the evolution of play-to-earn models. Luke candidly shares his views on the current dismal market sentiment and how reliance on speculation complicates sustainable gaming. He reveals analytics showing that a tiny fraction of players earned the majority of rewards, prompting significant economic changes at Pixels. Also, he introduces a new social Tamagotchi app and emphasizes a shift towards more user-friendly rewards outside crypto.

Wemade launched Legend of Ymir, Mythical integrated World Chain, Pixels launched Chapter 3 and Yuga's Otherside goes live on 12th November. [0:30] Wemade has launched its latest web3-enabled MMORPG Legend of Ymir on PC and mobile.[2:10] Wemade previously tried to add blockchain to casual mobile games. It didn't work.[3:24] Legend of Ymir is the result of Wemade's experience over its previous web3 games.[4:50] Ten game servers have been auctioned to be run by guilds etc.[5:50] It's more combat-focused than Night Crows, but still with a lot of idle gameplay.[8:09] Wemade as become more nuaunced in how it's combining web2 and web3 elements.[10:07] Cambria has raised $2 million from Bitkraft, Sky Mavis and various angels.[16:03] The Mythos blockchain is integrating World via the launch of an L3 on World Chain.[19:38] One advantage is this gives the Polkadot parachain EVM compatibility for the first time.[23:34] Yuga Labs' Otherside will finally go live on 12th November with the Koda Nexus hub.[31:13] Pixels has launched Chapter 3 including an new lightweight social competition layer.

Jon's been asking What's Working For Web3 Gaming? at Zebu Live conference. [0:27] It's been London Blockchain Week and Jon has been at Zebu Live 2025.[2:06] He moderated a panel about What's Working In Web3 Gaming?[4:08] Panellists including Koko from Mighty Bear Games and Russell from Metacade.[5:58] We've moved from blockchain games to crypto games, with the emphasis on "crypto gainz".[7:00] ICP-based MMORPG Dragginz has gone into "hiberation".[12:30] YGG Play's LOL Land has now done $5.5 million in revenue. [12:59] The key issue for most blockchain game companies is doing what you need to make money. [14:10] The comparison is EVE Frontier, MapleStory Universe etc - big onchain gaming ecosystems.[16:51] Wildcard has launched into early access on Steam: it's a web2 game with a web3 ecosystem.[22:56] Jon's been enjoying playing RavenIdle.