Introducing This Week in Crypto Games
The crypto and NFT gaming space is buzzing with activity, from new game releases to token airdrops and more. It can be overwhelming to keep up with everything. But don’t worry, Decrypt’s GG has you covered with our new segment, This Week in Crypto Games.
In this weekend roundup, we’ll bring you the biggest news from the past week and highlight a few stories you might have missed. So let’s dive in!
Biggest News
PIXEL is nearly here
The highly anticipated launch of the PIXEL token by popular Ronin social and farming game Pixels is just around the corner. The game has already started allocating tokens to winners of its play-to-airdrop campaign. Additionally, the Pixels Foundation has raised $4.8 million from various backers. Crypto exchange Binance has a Launchpool that rewards token stakers with PIXEL rewards leading up to the listing on February 19.
Shrapnel opens up
Avalanche first-person extraction shooter Shrapnel has launched its early access version and held its first three-day play event with $100,000 in SHRAP token rewards. The game experienced some technical issues due to high demand, which is expected during early access. If you want to know more about Shrapnel, check out our impressions and gameplay footage.
Bits on Bitcoin
DFZ Labs, the studio behind the Deadfellaz NFT collection, has incubated a Bitcoin Ordinals gaming ecosystem called Bits. They will release 10,000 character profile pictures (PFPs) on February 13 via Magic Eden. Holders of these PFPs will have the opportunity to shape and contribute to the development of the game.
MAVIA drop
Heroes of Mavia, a mobile strategy game with crypto and NFT features, was released last week. They followed up with a MAVIA token drop, distributing tokens to 100,000 players and NFT land owners who participated in earlier staking campaigns. The MAVIA token has seen a significant increase in value since then.
ICYMI
- An NFT mint for the Otherside game Legends of the Mara encountered issues due to high Ethereum network gas fees. Yuga Labs’ response raised questions about whether they will move away from ETH.
- Mystery Society, an Among Us-like social deduction game with optional NFT cosmetics, launched its beta test and announced a $3 million fundraise.
- Web3 esports platform Community Gaming will use Worldcoin’s blockchain-based World ID to verify players for tournaments.
- Mastercard and MoonPay collaborated to launch a UEFA Champions League trivia game that requires an NFT access pass. Cardholders can earn game tickets, including to the Champions League Final.
- The indie PC strategy game Shardbound, now being revived as an NFT game, is holding its next playtest this month. It will accommodate up to 2,000 players on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Ethereum NFT collection Pudgy Penguins announced a partnership with marketplace Magic Eden, exploring ways to integrate Magic Eden into Pudgy games. Pudgy World is set to launch in alpha on zkSync this quarter.
GG Spotlight
Here are some original stories from Decrypt that you should check out:
Edited by Ryan Ozawa
Hot Take: The Crypto Gaming Revolution is in Full Swing
The crypto and NFT gaming space continues to thrive, with exciting developments and new opportunities emerging every week. From the imminent launch of PIXEL to the early access release of Shrapnel and the introduction of Bits on Bitcoin, there is no shortage of innovation and growth in this industry. With games like Heroes of Mavia making waves and collaborations between Pudgy Penguins and Magic Eden on the horizon, it’s clear that crypto gaming is revolutionizing the way we play and interact with digital assets. Stay tuned as this space continues to evolve and shape the future of gaming.
By
By