February Digest; The number of UAW playing blockchain games in February was roughly 20 million, with a daily average of 730k players. This data confirms the pattern that has been noted in past months. We take a look at Bitcoin’s latest crazy, Ordinal Inscriptions, and assess its benefits and impact on the ecosystem. DigiDaigaku aired an ad touting a free mint of its Dragon Eggs collection during the last Super Bowl game, but it was met with disappointment and controversy. The NFT marketplace wars are heating up as Blur becomes a significant player in the NFT market, overtaking OpenSea in the past couple of weeks. BLOCKCHAIN GAMING ON-CHAIN DATA Around 20 million UAW played blockchain games in February, with an average of approximately 730k daily players. This data confirms the current trend of growth stagnation. DappRadar's analysis revealed that the top 10 blockchain games remained largely the same, except for the addition of Oath of Peak. This MMORPG was launched last month and is steadily gaining popularity. In the opposite direction, Benji Banana's players continued to decline in February, but it still maintained its place in the top 10. ORDINAL INSCRIPTIONS: BITCOIN’S LATEST CRAZE The latest craze in the Bitcoin community is Ordinal Inscriptions, which are now approaching the 200,000 mark as users flood the network with images, video games, and other content. Ordinal Inscriptions are similar to NFTs, digital assets inscribed on a satoshi, the lowest denomination of Bitcoin. This became possible thanks to the Taproot upgrade launched on the Bitcoin network in November 2021. The Ordinals Inscription process writes or inscribes the data of the content stored into the witness of the Bitcoin transaction. The witness was introduced in theSegWit upgrade to the Bitcoin network in 2017. Ordinals are the heart of the Bitcoin philosophy and require users to download Bitcoin Core and sync the node to the blockchain. They can be a complicated process due to the size of the Bitcoin blockchain and the need to use the Command Line (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux) Gamma, a Bitcoin NFT marketplace on Stacks, is offering a paid service that allows users to inscribe images and text. The Benefits of Ordinals Inscriptions to the Bitcoin Ecosystem Bitcoin NFTs have the potential to bring significant benefits to the Bitcoin ecosystem. One of these benefits is increased security. As more users create and trade Ordinals, there will be a higher demand for block space and transaction fees. This will incentivize miners to prioritize transactions with higher fees, making it more difficult for attackers to launch a 51% attack on the network. Another benefit of Ordinals is that they provide a new revenue stream for developers building on the Bitcoin network. With the rise of blockchain gaming and other decentralized applications, developers are looking for ways to monetize their creations without relying solely on token sales or advertising revenue. By creating Ordinals, developers can earn revenue from each transaction that involves their NFTs. Finally, Ordinals can help promote wider adoption of Bitcoin as a platform for digital content creation and distribution. While Ethereum has dominated the NFT market thus far, Bitcoin's robust infrastructure and massive user base make it an attractive option for creators who want to reach a broader audience. As more artists, musicians, and game developers begin using Ordinals to showcase their work, it could lead to greater awareness and acceptance of Bitcoin as a viable alternative to traditional payment systems. In my opinion, the recent spike in newly created Ordinals in the Bitcoin community is a positive development for the ecosystem and will benefit the network in several ways, as mentioned earlier. While there are still technical challenges to overcome, such as making the process of creating and trading Ordinals more user-friendly, the surge in interest in Bitcoin NFTs suggests that these challenges can be overcome. It remains to be seen whether Ordinals will become as popular as Ethereum-based NFTs or other forms of cryptocurrency-based digital assets. Still, one thing is clear: by enabling users to inscribe digital content onto its blockchain, Bitcoin is once again proving its versatility and adaptability as a decentralized platform for innovation. DIGIDAIGAKU NFT SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL DigiDaigaku, an NFT project by Web3 gaming company Limit Break, aired an ad touting a free mint of its Dragon Eggs collection during the last Super Bowl game. By scanning a QR code, viewers could mint the free “digital collectible” as advertised in the commercial. Already in 2021, Digidaigaku made waves during the Super Bowl with its memorable ad featuring two robots in a rap battle. However, the company's plans for the 2022 Super Bowl were even more ambitious. Even though the project got a lot of attention, it got a wide range of responses, which left many in the NFT space confused and led to controversy in the end. The DigiDaigaku ad aimed to provide a free digital collectible to viewers who scanned a QR code. Unfortunately, for many viewers, scanning the code didn't lead to the expected NFT but instead directed them to Gabriel Leydon's Twitter profile, the CEO and Co-Founder of Limit Break. Leydon's Twitter header displayed a "follow to win" banner, which led to speculation that the ad and QR code were part of an expensive engagement farming strategy. While that is partially true, since the mint was already completed, any additional viewers were forwarded to the social page to gain traction. The ad cost $6.5 million, so using it to its fullest potential made sense. After the ad's launch, many took to Twitter to express their disappointment at the missed opportunity to introduce enthusiasts to the NFT space. Despite this, Leydon considers the ad a success. Following the mint, OpenSea indicated that the NFTs were being sold at approximately 0.5 ETH. However, the prices have since fluctuated, and the current floor price for a Dragon Egg NFT is 0.245 ETH. The varying prices may have been influenced by Gabriel Leydon's recent tweets. Despite that, they managed to generate 1,485 ETH in volume so far, and with that some revenue from the fees as well. A second-chance mint was announced before the game ended, featuring another 5,000 unrevealed NFT Dragon Eggs. Limit Break and DigiDaigaku's plans for the future are still unclear, but their poorly received launch shows that falling short of expectations while under a microscope can be dangerous, just like other hyped NFT drops in the past. OPENSEA VS BLUR: THE NFT MARKETPLACE WARS OpenSea has long been a dominant player in the NFT market and the natural choice for NFT traders, collectors, and creators. However, the NFT ecosystem has undergone a significant change recently with the emergence ofBlur, which has given Opensea a run for its money. While other competing NFT marketplace platforms like Genie, X2Y2, and LooksRare have been around, they did not pose a significant threat to Opensea. Since its debut in October, Blur has gained considerable momentum among NFT traders and has climbed to become the largest NFT marketplace by volume, overtaking OpenSea in the past couple of weeks, as per data from Dune. Known for its zero trading fees and marketplace “floor sweeping,” Blur has become a significant player in the NFT market in just a couple of months. Here’s everything you need to know about the current battle of the NFT Marketplaces: Blur's Token Launch and Airdrop Blur's token, $BLUR, was highly anticipated by users of the platform. The airdrop of $400 million worth of tokens was seen as a generous move by the platform to reward its early users. However, the alleged wash trading by the top three users has raised questions about the validity of their activity on the platform. The controversy surrounding the wash trading has not affected the popularity of Blur, as it has continued to attract new users. Blur is hinting at its upcoming "Season 2" token airdrop and has highlighted that traders who place bids on the top collections closer to the floor will receive greater rewards. Essentially, those who bid on the cheapest available NFT for a specific project will increase their potential rewards. As a result, traders are both buying and selling in bulk. OpenSea's Royalty Fee Cut OpenSea's decision to cut mandatory royalty fees for a limited time was seen as a response to the competition from Blur. OpenSea's move was welcomed by some users who preferred not to pay royalties, while others criticized it for not supporting creators. The move was also seen as a strategic decision to stay competitive in the market and attract new users. The Impact on Creators The controversy surrounding royalty fees has been a major issue in the NFT market. Creators rely on these fees to monetize their work and generate income. The move by most marketplaces to make royalty fees optional has been seen as a disadvantage for creators, who may not receive the compensation they deserve. OpenSea's decision to cut mandatory royalty fees has further added to the concerns of creators, who feel unsupported in the market. The Future of the NFT Marketplace The NFT market has grown significantly in the past year, attracting new investors and artists. The competition between marketplaces is expected to intensify as new players enter the market. There’s even the possibility that big players may create their own marketplaces to maximize revenue and strengthen relationships with holders. Popular projects like CryptoPunks have already made this move. It remains to be seen how the market will evolve and whether creators will be able to continue to monetize their work through royalties. As the NFT marketplace wars continue to heat up, it's becoming increasingly clear that a winner-take-all mentality is beginning to emerge. Liquidity, however, follows good projects, and there are many considerations to be taken as an NFT creator. It will be interesting to see how the NFT market as a whole moves forward. While Opensea may still have one more card up its sleeve with the Opensea token, it's clear that the NFT marketplace wars are far from over. As a result, creators and traders alike will need to keep a close eye on the evolving landscape and be prepared to adapt to changes in the ecosystem. OTHER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS Gam3r’s Choice Award Winners Revealed Wildcard Mint and Game Exhibition Xterio Invests $2.5M In Multiplayer RPG Studio Overworld Sony Wants To Rent NFTs & Stream Spectators To Players Through PlayStation 5 Introducing 'DRKVRS' — Coming from the Creators of 'The Witcher' and 'Cyberpunk 2077' Premier League Officially Joins Sorare Fractal Partners With Ev.io to Kick Off Fractal Survival Event LUXON Joins the Chainlink BUILD Program to Boost Blockchain Gaming Adoption Renowned Fortnite Gamer Wins BAYC Special Minting Event Yield Guild Games Secures $13.8 Million in Token Sale Backed by DWF Labs and a16z Crypto Web3 Gaming Startup Immutable Cuts Staff by 11% to Prolong Cash Reserves Introducing 'Star Symphony' — A Web3 Rhythm Game with a Twist Illuvium Beyond is Launching Next Week: Here's the Scoop Champions Ascension Goes Wallet Free Immutable Introduces Immutable Passport Introducing Epic Games on Elixir Gods Unchained Pre-Alpha Mobile Test XP Foundry announced migration of assets to Rooniverse and Immutable X Mini-Royale Partners with Audius for In-Game Music Ubisoft Partners Sandbox for Rabbids NFT Meet the Rising Esports Stars Playing Axie Infinity Spotify is Testing Token-Enabled Playlists for NFT Holders Pokemon-Style Game Chainmonsters Switches to IMX Azra Games Will Incorporate NFTs Into Games — Raising a Total of $25 Million Seed Funding Magic Eden Ventures Invests in 11 Web3 Game Studios

Video games have evolved significantly over the years, and today we can find different types of games that cater to different audiences. From the high-budget AAA games to the simple, fast-paced, hyper casual games, there is something for everyone. In this article, we will confront AAA with Hyper Casual, and delve into the characteristics, gamer profiles, and popularity of each type. AAA Video Games AAA video games, also known as triple-A video games, are high budget games with high production values, such as big-name franchises like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto. These games tend to have more polished graphics, deeper gameplay mechanics, and larger, more intricate worlds to explore. The process of creating a AAA video game is a complex and time-consuming one that typically involves a large team of developers, designers, and other professionals. The development time can vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the game, but it can take several years to develop a AAA game. The gamer profile of a person who chooses AAA games is typically someone who values a more immersive and complete gaming experience. They are looking for a game with high production values, such as polished graphics and intricate game worlds, and they are likely to have an interest in exploring and discovering all that the game has to offer. They may also be willing to invest a significant amount of time and money into the game, as AAA games offer a deeper, more rewarding experience. In terms of demographics, consumers of AAA video games tend to be older, with a median age of around 35 years old. They are also likely to be more affluent, as AAA games tend to be more expensive than other types of games. Hyper Casual Video Games Hyper casual video games, on the other hand, are simple, fast-paced games designed to be played in short bursts, such as Angry Birds or Candy Crush. These games tend to have simpler graphics, more straightforward gameplay, and they are often designed to be addictive and easy to pick up and play. A hyper casual game's development time is typically shorter than that of a AAA game. Due to the simplicity and smaller scope of the game, its development can take anywhere from a few months to a year. People who love playing hyper casual games typically appreciate simplicity and ease of play. They might be searching for a game that's quick to start, easy to pick up, and that can be enjoyed in short sessions. They might also be looking for a game that's highly engaging and keeps them coming back for more. In terms of demographics, people who enjoy these types of games tend to be younger, usually around 25 years old. Over the last decade, both AAA and hyper casual games have seen popularity and success in the video game industry. AAA games have historically dominated the sales charts. Additionally, the success of the open-world and RPG genres has contributed to the popularity of AAA games. Hyper casual games, on the other hand, have grown in popularity particularly with the rise of mobile gaming. Some hyper casual games have become household names and have been downloaded billions of times, generating millions in revenue each year. It's not surprising that 2022 saw 5x more hyper casual games than the previous year, given the shorter development times. It's worth noting that in the last decade, the gaming industry has seen a huge shift towards mobile gaming, and hyper casual games have taken advantage of that trend. However, AAA games still have a strong presence in the console and PC markets and continue to be popular among core gamers. The incorporation of elements of hyper casual games into AAA titles is a growing trend in the gaming industry; however, it raises some concerns. One concern is that this may be done to attract a wider audience and generate more revenue at the expense of the player experience by making the games more accessible for players who may not be as experienced or interested in traditional AAA titles. Another concern is the use ofmicrotransactions, which are a common feature in hyper casual games in AAA titles, which could lead to players feeling pressured to spend more money on the game to acquire in-game items or currency and create a "pay-to-win" scenario. Now, taking a look at the current state of web3 games, it’s fair to say that Hyper Casual or even Casual games are well-suited to the current state of web3 technology and audience. As of today it can be challenging for game developers to create AAA-quality games using blockchain, aside from the need for significant investment, expertise and time. Additionally, the current audience for web3 games is relatively small and mostly composed of early adopters and enthusiasts of blockchain and cryptocurrency. These players are often more interested in experimenting with new and innovative gameplay mechanics, rather than in traditional AAA-style games. Hyper Casual games are well-suited to this audience as they are simple to understand and easy to play, which makes them accessible to a wide range of players. That being said, the new economic models made possible by the use of blockchain technology will allow developers to have revenue streams in web3 games where previously was not possible, potentially pushing forward more AAA games development. Despite the concerns pointed out, both AAA and Hyper Casual games have their own unique audiences and can be successful in their own right. It's important to note that these are generalizations and there may be some overlap between the two groups. Some people may enjoy both types of games, and some people may not fit the typical demographic profile for either group. Both types of games have their place in the gaming industry and can co-exist and even complement each other. Ultimately, the choice between AAA video games and hyper casual video games will depend on the individual player's preferences and what they are looking for in a game.

We're incredibly excited to announce that XPAD will be partnering with reNFT — the leading NFT rentals protocol — to drive the adoption of digital asset rentals in Web3 Gaming. NFT rentals have a wide range of applications, including digital collectibles, artwork, music, and items in video games, and a lot more (especially considering the infancy of this industry) - and although in this specific area, reNFT and XPAD are paying more attention to the gaming assets, it is surely very interesting to see so many different possibilities enrich this market. While Web3 gaming continues gaining traction worldwide, many mainstream players, especially those unfamiliar with decentralized tech, face numerous roadblocks to adoption. To attract users at scale, games need to onboard their players effectively, it's their lifeblood. NFT rentals is key to lower entry barriers and the mainstream adoption of Web3 games. It empowers players, opens up new economic opportunities, and links diverse sets of players across games and ecosystems. reNFT rentals protocol jump starts game economies by enabling holders of NFT assets to put them to work by renting out gaming assets to use in blockchain gaming experiences, and by enabling new players to experience a game without having to purchase an NFT. Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities, shall we? Now, from the viewpoint of Gamers, it might seem quite obvious that if you want to give it a spin to, say, Dookey Dash, but your finances are far from the level that allows you to own a Bored Ape - you can now opt for a rental solution. Or let’s imagine, you’d like to participate in a token-gated event or tournament, or you need a certain collectible to unlock that tough level, don’t worry, NFT rentals complements game design by allowing users to temporarily use an NFT they otherwise don't want or can't purchase, for a set time period. But what about NFT owners? Well, naturally, just like a physical asset, as a digital asset owner, utilizing an NFT rental service offers several benefits. Firstly, it provides an additional source of income for the owner, as they can rent out their NFTs for a certain period of time and receive payment for it. Secondly, it increases the visibility and exposure of the digital asset, as the rental service will market the NFT to potential renters. This can also help increase the demand and value of the NFT. Thirdly, these rental services often have a secure and trustworthy platform for transactions, which provides peace of mind for the owner and protects their asset. Overall, NFT rental services offer a convenient and profitable way for NFT owners to monetize and promote their digital assets. The partnership between reNFT and Exeedme is a significant step towards the integration of Web3 Gaming in the Gaming Industry. With shared strengths and vision, this collaboration has the potential to bring innovative solutions to both communities. We look forward to seeing the results of this partnership and its impact on the future of the industry. We are thrilled to join forces and work together with the entire Exeedme team to enable digital asset rentals within its Web3 game partners and ecosystem! Together we will continue unlocking mass scale Web3 gaming accessibility and true freedom for players and their assets. Nick Vale, Founder and CEO of reNFT Partnering with reNFT not only expands the reach of our platform, but it also opens up new possibilities for our players to monetize their in-game assets in exciting and innovative ways as well as bring democratization into Web3 gaming, opening access to NFT’s for a much lower cost . The XPAD is committed to expand the possibilities of Web3 gaming, and this partnership is a step in that direction. Francisco Varela, Co-Founder, Chairman and CSO of Exeedme

January Digest; In January, the number of UAW on blockchain games was approximately 25 million, with a daily average of 807k players. This data confirms the trend observed in previous months. BGA conducted a survey to gauge the opinions on the state of the blockchain gaming industry. Overall, the survey suggests that blockchain gaming is here to stay, but priorities may be shifting. Improvements in gameplay, user experience, and adoption by major gaming franchises and studios are seen as key drivers for the industry's growth. Several crypto reports and articles have been published, looking ahead to 2023, which have provided insights into its growth, potential, and challenges. We’ll be taking a look at some of the key findings and insights from these reports, along with links for further reading. This month, the XPAD was present at the Global Conference of Gaming, Pocket Gamer Connects London - find below a deep dive of the experience. BLOCKCHAIN GAMING ON-CHAIN DATA In January, blockchain games saw approximately 25 million UAW, an average of about 807k players daily. This confirms the recent stagnation in growth trend. According to DappRadar, the top 10 games are mostly unchanged, with WAM and Planet IX leading the UAW increase (83% and 44%), followed by a 20% rise in Axie Infinity. BGA 2022 MEMBER SURVEY & REPORT The Blockchain Game Alliance (BGA) recently conducted a survey to gauge the opinions and perspectives of its members and blockchain professionals on the state of the blockchain gaming industry and its potential future. The survey comprised 22 questions covering a wide range of topics, including careers, growth, adoption, and key issues facing the blockchain gaming industry. Responses were collected between October 11 and November 20, 2022. With a total of 347 professionals representing 252 different projects or companies within the blockchain industry responding, the survey revealed that blockchain gaming is a growing industry and has a lot of potential, but the play-to-earn model may be losing popularity. The majority of respondents were young adult males working in middle and upper management positions at blockchain gaming companies. About 56% of the responses came from people in Asia, which is a big jump from the 33% in 2021. The survey found that half of the respondents have recently joined their current company, with a significant portion, 31.2%, having prior experience in the traditional gaming industry. This trend is a strong indicator that the development of blockchain games may improve as more professionals with gaming backgrounds join the sector. Adoption by major game franchises and studios is also believed to be a key factor in driving the industry forward. Ease of use and improved user experience are other top factors that face wider adoption of blockchain gaming. While in 2021, 67.9% of respondents thought play-to-earn would propel the industry forward, now only 22.5% share that view. A clear change in priorities. This is aligned with the growing popularity of alternative models such as "free-to-own." The survey also revealed that 35.7% of respondents believe that gameplay improvements should be the industry’s highest priority. High-barrier entry points and games that don’t feel of high quality have prevented more gamers from exploring the blockchain space. A focus on simply making a solid gaming experience may attract more gamers to blockchain gaming. This is a recurring issue we have seen mentioned on multiple channels, and the fact that it is being acknowledged by industry professionals shows that a push is being made to solve it in the future. More than half, 55.9% of respondents, accept a portion of their salary in the form of cryptocurrency. Female respondents were noted to be more likely to accept this offer than males. When participants were asked if they believed they would still be working in blockchain in a year, 89.3% said yes. In terms of the most important industry drivers in 2022, survey participants had the following to say: 21.3% believe that the injection of $7.6 billion in VC funding is the key driver of the blockchain gaming industry. 16.4% of respondents see the adoption of NFTs by major brands and celebrities as the second most important driver. 15% believe that the entry of traditional gaming companies into the blockchain space is a significant driver for the industry. Overall, the survey suggests that blockchain gaming is here to stay, but priorities and focus may be shifting. Improvements in gameplay, user experience, and adoption by major gaming franchises and studios are seen as key drivers for the industry's growth. However, play-to-earn may be on the decline as more focus is placed on other factors. A LOOK AHEAD FOR WEB3 GAMING In 2022, the crypto market saw a major decline as economic conditions affected the sector, resulting in a shrinkage of the total market capitalization of crypto assets by more than $2.2 trillion. Despite this and the many challenges ahead, the web3 gaming space continued to progress, with many new developments and advancements taking place. Several crypto reports and articles that look ahead to 2023 and talk about its growth, potential, and challenges have been published. In this recap, we’ll be focusing on what relates to web3 gaming, taking a look at some of the key findings and insights from these reports, along with links for further reading. Delphi Digital & Naavik Web3 gaming initially faced challenges with a focus on player earnings over fun and sustainability, leading to a financial bubble and hype cycle. Now the focus is shifting to good games and long-term sustainability. Interest in 2023 appears to be waning as the market for token launches has collapsed, investor rigor increases, and there is a lack of evidence of successful web3 gaming. Guilds that built their businesses on play-to-earn games have collapsed, and some are looking for ways to pivot. Infrastructure progress has been positive, but there is still work to be done in terms of hacks and poor user experience. 2023 may not be the year for crypto gaming to break into the mainstream, as high-quality titles entering soft launches may face challenges in the retail and private funding environment, and there are still significant headwinds in distribution, regulation, and user experience. There is light in the dark as large game platforms are being forced to take a stance on crypto, and initiatives adjacent to gaming are making headway with mainstream consumer familiarity with NFTs on social media platforms. Gaming and NFTs could be a "trojan horse" for global blockchain adoption and more activity is expected from big players in the coming year. Read more here. The Block On-chain Games The recent surge in Web3 games appears to be restricted, with most offering similar gameplay as Web2 games but with added on-chain RMT (Real Monetary Trading). As a result, The Block Research believes that even with tokenized assets, the gaming experience will remain unchanged. However, on-chain games have the potential to offer a unique and innovative experience. These games are built on new technologies and infrastructures, such as zk-SNARKs, a form of zero-knowledge proof that can prove the correctness of complex transactions cheaply. It's not clear yet, but improvements in on-chain gaming could lead to new ideas, like tokenless governance, more clear and distinct gaming metrics, a more interesting gaming identity, and the creation of a decentralized metaverse, which hasn't been seen in Web2 gaming. Web3 Gaming SuperApp for Mass Adoption The adoption of blockchain technology in the gaming industry is hindered by a lack of strong infrastructure, preventing developers from innovating and scaling their games. This, coupled with the fact that web browsers are not optimized for high-quality gaming content, can result in inferior player experiences. However, various Web3 infrastructure projects are working towards a solution by creating an all-in-one platform to address these limitations. Metaverse Development Remains Slow The Web3 metaverse is still in its infancy, and it has yet to demonstrate superior experiences compared to established Web2 games such as Roblox and Minecraft. Some Web3 lands are being controlled by land squatters, resulting in pockets of unused space and creating a "ghost town" effect. The Sandbox has tried to solve this problem by teaming up with different Web2 and Web3 brands. If they can provide a more entertaining experience than Roblox or Minecraft, the adoption of the Web3 metaverse may see widespread growth. Read more here. Zeeve Web3 developers are focusing on improving the user experience and increasing user engagement. They are trying to change the idea that blockchain games are only a way to earn cryptocurrencies. Instead, they are focusing on making games that are fun, immersive, and give a sense of ownership. Gaming studios are incorporating technology and user-created content into their strategies to enhance the gaming experience. Advanced blockchain solutions aim to make the game rewarding for every player and match their skill level. This is being done by improving the mechanics of the game and providing a top-notch gaming experience. Despite existing challenges, such as scalability and financial design, the blockchain gaming industry is well-positioned for growth and increased mainstream adoption in 2023. The industry will continue to grow as Triple-A games from major game studios with engaging narratives, enjoyable playability, and stunning graphics become more prevalent. Read more here. Blockworks Game studios integrate NFTs into their existing games In 2023, established web2 game studios will incorporate NFTs and crypto payments into their existing games, making the transition to web3 gaming. The shift in terminology from "NFTs" to "digital collectibles" will help traditional game studios introduce NFTs into games with less gamer backlash. The adoption of digital collectibles in games with secondary liquidity is expected to happen faster than the 10 years it took for Free-to-Play to start seeing adoption. 2023 is expected to be a critical year for web3-enhanced games to enter the mainstream. Gaming interoperability emerges Web3 gaming will see the real benefits of interoperability and composability emerge in 2023. This will highlight how adding programmable digital items, such as NFTs, to games can enhance the gameplay experience. Gamers will log into games using a wallet, which serves as their identity and reputation, and the game will recognize the crypto assets, including NFTs, already owned by the user. Based on the type and quality of assets in the wallet, the game will issue the player with in-game assets that can be used to level up the gameplay. Over time, web3 item matching will grow to include more general customer segmentation based on wallet holdings and port status across games, similar to how frequent travel programs recognize status from other brands. Savvy Games Group makes a big splash Savvy Games Group (SGG), funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced plans to invest $38 billion in the gaming industry through 2030, with the goal of positioning Saudi Arabia as a leader in global gaming and esports. With 89% of the Saudi population playing games, the highest per capita globally, SGG intends to establish 250 game companies and contribute $13.3bn to the country's GDP by 2030. SGG already holds stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, Nexon, and Embracer Group, putting it on par with major gaming companies like Tencent, Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and NetEase. However, SGG is expected to differentiate itself by focusing on web3 games and building a web3 gaming ecosystem, creating new value and innovation in the industry. Read more here. Binance Research The development of blockchain gaming and the metaverse is still in its early stages. While mass adoption has yet to be achieved, there are significant hurdles to overcome, such as enhancing gameplay and the user experience to effectively attract and retain users. The successful adoption of these technologies will likely require well-designed tokenomics models as well. Despite these challenges, the potential for blockchain gaming and the metaverse in the long term is enormous. We have a positive outlook on their role in the future of technology, entertainment, and communication. The participation of traditional gaming studios like Epic Games and Square Enix is a positive indication for future growth and could play a crucial role in introducing new users with no prior experience in blockchain gaming. Read more here. Crypto.com The blockchain gaming sector is expected to see a few AAA games in the next year or two, which will provide players with new gaming experiences that integrate high-performance gameplay with blockchain technology. The rise of Soulbound Tokens (SBTs), non-transferable and non-tradeable NFTs tied to an individual or entity, is also expected to drive growth. SBTs serve as a social identity, holding commitments, credentials, and affiliations, and may lead to a decentralized society where trust networks and reputations are established through provenance. Read more here. POCKET GAMER LONDON Pocket Gamer 2023 in London was a successful and highly anticipated event that brought together experts from the industry, indie developers, game studios, publishers, services providers, venture capitalists, and web3 projects. And we were there! It was impressive the amount of indie developers that attended the event to showcase their latest creations and seize the opportunity for networking and early investment seeking. For those who are always eager to be the first ones to play the most recent game, this is the event to get access to it. Pocket Gamer created the perfect network platform for game studios and Venture Capitalists. On one side studios need to keep creating, and financial resources are essential. On the other, venture capitalists understand that the gaming industry holds a great amount of opportunities that they want to see in their portfolios. Additionally, with a considerable number of publishers in attendance, distribution solutions were vast. Mobile First - you could hear them roar! Mobile games are dominating the gaming world with their expanding popularity in recent years. Thanks to advanced technology, game developers can now bring top-notch gaming experiences right to players' fingertips. This mobile-first approach leads to wider distribution and mass adoption, reaping undeniable benefits. Needless to say, we agree on everything. A really good indicator that this year we will be surprised with the quality of the new games to be released is the number of companies providing services to game studios. The gaming services market was on full display at the event, with numerous providers offering solutions such as game testing, advertising, and user acquisition. This indicates a strong focus by game developers on delivering the best games, creating opportunities for companies in this space to thrive in niche sectors. One of the most noteworthy highlights of the event was the discussion around web3 gaming. Despite ongoing debates, it is widely believed that web3 gaming is the future of the industry when it comes to digital properties rights and Esports . The event provided a platform for knowledgeable conversations and insights on the topic. Although it's uncertain when web3 gaming will become the main focus of the gaming industry this year, it's worth noting that the industry is known for its rapid pace of change. Pocket Gamer 2023 was a resounding success and a beneficial experience for all participants. It facilitated collaboration, growth, and investment and offered an informal forum for enlightening discussions on the promising future of web3 gaming. We strongly believe that the next edition will be all about web3 games and the potential of this new technology. OTHER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS Undead Blocks Launches Multiplayer Pegaxy Transitions to Player-Controlled Gameplay SuperRare Labs announces staff cuts of 30% its total workforce Galaxy Digital purchases 60% stake in Candy Digital y00ts and DeGods say they were paid $3m to move collections to Polygon from Solana Animoca Brands has lowered its fundraising target to $1 billion following ‘challenging market conditions’ Layer 1 blockchain Aptos to launch first web3 Game in collaboration with AAA gaming studio NPIXEL BinaryX kicks off new Cyber Incubation Fund to support new web3 projects Blockchain game Captain Tsubasa Rivals gains a new ambassador Gala Games Discontinues $TOWN After Almost Two Years of Town Star Dapper Labs announces 22% cut in workforce Crabada Brings New Version of Battle Game, Gain Rare Pearls for Spare Crab NFT Launch of Stylish Axie Infinity Accessories Bored Ape Yacht Club Unveils Dooky Dash Gala Games Acquires Ember Entertainment Yeeha Games releases its first Polygon-based MMORPG – Oath of Peak Nefta announces partnership with GAMI Calvaria secures $3 million in funding Guild of Guardians eSports Hero Sale Active Users on Axie Infinity Rise By 59% Mythical Games Acquires DMarket, a Web3 Marketplace Tech Startup Fractal takes NFT platform to Polygon and raises funding 'Search For Animera' Partners With ImmutableX To Offer An Unparalleled Web3 Gaming Experience FrensProtocol: Revolutionizing Smart Contract Technology For The Gaming Industry Playtika launches web3 gaming experience for their beloved game, Slotomania, Built on RECUR

Web3 games are a relatively new and growing category in the gaming industry. Unlike traditional games, web3 games utilize blockchain technology to allow players to truly own and control their in-game assets. While the concept of web3 games is gaining traction, the overall adoption of these games is still in its early stages. However, there are several factors that could trigger the mass adoption of web3 games in the near future. Firstly, as the technology for creating and playing web3 games improves and becomes more user-friendly, more people will be able to participate. A greater awareness of web3 games and the benefits they offer, such as true ownership of in-game assets, will also lead to more people trying them out. Another important factor is the scalability of web3 games. As the infrastructure for these games improves, they will be able to handle more players and larger, more complex games. This will make web3 games more competitive with traditional games and attract more players. The greater adoption of blockchain technology is also expected to drive the mass adoption of web3 games. As blockchain becomes more widely adopted, it will become easier for people to use it to play web3 games. This will also increase the number of developers interested in creating web3 games, leading to a wider variety of games available to play. Lastly, the more engaging and fun games that are developed on web3, the more likely people are to play them. Developers are constantly experimenting with new ideas and game mechanics to make web3 games more engaging and interesting. And a stable cryptocurrency market will give players the confidence in investing in web3 games. However, there is some backlash against web3 games. Some critics argue that web3 games are too complex for the average person to understand and play. Furthermore, many web3 games have a steep learning curve and require participants to have a certain level of technical expertise to participate. There are also concerns about the security of these games, because players must hold and manage their own private keys, which can be vulnerable to hacking and theft. Another issue is cryptocurrency volatility, which can make valuing in-game assets and making long-term investment decisions difficult. This, along with the fact that there is uncertainty about the legal status of web3 games, makes it difficult for developers to operate and for players to understand their rights. This makes it more difficult for web3 games to attract investment and grow. Finally, some critics argue that web3 games lack the polish and production values found in traditional games, making them less appealing to players. In conclusion, Web3 games represent a promising future for the gaming industry, as they provide true ownership of in-game assets and new possibilities for players. While the adoption of these games is still in its early stages, there are many factors that could drive its growth in the future, such as user friendliness, scalability, fun and engaging games, and a stable cryptocurrency market. However, there are also some challenges to be addressed, such as complexity, security, and lack of regulation. As long as the community and developers keep working to solve these problems and make the technology easier to use, the future of web3 games looks bright.

We are happy to announce that Chainstack and XPAD are entering into a tech partnership, aimed at driving adoption of Web3. More specifically, Chainstack and the XPAD are teaming up to empower the development and growth of Web3, as well as Web3 gaming. Chainstack's infrastructure dedicated to infinite scalability as well as its customization for Web3 Games makes this partnership as important for the XPAD internally as for the Community it serves. Chainstack, a leading provider of blockchain solutions, has built a reputation for delivering innovative and reliable products that help businesses of all sizes improve their operations and refine their quality. The XPAD is working to best serve Web3 Gaming Communities and enrich them and constantly find the best tools and solutions with which to reach their needs. Web3 and gaming are a match made in Heaven – whether it is by introducing digital collectibles or a new way for gamers to monetize their playtime, there is always something interesting to do in terms of use case. That is why we welcome initiatives like Exeedme’s XPAD as they serve as vital contributors to the development of the entire GameFi ecosystem and drive the entire space forward. - Eugene Aseev, Founder and CTO of Chainstack As result of this new partnership, Web3 gaming projects onboarded through XPAD will benefit from Chainstack services and expertise. This alliance can only make us stronger as a collective, and have a real impact in the web3 gaming space. Our potential to go further is boundless. - Francisco Varela, Co-founder, Chairman & CSO The partnership between these two groups is expected to bring significant benefits to both and their respective Communities. By combining their strengths, it is expected that both the XPAD and Chainstack will be able to offer a wider range of solutions that can help the Web3 environment achieve more prosperity and explore new possibilities.

December Digest; In December, the number of unique active wallets on blockchain games was around 26 million, with an average of 830,000 players per day. This data is consistent with previous months. Coinbase Wallet launched Gaming Days, an event featuring a selection of web3 games. Players were able to link their Coinbase Wallets to the gaming platform to participate in special activities, quests, and earn in-game rewards. Solana has been facing a number of challenges in recent months, including developers leaving the network, exposure to FTX bankruptcy, exploits, and network disruptions. Despite the resilience of the web3 gaming sector, 2022 was a rough year across the board, as seen through data from the Big Blockchain Game List. Out of the 717 games tracked, 57 (8%) have apparently ceased all meaningful activity. BLOCKCHAIN GAMING ON-CHAIN DATA In December, there was an aggregate of about 26 million UAW of user activity on blockchain games, putting the daily average at around 830k players. This data confirms the trend we have observed over the past few months of slowed growth. According to DappRadar statistics, most of the top ten games have remained the same, with just two new entries, Planet IX and Tiny World. Coinbase Wallet Gaming Days Coinbase Wallet launched a new initiative called Gaming Days in collaboration with several blockchain-based gaming companies. The event took place from December 17th to 30th and featured a variety of web3 games, including a Solana based FPS, a Polygon based RPG, a BNB Chain based RPG, a popular web3 esports title on the Ethereum network, and a Polygon based PVP racing game. Players were able to link their Coinbase Wallets to the gaming platform during each event to participate in special activities and quests or earn in-game rewards. This initiative was a great opportunity for Coinbase's user base, many of whom may have been familiar with cryptocurrencies but unaware of web3 gaming, to discover and engage with these titles. The event featured a range of rewards, including cash prizes, mystery boxes, avatars, NFTs, and skins, ensuring that there was something for every type of gamer. From December 17th to 18th, players competed in Ev.io, the Solana-based browser FPS tournament with a $5,000 prize pool. On December 19th, the first 5,000 Coinbase wallet users to connect to Pixels, a Polygon based RPG, received a mystery box. On December 20th, the first 3,000 Coinbase wallet users to complete tasks in the BNB Chain based RPG, MOBOX, received an exclusive avatar. A MOMO NFT was also given to the first 2,000 players who completed a special in-game campaign. Starting December 21st, the first 10,000 players to complete special event tasks in Spider Tanks, earned special skins. This event ended on December 28th. Finally, starting December 22nd, the first 1,000 users to complete event assignments by December 30th in the Polygon based PVP racing game Evaverse received an exclusive “Purrtle Pack NFT”. Web3 games have proven to be a valuable element of the cryptocurrency industry. These games not only provide entertainment but also offer unique opportunities for players to earn and utilize cryptocurrencies. Coinbase, a well-known cryptocurrency platform, recognized the potential of web3 games and launched this initiative to expose players to games from various blockchain networks and reward them for their engagement. Coinbase's effort with Gaming Days was a positive step towards the adoption and growth of cryptocurrencies, specifically web3 games. Not only did this initiative promote the use of cryptocurrencies within the gaming industry, but it also encouraged players to become more involved with the technology through interactive and meaningful activities. The success of web3 games in the cryptocurrency industry demonstrates their resilience and value, and Coinbase's efforts to support and promote their use was a promising development. Solana Active Developers Down 90% Solana, the popular Ethereum competitor, has experienced a number of difficulties in recent months. Developers have been leaving the blockchain in search of more promising opportunities, and the network has had a number of problems, including exposure to FTX bankruptcy and exploits, as well as multiple recorded disruptions since its launch. One of the longest outages occurred in September 2021, lasting about 18 hours. The network's co-founder has also noted instances where the network was operational but unable to be used due to heavy traffic. This is a significant problem, as heavy traffic is generally seen as a positive sign of growth and adoption, but if the network is unable to handle it, it can lead to problems for users. Before the FTX scandal, the value of SOL, the network's native cryptocurrency, was already in decline. Developers were initially drawn to Solana due to the support provided by SBF, Alameda Research, and FTX Ventures. These organizations would invest in prospective Solana projects, list them on their exchange upon launch, and use Alameda Research to inflate the price of these products. This led to an overall increase in the TVL (Total Value Locked) in the Solana ecosystem and the value of SOL. However, with SBF no longer involved, the ability to pump and dump these projects has been lost. As a result, there needs to be a compelling reason for developers to continue building on the Solana chain given the network's negative reputation. According to Token Terminal, the number of daily active developers on Solana has decreased by 90% since January 2022, though this information has been disputed by Solana developers. Regardless of the exact number, it is clear that there has been a significant drop in developer activity on the network. In addition to this, the network has also been exploited, with the most recentattack affecting Raydium, a Solana DEX, and resulting in a loss of over $2 million. This further damages the credibility and security of the network. Competition from other blockchain networks is also a concern for Solana. Cairo, a new Ethereum Layer 2 programming language, recently surpassed Solana's Rust in terms of TVL. Additionally, two of Solana's major NFT projects, y00ts and DeGods, left the network for Polygon and Ethereum on December 26, 2022. This migration of projects and developers to other networks is a concerning trend for Solana. The price of SOL has plummeted over 90% from its all-time high, and the TVL has followed suit, decreasing from $10 billion to around $200 million now. These challenges have also impacted the web3 games being developed on Solana, with the largest likely being Star Atlas. Despite the network's issues with exploits, disruptions, FTX exposure, and competition from other networks, as well as the decrease in developer activity, we remain optimistic about the potential of these projects and their ability to adapt and work across different blockchains. However, it is important for investors to exercise caution due to the current difficulties facing the Solana network. Tracking the shuttering of blockchain games Despite the resilience of the web3 gaming sector, 2022 was a rough year across the board. The Big Blockchain Game List has provided us with some new insights into what’s going on, particularly about the number of projects that have been abandoned. According to their findings, out of a total of 717 games that were monitored over the course of the past nine months, 8% of them, or 57 games, do not appear to have any meaningful activity at all. EVM chains are the most popular among the top blockchains for games, with BNB, Polygon, and Ethereum taking the top three spots, followed by Solana. BNB is especially popular among small developers in the APAC region, who often create GameFi-style experiences that may be more affected by the crypto winter. Some games were originally listed without a designated blockchain, but have since announced which blockchain they will be using. Others are still listed without a blockchain, but their recent social activity and updated game reports show that they are still in development. If a game had not formally announced that it was discontinued, their social activity was assessed, mainly on Twitter and Medium, and if there were no updates since August, the project was considered discontinued unless it had an active Discord group or an updated roadmap. Some games are rebranding or partnering with other projects, while others have run out of funds and can no longer continue development. This demonstrates the dynamic nature of the blockchain gaming industry, which can be both positive and negative. It is difficult to predict the sustainability of the large number of new blockchain games entering the market, especially given the current crypto market conditions. It is important to note that this data was collected prior to the FTX collapse. So, it's safe to say that this data has more to do with the crash after Luna and the crypto winter that followed than with November's further drop in sentiment. If we consider the period after the FTX collapse, it is likely that Solana would now be among the top three blockchains in terms of abandoned web3 gaming projects. Projects fail, but it's a reminder that the web3 gaming space is still in its early stages, and there will inevitably be growing pains as the industry matures. The remaining projects can and will continue to push the boundaries and drive innovation in the sector this new year. OTHER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS CS:GO Player Zeus Enters The Sidus Metaverse World-Class Crypto Gaming Team To Launch 'SpaceNation' In The New Year Aeria Games Partners with Ready Games to Release Web3 Titles Illuvium Launches Overworld Private Beta Magic Eden Kicks Off Its Polygon Launchpad With Blockchain Gaming Project 'Shatterpoint' Gods Unchained Announces New Game Updates to Enhance the Mobile Experience GAM3 Awards Winners of 2022 Blockchain shooter ev.io is now playable on mobile Blockchain gaming market projected to be worth $65.7 billion by 2027 Activision Blizzard COO Leaves For The Metaverse Web3 game DOGAMÍ secures $14M total funding World Cup Helps Onboard 585,000 Users Into The Sorare NFT Ecosystem Venture Capitalists Remain Bullish On Decentralized Gaming Is Web3 Gaming Infected With Bots? Undead Blocks Launches Massive Update Axie Infinity Passes Google App Store Review Alien Worlds Releases Land Update The NOUNSVITATIONAL: An Attempt At Bridging Crypto and DOTA 2 Illuvium Zero Alpha Date Announced Aurory Tactics: Reaching Alpha Launch Stage in 2022 Skyweaver: Free-to-Own Card Game to Earn Upgrades and Ascend Axie Infinity Releases Homeland Vulcan Forged Announces Major Upgrades to Top Games FaZe Clan Have Their Eyes Set On Web3 'Ashfall' From Liithos Studios and 'Days Gone' Creator Set To Bring Blockbuster Web3 Games To Life

Out with the old, in with the new! As you drink some bubbly champagne, and murmur some resolutions you hope to keep, but deep down, know won’t last past January, it might not be time to fully reinvent yourself, but maybe you can reinvent your gaming plan with some XPAD suggestions of the best Web3 Games coming in the upcoming Year! The web3 gaming space is so much more beyond the adversities, it is a Market that thrives on Innovation - and it’s up to Gamers to take the best of it. So, what can we expect in general for next year in terms of web3 gaming? What games will keep the XPAD and Web3 enthusiasts busy during the next year? Without further adieu, let us dive in. Decimated If you are an enthusiast of the Role-playing Video Game genre, this multiplayer third-person survival game might be the one keeping you up at night going through energy drinks. Get ready for the dystopian vibes and gear up! Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here Shrapnel A competitive multiplayer first-person shooter, SHRAPNEL is bundled with a rich set of player-creation tools, and by combining combat, creation, curation, and connection into a community where players own the platform and decide its future, it promises to be a unique adventure for anyone who wants to dive into this thrilling universe. Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here Illuvium Illuvium is the collectible NFT RPG game, as well as an auto-battler, all mashed up into one experience. This is the open-world RPG ordeal in the overworld where you mine, harvest, discover, capture, and fight over 100+ "Illuvials", deadly beasts who rule this alien world—each possessing hybrid synergies and unique abilities. Are you ready? Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here Cross the Ages Cross The Ages is a trading card game where players travel to a dystopian universe filled with mystical creatures and meet masters of magic with AI-powered cyborgs. Fight for the last resources. Are you up for the challenge? Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here Guild of Guardians If your preferred gaming platform is your mobile phone, the XPAD doesn’t judge. Guild of Guardians is the blockchain mobile RPG with 230k+ players on the waitlist. Play&earn tokens and NFTs. This game allows you to turn your earnings into real earnings, all while on-the-go Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here Mummy Some of you might be history buffs but find Ancient Egypt didn’t have enough of an edge? Mummy.io takes players on a journey across ancient Egypt with tons of mysteries to unravel and powerful enemies to slay. You might find yourself in a cross between History and Epicness. Does that sound like your speed? Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here TreeVerse If you are needing a break from reality’s rules and hierarchies, maybe a corner to escape to for a while, we might have the answer. Treeverse is a top-down open-world classless Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game built for mobile with social features and an emphasis on cooperative gameplay. Are you ready to unite? Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here Thalon Do you have the wish to immerse in a Real-Time Strategy? Thalon is a free-to-play game set in a science-fiction scenario in which players collect resources, command armies, and compete for bounty prizes. If you have always felt like Planet Earth is too small for your mind, this is definitely the game for you. Find the game here Follow what they’re up to here Do you agree with the XPAD’s wishes? Did this list leave you eager to play any of these Games? Which ones are you looking forward to?

Finding the perfect present to put under the tree is never easy. Every year you have to buy gifts for the same people, it can run your imagination dry and your stress a little high. To help out with this situation, the XPAD team came up with the perfect solution for this problem (we might have already hinted with the title a bit on what it is, excuse us)... We present to you: Santa’s Wish List for Web3 Gamers A worthy gift for your significant other, your brother and sister, your best friend that plays games with you, maybe your parents (we don’t know, maybe your parents are potential web3 adopters!) or for the truly most important person in your life: you! It’s not selfish to buy a gift for yourself, it’s treating the person you can NEVER part from! This is the ultimate Web3 gaming NFTs list for Christmas, these are the NFT’s that gamers dream about, whether they’re asleep or awake. These are the 10 NFT’s any gamer will be psyched to find wrapped under the Christmas tree. Now the ultimate challenge is, how do you wrap up an NFT? Four Bravo Six Deadrop is a Vertical Extraction Shooter that has the goal to present with the scale and scope of a Battle Royale. Deadrop is still not released, and for this reason it is still enshrined in mystery, but we can’t wait for mystery to become history. THE NFT: The Four Bravo Six presents in neon colors, in an urban setting with futuristic, if not dystopian visuals, as the rest of this NFT collection. But, despite the dystopian visual all across the board, this NFT might be the one with more predominant edge to it as it presents with the lighting of the helmet shading a skull. In terms of features, Four Bravo Six presents holding an Arctic Camo Machine amongst other features you can find out. GameStudio : Midnight Society Game: Deadrop Check the NFT here Relevant: https://twitter.com/DrDisrespect Hooligan #1692 My Pet Hooligan is the Multiplayer game by AMGI Studiosthat promises to shake how you see pets inside the Metaverse. Maybe it will change how you see the Metaverse itself! THE NFT: The Hooligan #1692 presents visually with a balanced mixture of cuteness, humour and edginess. This Holligan looks like a bunny whose pleasures go beyond eating carrots. His features include a OG Green fur, decayed teeth (we can only imagine, strategically hidden) and belonging to the faction Playboyz, among the other features for you to find out. Game: My Pet Hooligan https://mobile.twitter.com/mypethooligan Find the Game: here Check the NFT here Exorians This New Media Franchise assures to revolutionise how Media is created, owned and distributed, as this project has associated to it not just an AAA Game, but also a Comic Series. This is the game that promises to bring union among the degenerates of the internet (and we hear there are quite a lot of them!) as the Exorians rise into the next frontier. THE NFT: Although everything about this project is promising and exciting, including the visuals of the NFT’s, at this point you are buying a Mint Pass, not the NFT itself, so there isn’t so much to comment as there is to look forward to. Game Studio:The Exorians In the future, find the game here Check the NFT here Runi #647 by Splinterlands Splinterlands is an auto-battler tradecard game previously covered by the XPAD here. In this Game, each card is an NFT. With the Runi NFT, you can open up the gates to enjoy this game to the full with its Play2Earn feature as well. THE NFT: Runi #647 is graphically a reflection of Splinterlands and, in a way, of the genre itself. It has an aura of mystique with tones that are generally muted with the exception of a vibrant blue and some notes of orange. This image also reifies a character, but only if you are willing to see what is there, as the rest of the collection. Find out the further Splinterlands Gates this card can open up. Find the Game: here Check the NFT here Star Atlas Titan Ships (“only” costs $2M…) Star Atlas is the Massive Multiplayer Online Game of space exploration that promises to bring political domination and territorial conquest beyond the domain of the earth and into the stars. And the NFT’s prices are out of this world too… THE NFT: With an ethereal look to it, without losing a steampunk edge on themselves, these NFT’s may leave some skepting about the work per price, but they are still beautiful to look at.Are you feeling fancy? The Pearcer “only” costs $2M. Too rich for your blood? Maybe you can buy a small spaceship for that price. Find the Game: here Check the NFT here, if you can! Champion #1502 The Champions Ascension is the High Fantasy Roleplay Game that promises to redefine entertainment, games as well as storytelling and if you persist, take you to the ultimate goal, Coliseum Glory. THE NFT: From a visual standpoint alone, Champion #1502 already carries the promises of this game a long way. With a loaded background in intense blue, floating obelisks with neon glyphs that we can only assume are as haunted as they look, this Champion flies menacingly to whoever dares face them, leaving us imagining a thousand backstories and promising a thousand more adventures. Gamestudio:Jam City Find the Game: here https://twitter.com/championsio Check the NFT here Crypto Bird #333 If you’ve been on the Exeedme platform, the Crypto Bird is no news for you. This Fun Punch Games casual game has humorous visuals and each NFT has its specificities that you can unlock and find out. Don’t miss out on it! THE NFT: This particular bird has, as literally any of the Crypto Birds, a strikingly funny appearance with bright colors and bizarre features that defy logic. Specifically the Crypto Bird #333 presents features such as: Tennis ball body, a Demon tail and Yeti feet, among other features you are more than welcome to find out about and explore for yourself in the Game. Find the Game: here Check the NFT here Apocalypse Now Gods Unchained is a game by Immutable X that will prove itself well worth your time. This Trading Card game has a spin on the genre, and with the Apocalypse Now NFT you can unlock its full potential and fun. THE NFT: The total NFT is presented with the classical graphical composition of a Trading Card Game, giving a sense of familiarity and home to the experience of this piece. What is not so classical, however, is the illustration at the centre of this card that shows the name of it in pictorial representation. It has a baroque way into the lighting, with a green twist that is sure to make you wonder if the end of the world is indeed closer than you expected. With properties as dark as expected by its omen, this card is well worth exploring. Find the Game here: Gods Unchained Check the NFT here ZOMBIE KILLER #1053 Undead Blocks is the First-Person Shooter game that will bring the delight of all the Zombies genre lovers.For more information on this game, the XPAD’s Game review on this title can be found here. THE NFT: If you are buying this specific NFT, odds are it’s not because of its visuals, with a simple black background with some splatters of red (it would be safe to assume that it’s to represent blood.), this NFT is a classical “what you see is what you get”, a linear illustration of the in-game utility of the purchase, with its Knife + F1 + Pistol + Shotgun + 4 perks + Grenade. It may not belong in an Art Museum, but it sure belongs in a gamer’s wallet to give us a fun experience. GameStudio: Waygu Games Find the Game here: Undead Blocks Check the NFT here Oracle + Plague AR From the game EVIO, the Multiplayer First-Person shooter that draws inspiration from classics like Halo and Destiny. If you are eager to find out more, the XPAD covered this exciting Web3 game here. THE NFT’S:Both of these images contain a striking colour palette with a predominant ethereal green that contrasts with an intensely dark blue background, without letting the neon notes present in both images vanish in this colour composition. Oracle is in the Legendary tier and belongs to the Sinister faction, and Plague AR follows these characteristics. GameStudio: Addicting Games Game: https://twitter.com/play_evio Find the Game:here Check the NFT here and here Which ones of the list catch your eye? What are your gaming plans for the next year? Will you be shopping for yourself or for others? Let’s hope you figured out how to wrap up NFT’s in the meantime!

Driven by Axie Infinity's meteoric rise in popularity, "Play-to-Earn" and the widespread introduction of Gaming Guilds to the blockchain ecosystem exploded in 2021. Thousands of players from all over the world were able to make meaningful returns by playing the game. Back then, the business concept was novel, and everyone involved was essentially flying blind. As was proven later, the model was not sustainable, and the returns have since gone down dramatically. The problem, however, still remains valid in some cases, as the entry barrier for some games is just too steep. While there are some exceptions, many games still gate the P2E mode behind an initial investment in an NFT, which may put off prospective players. Taking Axie Infinity as an example, the cost to start playing was hovering around $1500 at its peak. Players were easily priced out, especially in emerging markets. What have they done so far? To help make web3 gaming more accessible to the masses, web3 gaming guilds have emerged. These guilds are communities of gamers, investors, and managers. The primary role of the guilds is to manage gaming assets, either owned by the guild itself or by any other investor. The assets, typically NFTs, are lent out to players who cannot afford them. These programs are called scholarships, and they rely on a shared revenue model where the winnings are split in percentages that vary depending on the game and/or guild. With this system, whoever owns the asset can get benefits and rewards without having to play the game. Players, on the other hand, can enjoy the game and get benefits without having to make an initial investment. This approach attempts to create a win-win situation for all parties involved. The other purpose of guilds is to invest in potential web3 gaming projects, providing them with capital and access to an engaged community through their scholarship programs. In fact, as the industry matures, guilds begin to play a larger role as investors. It's common for guilds to put some of their cash and NFT leasing profits into Web3 games that look promising. An active investment approach from a guild would help developers by providing liquidity at pivotal phases through seed investments or by serving as launchpads or incubators. Token presales and early-stage investments almost never lose money, in contrast to NFT investments, which have been hammered over the past months. Those who are able to invest early stand to make excellent returns following the public launch of these projects. In addition, this makes Guilds an appealing investment opportunity for external entities. Guilds are beginning to take on some of the characteristics of indexes for web3 games. Investors delegate the research and management responsibilities to guilds and choose to invest in guilds themselves as an intermediate vehicle. Shifting strategies For guilds whose primary purpose is to make money in-game through scholarships, the current state of the economy is not favorable. Because of this, the main value of guilds has already started to settle as a financial instrument, especially since the number of scholarships has been going down recently. And since the main goal has always been to make web3 games more accessible to everyone by covering the NFTs, you could say that the entry barrier is much lower now, so there's less need for scholarships to begin with. Also, we even see some web3 games natively support NFT lending, further impacting the need for guilds to cover this gap. That being said, we’re seeing guilds try to branch out to become complete ecosystems. Community Focus On top of the aforementioned purpose of democratizing access to web3 gaming, Guilds are also playing an important role in moving the industry forward in terms of adoption, and this is an area in which they are making significant contributions. Not only do they operate as hubs for general crypto education, even with the development of specific tools to support the onboarding and management of their communities, but they are also focusing on dedicated content to help their members improve their gaming performance and results. In order to further address the diverse needs of their communities at large, some Guilds are changing the way they are governed and opting for a subDAO structure. This makes it easier for them to meet local needs and interests, both on a regional and a national level, without putting decentralization at risk. In other words, they are specializing without decentralizing. Support Services We watched guild communities develop in considerable numbers and, more crucially, with a high degree of engagement, while the market was booming. The guilds are now utilizing those communities to provide different services to game developers. By taking a holistic approach and leveraging their network and expertise, guilds are turning into the perfect bridge between developers and users by providing early-stage support through launchpad or incubation activities such as fund raising, market validation, or QA. For projects in later stages of development, the suitable offer focuses on marketing, PR initiatives, and operational and technical consulting, which later can turn into partnerships and return to the original scope of the guild with the creation of scholarship programs. Game Development Taking into consideration the resiliency demonstrated by web3 games throughout this bear market, it should come as no surprise that guilds are also beginning to venture into the game development space, along with the creation of their very own NFT collections. Having a direct channel of communication with the community provides the ideal opportunity to build something that is geared specifically toward their members, which, in turn, ensures the project's long-term success.

November Digest November showed numbers consistent with previous months, standing at around 24 million UAW (Unique Active Wallets), for an average of 800k players a day. With the World Cup serving as a unifying theme, FIFA has revealed a number of collaborations that serve to underline the organization's long-term commitment to web3 and usher 5 billion football fans into the realm of NFTs and the Metaverse. The repercussions of the FTX collapse continues to reverberate across the whole ecosystem, yet the web3 gaming sector has shown remarkable endurance, as seen by the number of Unique Active Wallets. Exeedme was in London for the Token 2049 conference and it was an amazing experience. There are some considerations we would like to make about the Blockchain Game Industry. BLOCKCHAIN GAMING ON-CHAIN DATA In November, there was an aggregate of about 24 million UAW of user activity on blockchain games, putting the daily average of around 800k players. This data further demonstrates what we’ve been seeing over the past months that the growth has stalled. According to DappRadar statistics, most of the top ten games in terms of "unique wallet addresses” have seen a decreasing number of users in the last 30 days, but that is counterbalanced by the astronomic rise of WAM, a hyper casual gaming platform. FIFA Web3 Initiative For The World Cup The divorce with EA having been finalized for the summer of 2023, FIFA is now free to forge new lucrative partnerships with other video game players. The rupture between FIFA and EA wasannounced in May, after several weeks of rumors and statements full of tension from both parties. FIFA demanded nearly a billion dollars in order for EA to continue using the FIFA license, which the publisher refused, convinced to remain a reference even by changing its name. Obviously, because it would have been far too simple to sell the World Cup rights to smaller developers, Gianni Infantino's gang prefers to link up with the new big players of Web 3.0 for a series of games, all of which are proudly announced in apress release on its official website. The future is in Web 3.0 for FIFA The word "game" is overused when you read the descriptions of these new projects. It is rather a series of partnerships with major Web 3.0 players who will be able to paste the image of the World Cup into a whole bunch of derivative products in order to lure the eventual customer who is a little too much of a fan of the competition. FIFA’s announcement shows the birth of four “games”: · AI League: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition · FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Upland Metaverse · Matchday Challenge: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition · FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on Phygtl For its part, the AI League will offer an amazing experience. Two teams of four AI-controlled players will compete, and players will be able to influence the match with "fun and tactical" options. Characters can, of course, be collected and traded. With the Upland Metaverse partnership, players will be able to collect "official digital assets" of the World Cup and also highlight video clips of the competition. The Matchday Challenge takes the form of a "social prediction game based on soccer cards" where you can play against your friends. Finally, the initiative onPhytgl will allow players to grow a virtual Golden-Globe-Football and "own a piece of it". For FIFA, this is a way to immortalize the participation of fans in the project. “This is a hugely exciting group of partnerships that we’ve entered into as we embrace a new, digitally-native football fan and engage with them in the spaces that we know they are already active within. As we continue to build our gaming strategy long into future, it’s certain that web 3.0 will have an important role to play, and this marks the start of our journey.” Romy Gai, FIFA's Chief Commercial Officer For the moment, reactions are few and far between, but FIFA is taking a very different path than the one it has been following until now. However, the federation has not yet made any announcements about the development of a direct competitor to the future EA Sports FC. For the time being, FIFA will develop its interactive license through specific experiences based on the metaverse, NFTs, and the blockchain. FIFA had already announced in September the launch of its NFT platform,FIFA+ Connect, powered by Algorand, and we can only expect it to continue to expand beyond the 2022 World Cup. With the eyes of the world set on Qatar for the next few weeks, it will be curious to see the impact of such a huge marketing initiative for Web3. We're already seeing the rise of fantasy football games like Sorare and fan tokens via platforms like Chiliz. FIFA, as a household name, is putting Web3 in front of an audience that’s expected to reach over 5 billion people during the World Cup, through sponsorships, advertisements, and interactive experiences. Impact of FTX Downfall on Web3 Gaming The November 2nd CoinDesk article quickly spread, and people got scared. In the article, there are allegations that FTX's sister hedge fund, Alameda Research, was overexposed by holding too many FTX’s FTT tokens. Binance's CEO, CZ, later announced he was selling $2.1 billion in FTT, so people got even more scared and things escalated into a full-blown panic over the weekend, with record withdrawals of about $8.6 billion from FTX since the 10th. In less than two months, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the founder and CEO of FTX, has gone from being the crypto industry's White Knight to its Dark Lord, when he was a beacon of hope for investors. The fallout from the FTX cryptocurrency exchange is reverberating through the whole ecosystem, and many in the community are seeking clarity on the potential impacts on their projects. There is still a lot of information coming out, and only then will we know the full extent of what really happened. Some have spoken, reassuring their communities. Animoca Brands' exposure to FTX is "limited to an insignificant trade balance," according to a statement from President Yat Siu. "Animoca Brands remains financially strong with a cash balance of approximately $214 million, digital assets of $940 million with an additional $3 billion in off-balance sheet digital reserves and a portfolio of approximately 380 businesses," Siu said. Yuga Labs co-founder Wylie Aronow provided updates to Bored Ape Yacht Club and Yuga Labs subscribers, reassuring them that no funds were affected by the FTX collapse. To paint the bigger picture, this infographic shows the portfolio of investments by both FTX and Alameda, and a few big names do stand out, like Magic Eden, Fractal, Sky Mavis, or Immutable. Additionally, the ties between FTX and Solana meant that the Solana ecosystem as a whole took a major hit in the aftermath. A drastic example of the consequence was experienced by Star Atlas, which announced it had lost half of its runway. “I believed this liquid cash position to be custodied with a reliable and trustworthy institution. I put my confidence and trust into an individual I believed to be a stalwart of the industry. Clearly that trust has been betrayed. Poor timing, and a failure to have sufficient backup measures in place to respond expeditiously to situations such as this resulted in a compromised position. That is on me, and for that, I am sorry.” Michael Wagner, CEO ATMTA Web3 games only slightly bumped by FTX Fallout When something catastrophic occurs, most investors believe that the entire sector simply collapses to a point where it cannot be reversed. However, all the way through this bear market cycle, web3 games have been showing some of the most extreme degrees of resilience. Those newcomers to the crypto industry just from an NFT or gaming perspective perhaps do not even give a damn about the downfall of both Alameda and the FTX exchange. Maybe because they really need to figure out exactly who Sam Bankman-Fried was and understand the reasons behind the failure of FTX. But why would they even care? Except if they had their tokens on FTX, which isn't likely since many web3 games require players to use a personal wallet with the game's NFTs to interact with the game. In some cases, they even offer in-game marketplaces as well as optional staking for their players, which means holding the tokens in a personal wallet would be a crucial part of the game. Gamers will continue to play, no matter what! While the media remains attached to the story of how a crypto-billionaire turned into a fraud, gamers are out there, busy winning rewards as well as helping the industry further develop bridges toward widespread web3 technology adoption. Source: DappRadar Looking at the chart above, we can see that the Web3 games category and the number of Unique Active Wallets (UAW) have largely remained unaffected, with the range remaining consistent with previous months. Another important consideration is the fact that playing web3 games when the value of tokens is down actually tends to be more logical, since anything collected nowadays can later be cashed in as soon as the market prices become more advantageous. Token 4029 - We were there! Exeedme was in London for the Token 2049 conference and it was an amazing experience. There are some considerations we would like to make about the Blockchain Game Industry. There’s been a parade of bad news from Luna and FTX events, however it’s important to notice that the gaming space is one of the most active in web3, maintaining a lot of interest from both game studios, infrastructure projects and investors These signs of vitality can only leave us excited for the future. It’s important to consider that Gaming is counter-cyclical, meaning that, as global economies enter a recession and people prefer to save more money on what is called real life entertainment in exchange for an increase of digital consumables and more time playing games. An example of this is, upon people not being able to afford to travel or going to a live concert, people will look for other ways to connect and be entertained in the most immersive way available (whether it's games or the Metaverse) - and this is where Web3 brings digital ownership and a relevant factor of decision when choosing Games and experiences for Gamers - meaning the gaming experience now transcends pure consumption and reaches a new, deeper experience in which games retain more value. It's important to consider the aversion to NFTs in Gaming in this reflection, however this is a western narrative. In Asia, NFTs in Gaming are popular, with the biggest South Korean game studios fully embracing Web3. After a talk with some experts in the matter, it’s easy to see that Token design is in its early stage, specially in the Web3 Games field. As such, there isn’t yet a defined model framework that game developers can rely on. This means evolution in this area will be mostly driven by experimentation. It’s easy to see there are a number of opportunities in the Web3 space - and Exeedme will keep on laying the ground for it with our mission in mind to bring economic freedom through Web3. OTHER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS Yuga Labs and Animoca Brands Amongst Those To Form ‘The Open Metaverse Alliance’ Gamestop Embraces Web3 Adoption & Expands ImmutableX Partnership Magic: The Gathering creator launches new PvP card game Square Enix reveals new NFT art project – Symbiogenesis Microsoft Have Invested in New Korean Blockchain Prospect Instagram and Facebook Integrate NFTs Fractal is now officially live on Ethereum Roblox Metaverse To Add NFTs - Will It Replicate The Impact Of Reddit? Blockchain TV Series RZR (Razor) by Gala Films Paves The Way For Web3 Cinema Yahaha raises $40M more for its user-generated, low-code immersive gaming platform Saga & Com2uS Announce Partnership To Power Infrastructure For Gaming Icon.X World: At The Intersection Of Web3, eSports & Decentralized Socializing Magic Eden Expands to Polygon Network to Accelerate Blockchain Gaming Gods Unchained Begins Cosmetics Migration Undead Blocks Announces Loot Coffins Splinterlands to Reduce Team Size By 45%, Points at Current Market Conditions Star Atlas Plans Four Sales in Coming Months NFTs Are Officially Banned From Grand Theft Auto Fan Servers Sony Patent explores blockchain and NFTs for use with digital assets Polkastarter to Host Web 3.0 Game Awards Show, Nominates Over 200 Games Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Join The Blockchain

At Exeedme, we believe Gaming Culture and Community are just as important as a Competitive spirit. These are the pillars for everything that we did since the beginning of this journey. We are always looking to support gaming communities growth, create new challenging and entertaining forms of competition, and help people connect through gaming. Becoming the one-stop platform for competitive gamers is a challenging goal. However, we’re on the way! We have grown into a community of 90,000 gamers, distributed over $150,000 in prizes in both web2 AAA titles and web3 games, organised the first CS:GO on-chain crowdfunded tournament, launched a web3 game Crypto Bird and partnered with great traditional brands and blockchain projects! This is the time to continue leaving our mark and prepare for the future in the web3 gaming scene. We believe that the forefront of competitive gaming evolution will be fueled by digital property rights. And those can only be advanced through blockchain technology so that’s why the XPAD aims to play a big role in it. The XPAD was announced a while ago but like gamers that play everyday to get better we decided that it was the right time to improve, upgrade and evolve. Today we announce the launch of XPAD platform with 3 main verticals: 1) Content Creation & distribution 2) Web3 Competitions 3) Launchpad Besides the changes, the XPAD’s mission remains the same - finding the first Esports 3.0 hit. 1. The Content Creation & Distribution For the XPAD team content is king but distribution is the queen - so we will create the best content but will also make sure it gets to the right audience. The ecosystem is in need of more curated web3 content. Our team will be releasing and creating themed articles, reviews, reports and videos regularly in order to make sure that everyone has access to reliable information about web3 gaming. No matter if you are a gamer, an investor or just curious, we deliver for you. The Game Reviews are lighter reviews of the best games on the web3 space targeted at gamers. A straightforward article including everything you need to know about a game that could interest you. Starting with a quick bio and info about the gameplay, how to start playing, and ending with an unbiased rating from our team. The Game Research Reports are tailored at web3 game investors, current or future. These extended analysis will cover the essentials and give a 360º view about a game from gameplay to traction and business model. The team gathers reliable information about the quality of game, their business model & tokenomics, investors & partners, on-chain & off-chain data, industry overview & competitors, team and community. We don’t provide financial advice. The Monthly Reports are intended to analyse the most relevant happenings in web3 gaming from that month. It is not meant to capture every news but alternatively to digest the most relevant ones and analyse its impacts critically. The Videos follow the Game Reviews in order for each gamer to quickly grasp the gameplay of a new game before trying it. 2. Web3 competitions The XPAD will work as the first point of contact with web3 games for Exeedme. After analysing the traction and interest from the gamer’s community we will explore the competitive potential of it. Using the competitive layer provided by Exeedme, web3 games are able to organise and create the best crafted competitions to access a new community in their game category. Starting in casual competitions and ending into professional tournaments, we offer a foolproof system to cater the competitive spirit and grow games into Esports. 3. Launchpad This is the last part of the funnel, for game developers that have gathered the interest from our audience, successfully crafted competitions on Exeedme and are now on a path to create an esports strategy. The launchpad, will allow initial testers, web3 investors, Esports organisations to access high quality games through shared property rights (NFTs and Tokens). The launchpad will help games that have shown initial traction, capacity to entertain gamers and competitive elements to launch their digital assets. This will help the continuous development of the games and its competitive environment to ultimately grow these games into Esports. The competitive environment was always central for Exeedme, so the XPAD is no exception. We will be mostly focused on games that can become the first web3 Esports. With a foundation of gaming expertise, unique investors and esports network, as well as a growing gamers’ community, XPAD sets the pavement for great accomplishments as we go on this new adventure — launching the best games, with thriving and balanced token and NFT gaming economies that actually meet the expectations of gamers while allow them to retain a share of the value creation. Opportunities on the Horizon 1.From gaming reviews to detailed gaming research reports, we make sure to create highly curated pieces of content to educate gamers and bring investors to support games that have the conditions to stand out. 2.A game is not a game without real competition - and we love it. The XPAD will bring Exeedme technology and platform to bring the most exciting competitions for gamers. 3.Games need gamers to thrive - the XPAD matches the right gamers with the perfect game. Exeedme’s community plays a big part in it - we are 90k strong and counting. XPAD Round Table To mark this date, Exeedme is hosting a Round table with Polkastarter Gaming, Polygon and Entropiq. Each one of these projects represent different sectors of the market on web3 Gaming, blockchain technology and Esports, respectively. Each will share some success stories and its perspective of the future of Esports 3.0. This talk will be taking place on Wednesday, the 23rd of November at 5.00PM GMT, on Exeedme’s Twitter.

The XPAD is happy to announce a tech partnership with Moralis to accelerate Web3 adoption. Moralis x XPAD: Web3 Tech Partnership We are happy to announce that Moralis and the XPAD are entering into a tech partnership, aimed at driving adoption of Web3. More specifically, Moralis and the XPAD are teaming up to promote the development and growth of Web3 and Web3 gaming. Moralis' Unity SDK and cross-chain APIs are powerful tools for Web3 game developers - and the perfect compliment to the XPAD’s Web3 gaming offerings as well as its needs With this new partnership, we hope to make it even easier for Web3 game developers to build, launch, and promote their creations. Moreover, a more frictionless experience will benefit gamers, who get to use projects built with Moralis’ best-in-class Web3 tools and Exeedme's blockchain-based gamer economy. "Web3 gaming is very, very exciting," said Ivan on Tech, CEO of Moralis. "As such, cooperating with Exeedme makes total sense for us. Any Web3 game dev can now easily integrate blockchain into their game with Moralis, then launch it to a great gaming community platform. We can’t wait to see what people will build!" “As result of this new alliance, Web3 gaming projects onboarded through XPAD by Exeedme will have access to a few of Moralis services under some special conditions,” Francisco Varela, Co-founder Chairman & CSO of Exeedme added. “From their enterprise plans providing the right tools to build and improve web3 gaming ecosystems, to their Academy with the most updated and curated content for web3 builders, Moralis is the way to go for building Web3 projects.”

Blockchain Gaming On-Chain Data In October, there were about 25 million UAW of user activity on blockchain games, meaning that the growth has stalled. According to DappRadar statistics, half of the top ten games in terms of "unique wallet addresses” rose in the last 30 days, with the biggest increase percentage wise going to Planet IX, an NFT-based strategy game, which jumped 240%. Gameta is still at the top of the leaderboard. Although data is not being tracked correctly at the moment, it seems that they even increased the numbers from last month’s meteoric rise. It’s also important to highlight that in the top NFT Collections, we saw Gods Unchained take second place in terms of volume over the last 30 days. The total volume exchanged was $21.84 million, demonstrating that web3 gaming is in good health. Source: DappRadar The Global Web3 Gamer Study by Coda Labs Despite the $5 billion invested in blockchain gaming during the first six months of 2022 and an increase in active users YoY, mainstream adoption is still lagging. With the purpose of better understanding the players' sentiments towards web3 based games and potentially correcting course, Coda Labs has conducted a survey in collaboration with DappRadar, Laguna Games, and the Blockchain Game Alliance. Nearly 7000 participants across five different countries (US, UK, Japan, Brazil and South Africa) were classified into three groups: Gamers, Crypto gamers, and Crypto non-gamers. In the survey, players were questioned if they had heard of concepts like Web3, NFTs, blockchain games, and so on. Coda Labs chose to ignore countries like the Philippines, which have a lot of people who play crypto games. The differences between the economies surveyed are interesting. For example, people in emerging markets like South Africa and Brazil are more positive about cryptocurrency, while people in the US, UK, and Japan are more neutral or negative. “The majority don’t know what crypto gaming is. Only 48% heard of a Web3 gaming term. The most popular term was P2E, which is the worst way to market Web3 gaming. Those who don’t know anything about it are the most skeptical. Those who have engaged like it a lot. So our takeaway is that we did a horrible job marketing in this space. The crypto natives and crypto gaming companies and the get-rich-quick schemes left a really bad taste with the general audience.” Şekip Can Gökalp, CEO and Co-founder of Coda Labs Other interesting results have emerged from this survey. Crypto Gamers are “gamers on steroids” Game Developers might have to fight through adoption but it seems that once they get the ‘Crypto Gamers’, meaning gamers that play crypto games,’ they will have a path to monetize as are 62% more likely to spend money in-game and also tend to play more hours and competitively. Earning cryptocurrency is the most common reason for people to play web3 games. 75% of ‘Crypto Gamers’, reported playing a web3 game only for that specific goal. Barriers are still big: gamers overall are not familiar with how web3 games work and most of them don’t have a blockchain wallet. Those most familiar were concerned with scams and the cost of playing a game. Gladly, these are not news and there are a number of projects working to solve these issues. While every survey has its flaws, they can also provide great insights, especially when they’re unbiased. As we’ve seen, onboarding is still overly complex for most people, and this process needs to be continually improved. In general, education is still key to increasing awareness and demystifying many of the existing concerns. The focus should be on the gamer's benefits and the technology integrated seamlessly in the background. Ultimately, players just want the fun and none of the jargon. Besides a handful of examples, most AAA studios still remain on the sidelines, but they will be important to give legitimacy to the web3 space, even more when security is frequently pointed out by most critics. Assuming NFT ownership as a projection of the adoption curve, this survey shows that we are still in the early market phase and entering “The Chasm”. So, If you're reading this, you are an early adopter. Source: Thinkinsights.net There’s a small redemption, though. The bad noise created by the general media around NFTs should be taken with a grain of salt, as this survey showed that instead, gaming NFTs actually have a positive outlook from most people, and that may be important in the push towards mainstream adoption. Horizon Blockchain GAmes $40M Raise On October 4th, Horizon Blockchain Games, the company behind Skyweaver, announced a $40 million Series A funding round. The funding round was led by Brevan Howard Digital and Morgan Creek Digital, with participation from Ubisoft, Take-Two, Polygon, and BITKRAFT. In a “significantly oversubscribed” funding round, it’s notable as well, the participation of Sky Mavis and Axie Infinity co-founder Alex Larsson; co-founder of The Sandbox, Sebastian Bourget; and Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke. “We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve raised USD $40M in our Series A financing to make web3 easy, fun, and powerful for users and builders. We’ll use the capital to scale our products, grow our ecosystem, and hire more incredible teammates onto our team." This funding round will allow Horizon to grow the Sequence ecosystem. The aim is to make it the go-to platform for any company or project building a web3 game, metaverse, or any consumer-facing web3 product. More than 40 projects have already integrated Sequence or are in the process of doing so, including names like Metalcore, CyBall, Mecachain, Sunflower Land, or Cool Cats. With more than a hundred other web2 and web3-native apps in the pipeline, Sequence is becoming a reference in the space. Then, they will also work on improving and adding new content to Skyweaver, the company's flagship game. Over 100 patch updates and 600 cards have been released since the first playable alpha back in December 2018. The game has been in Open Beta since earlier this year, during which they have seen more than 400.000 accounts being created. They have recently added tradable stickers, Legacy Hero Skins, and Conquest Weekly Treasures to promote a deeper engagement with their vast community. With a rich product roadmap, the future of Skyweaver looks promising. Lastly, Niftyswap, a marketplace for Semi-Fungible Tokens (ERC-1155). Part of the funds will be used to expand into this new business. Niftyswap will simplify the process of trading SFTs by providing users with access to on-chain liquidity. This allows customers to rapidly buy and sell tradable items while liquidity providers earn fees. “We’ve always had a long-term vision for the future of web3, and are carefully building complementary products to support the ecosystem. With Sequence, we enable builders to create the next generation of Internet experiences; with Skyweaver, we deliver a fun, strategic, and rich piece of content for gamers to enjoy; and with Niftyswap, we enable the seamless exchange of SFTs, which are poised to become some of the world’s most useful and traded virtual goods.” Peter Kieltyka. Co-founder and CEO of Horizon Blockchain Games Horizon seems to be taking inspiration from the Sky Mavis playbook, going from game development to focus on infrastructure and tooling development with Sequence. Reddit Onboards Millions of Users to NFTs Back in July, Reddit opened up a marketplace where users could buy profile picture NFTs. On October 18th, at TechCrunch’s Disrupt conference, Reddit Chief Product Officer Pali Bhat said that over 3 million Polygon-based Reddit Vault wallets have been established by users to collect and trade its NFT avatars. More than 2.9 million avatars are already in circulation, according to the Dune dashboard. It's difficult to put the numbers into context because not all NFT marketplaces are happy to disclose such data. However, according to a recent research by Dune Analytics, one of the largest platforms, OpenSea, hosts around 2.3 million active wallets. Meanwhile, Axie Marketplace and Magic Eden have 2.1 million users each, and, as of March, the cryptocurrency wallet MetaMask has over 30 million users. Reddit, on the other hand, accomplished this feat in less than 4 months. Furthermore, Reddit accomplished this while avoiding the term "NFT." The word was not mentioned at all in Reddit's July publication. Prior to the release of the Collectible Avatars, the company conducted a poll dubbed “The ABCs of NFTs”, in which they observed that 70% of the users were willing to buy an NFT from their favorite brand, but 35% thought that companies might "ruin the future of NFTs." In other words, they realized they needed to correctly execute their approach to NFTs, avoiding unfavorable impressions of technology while making them accessible. The company hired independent and recognized artists within its own platform to create artistically unique digital avatars. Each avatar is based on Snoo, the Reddit alien mascot, and the collection features around 40,000 of them. These were then available for sale at prices ranging from $9.99 to $99.99. The NFTs granted owners specific utility on Reddit and offered them something equivalent to a CC0 license in terms of intellectual property usage. This pushed platform users to get a cool, new PFP in the process, which was accessible for purchase using fiat currency rather than cryptocurrency. Furthermore, users may customize their avatar's appearance with merchandise from the avatar builder, and the avatar will have a "glow-like effect" next to their comments in communities. Reddit delivered free airdrops to a handful of its top community builders and contributors in August in an effort to broaden the reach and visibility of its Collectible Avatar project. Reddit users who met certain criteria were given access to NFTs from the Aww Friends, Drip Squad, Meme Team, and The Singularity collections. These collections, however, trade at much lower volumes. It is impossible to overestimate Reddit's achievements in this case. As a result of its success, it could inspire many web2 companies on the fence concerning NFTs to use the same approach. Taking it to the web3 gaming space, we could see publishers mimic the same strategy to avoid the public backlash we’ve seen before. By quietly launching while hiding the complexities and web3 jargon to the players, publishers might be able to convert them. Additionally, with regards to IP rights, they can potentially allow some benefits to be shared with the owners, providing additional value that previously was not possible. OTHER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS Sega’s First Blockchain Game to Launch on Oasys Blockchain EU resolution calls for investment in video games and esports Epic Games Release Demo of Solana Game, Star Atlas PUBG Creator Announces Blockchain Game “Artemis” Shrapnel shows off gameplay for UE5-based multiplayer FPS ImmutableX adds 15 blockchain games to its Web3 platform Upland Partners with Gala Games to Create New Experiences Co-founder of Rockstar Games Unveils First Trailer of Skyborne Legacy KONAMI Braves the Angry Hoards to Venture Further into Web3 Sims Creator Will Wright Details New Metaverse Game Blockchain Game 'Alien Worlds' Launches In-Game DAOs ZED RUN Summons the Enduring Spirit of the FIFA World Cup Play-to-Die: New Crypto Gaming Model Makes Death in the Metaverse Real Final Fantasy developer partners with Avalanche to launch its first Web3 game Hunter’s Arena Joins Forces With ImmutableX Bringing Play-to-Earn To Consoles Apple Restricts Using NFTs to Unlock Content, Features in Apps

Blockchain Gaming On-Chain Data User activity on blockchain games during September has remained relatively flat when compared to the previous month, standing at around 27 million UAW. We may conclude that the increase in activity that some games have seen is primarily due to players flowing around rather than new players coming onto the space. According to DappRadar statistics, seven of the top ten games in terms of "unique wallet addresses” rose in the last 30 days, with all of the top five games in the green. It’s worth noting that eight of the current top ten blockchain games are mobile-first and for the most part, they fall into the casual gaming category. Benji Bananas from Animoca Brands saw the biggest spike in users with an astonishing 20x increase. Surprisingly , the game was revamped in March this year to include P2E elements. At the top, Gameta has kept first position throughout the month while increasing its user numbers by a good margin. However, being a gaming platform with a variety of casual games, it’s harder to relate those numbers to each single game. In-Depth Topics Free-to-Own Model The blockchain gaming market has been experimenting with different business models for quite some time, with the Play-to-Earn (P2E) model being the most successful of these experiments. This model enables players to earn crypto tokens while playing the game, which they can then either reinvest in the game economy or cash out for any other token or even real currency. Axie Infinity, which was the subject of extensive media coverage during the most recent bull run in the cryptocurrency market and helped many people make a lot of money, has since held the position of market leader in this space. The value of Axie's game tokens, on the other hand, has recently seen a dramatic decline, and the ongoing bear market has demonstrated that the underlying mechanism suffers from a number of critical flaws. Axie Infinity was criticized for a number of reasons, including not only the fact that its business model was unsustainable or even that it functioned as a Ponzi scheme, but also the fact that the game itself was not fun to play and only gained traction due to the possibility of users earning money. The term P2E has since evolved and been substituted by the term “Play-and-Earn” (P&E), possibly as a reaction to accusations that P2E blockchain gaming is nothing more than a crypto profit grind, with the boring elements of a game slapped on. The addition of this new tag gives the impression that the game experience is of the utmost importance, with possible cryptocurrency profits serving only as an extra perk. Nevertheless, it is not yet clear whether this modification is anything more than largely superficial. As player-investors crash markets and dump the increasingly worthless NFTs and cryptocurrencies that formerly held these carefully crafted economies together, "Play-to-Earn" games, even the ones that find some success, will ultimately transition to "Play-to-Sell". As a result, P2E games will shift their focus from player acquisition to revenue generation. The most recent model to be added to the mix is known as “Free-to-Own” (F2O). This model, which is being pioneered by Limit Break and its DigiDaigaku NFT project, lays the foundation for a new type of gaming economy. This model is being proposed as an improvement to both F2P mobile games and the P2E models that sell NFTs upfront. Limit Break is a new web3 gaming company that was founded by Gabriel Leydon and Halbert Nakagawa. Both also co-founded Machine Zone, which is a leading company in the mobile gaming area, now owned by AppLovin after a $300 million acquisition. DigiDaigaku is an ongoing NFT project that was introduced by Limit Break in the month of August. After a decade of pushing "Free to Play" games to their limits, our founders have spent the past year building Limit Break to replace F2P using Web 3. We call this new model “Free to Own” Although not much more is publicly known about this new model, it’s apparently robust enough to justify a $200 million raise announced by the company, which is still running in stealth mode. The concept that is proposed for DigiDaigaku and F2O is that the NFTs are freely delivered to early adopters and will eventually act as generators, creating further NFTs for in-game use. Initial holders become invested in expanding a project's reach but are not motivated to quickly recoup any upfront costs. With this approach, the company hopes to prevent the scammy practice of promising and not delivering. Instead, they expect that by giving away the NFTs, supporters would become the most enthusiastic promoters of the upcoming game, thereby turning them into a viral marketing machine. Typically, a company would sell such digital items. However, the company in this situation gives the items out to early supporters while also retaining some. Fans are allowed to use NFT marketplaces like OpenSea to sell their items. If the price of the NFTs goes up, Limit Break will be able to sell some of its own NFTs in addition to those sold by the fans. In doing so, they’re able to generate revenue. The DigiDaigaku Genesis collection of 2,022 anime-style female figures currently sits at a modest 12 ETH floor price on OpenSea. It's fair to say that freely distributed NFTs are nothing new, one example being the famous CryptoPunks collection and, more recently, the surprise success, Goblintown. Will F2O, which has already been met with criticism, become the new standard business model for the emerging blockchain gaming sector? Guess we’ll find out in due time. Ethereum merge impact on Web3 gaming The Ethereum blockchain, home to the largest ecosystem of dApps, has gone through a major upgrade, one that will impact the world of crypto for years to come. Dubbed as “The Merge," it became a meme after years of constant delays and rigorous testing. At last, on September 15 at 06:42:42 UTC at block 15537393, it went live without an itch, a landmark in and of itself. Let us examine the Ethereum Merge and see how it may impact the future of Web3 gaming. It all boils down to how transactions are stored onto Ethereum's blockchain, which is an immutable record of all Ethereum transactions. Since December 2020, two versions of Ethereum have been operating concurrently. The former employed the standard way of recording transactions, whereas the latter used a new approach. With “The Merge”, as the name implies, the two versions have been merged into one, with the new record-keeping paradigm being used. To understand the distinction between the two versions, one must first grasp two major cryptocurrency concepts: blockchains and consensus mechanisms. A consensus mechanism is how a blockchain guarantees that everyone involved in keeping track of transactions is being truthful and not claiming that there is more in their, or other, accounts than there should be. The transition of the older Proof-of-Work (PoW) based Ethereum mainnet to a newer and more energy efficient Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism is what the Ethereum merge is all about. Nothing else on the Ethereum blockchain has changed as a result of this merge. The Ethereum blockchain's execution layer, which is responsible for the actual functionality and security of the network, remains unchanged, but the consensus process for adding blocks to the blockchain, or the consensus layer, is being replaced with the PoS model. Here's what sets the two mechanisms apart: · The PoW consensus mechanism comprises difficult puzzles that miners must solve using powerful computers. To solve the problems, trial and error is employed. The first miner to solve the puzzle or cryptographic equation gets the opportunity to add new blocks to the blockchain for transactions. · In the PoS mechanism, before approving transactions, miners must stake their currency in order to validate blocks. Miners also provide information about the duration of their transaction validation history. A weighted algorithm chooses who will validate each transaction at random based on the stake and validation experience. According to the Ethereum Foundation, the Merge will cut the Ethereum network's energy usage by about 99.95% and pave the way for future scaling alternatives. You can check the full details of the merge on the Ethereum Foundation website. Let us now move on to the world of Web3 gaming. Starting with the obvious, the transition to PoS mitigates climate concerns, reducing this common entry barrier for mainstream adoption. As blockchain gaming continues to grow in popularity, developers are taking notice. There are still many obstacles to overcome, but if environmental impact is no longer an issue, putting features on-chain will likely face less opposition. This might start a domino effect of additional games and companies coming out in favor of blockchain technology. At first glance, it seems that the gaming sector won’t be directly affected. That may be so, but we need to understand that, as of today, nearly half of the activity on the blockchain is coming from the gaming sector, and we’re still in its infancy. Since this industry is predicted to expand rapidly in the next few years, a slew of new players will enter the market, leading to an exponential increase in activity. This increase in activity usually means network congestion and, in return, higher gas fees to operate on it. While the merge itself doesn’t change this, it does set the foundation for the next upgrades that are under development, sharding being one of them. Sharding is the division of a network into "shard chains" that distribute Ethereum's load, relieving congestion and boosting transaction throughput. It is set to be implemented sometime in 2023 and will allow the network to scale considerably, resulting in dramatically reduced gas fees. In short, the merge has set the stage for new upgrades that will allow for more players, faster transactions and lower fees, all fundamental aspects to support the continuous growth of Web3 gaming. Now, there's something more worthy of note that could have an impact on NFT-based games. A group of Ethereum miners have banded together to create a forked version of the Ethereum chain the preserves the PoW consensus mechanism, a chain being called EthereumPoW (ETHW). As a result, holders of NFTs may find themselves with duplicates of their assets. One will be compatible with the previous PoW consensus, and the other will be compatible with the new PoS consensus. The question then becomes, which is now the “original” or “genuine”, giving a whole new meaning to the “Non-Fungible” aspect of NFTs. In a space already filled with bad actors and harmful conduct, confusion caused by duplicate NFTs might open the door to new scams and rug pulls. In the weeks around the merge, we saw some big names taking a stance, with OpenSea or Axie Infinity committing to support the new PoS version in prejudice of the old PoW ones. We may see game developers taking different decisions or even facing technical difficulties in the transition. Time will tell where the dust will settle, but in the meantime, it's crucial that we all be alert. Zilliqa’s Web3 gaming console Zilliqa presented the prototype version of itsgaming console, showing it is gearing up to enter the highly competitive space of gaming hardware. Launched in 2017, Zilliqa is a platform for smart contracts with a sharded architecture that aims to solve the scaling problems that some other blockchains have. Because of its sharded architecture, concurrent chains may process transactions simultaneously, boosting the network's total capacity. In terms of network utilization, growth has been quite inconsistent. While monthly active addresses on the network grew significantly from 2020 to 2021, this growth has now slowed dramatically. In April of 2021, there were more than 731k monthly active addresses. Currently, there are nearly half as many. As far as strategy goes, Zilliqa has been actively pushing to grow its presence in the gaming world, joining the Blockchain Gaming Alliance (BGA) in April of this year and developing relationships with esports teams MAD Lions, RRQ, and, most recently, Alien Worlds and XBorg. Zilliqa is taking this unique approach to the P2E business by establishing a blockchain-based gaming ecosystem and, now, a hardware console. During the last 6 months, the team has been researching, designing, and testing the console with the goal of smoothly integrating web3 features, such as a cryptocurrency wallet, mining software, and blockchain technology, into a gaming experience that is familiar to players. The console will be centered on user-friendliness by hiding the complexity of web3 from the end-user. Players will earn Zilliqa tokens (ZIL) as they complete in-game activities. This implies that as long as the developers allow, gamers will be earning ZIL regardless of the game being played, and this provides an extra incentive to remain in the ecosystem. On top of that, assets used in the games are owned by the players, and they are free to trade them on the marketplace as they please. Part of a bigger picture strategy is the fact that the console will be able to mine ZIL passively, and this will lead to the further decentralization of Zilliqa as it expands the number of miners around the world. Eventually, the console might even pay for itself. Nothing has been shared in terms of hardware specifications of the console, nor pricing. However, it was mentioned that it is based on off-the-shelf hardware, using older Nvidia chips. The benefits of this white-label approach are 2-fold: first, it leaves the team to focus on building the blockchain gaming integration of the blockchain and really optimizing the software experience; and second, it can help ease the supply chain constraints that have been affecting the more mainstream competitors. The gaming console is planned to be released in the first quarter of 2023, alongside two Zilliqa-native titles, including the first-person shooter game WEB3WAR, which has been receiving positive feedback since its announcement. Zilliqa is heading into a very competitive space, not only with Sony or Microsoft, but also rubbing shoulders with Steam. Back in July, we saw Polium announcing a similar endeavor but proposing a multichain web3 gaming console. However, not much more has been shared besides a potential launch in 2024. Will we see other blockchains follow suit, particularly those with large gaming ecosystems such as Wax? 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