A weekly newsletter containing a curated list of the week’s most notable Web 3 gaming reports, podcasts, events, quotes and threads for you to catch up on 👇

📁 Reports / Research / Essays

Ancient 8: Polygon is a game changer for Web3 Gaming & NFTs

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Messari: Analyzing the Market Potential of Fully On-chain Games

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Frostlam (Qiming VC): Unleasing the Secrets to GameFi's Success
A 20-year journey of Open Economic Gaming Mastery

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DeFrag DAO: Knights of the Ether Research Report

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David Amor (Playmint): Digital Physics in On-Chain Games

Read More

Mint Ventures: Limit Break and its DigiDaigaku NFTs are a true Paradigm Shift in Web3 Gaming

Read More

Balthazar DAO - NFT marketplace update (Feb 2023)

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🎬 Podcasts / AMAs / Watches+

FOGcast #33 — NFT Marketplace Drama, Creator Royalties & The Future of Game Monetization

Listen In

FOGcast #34 — Bitcoin NFTs, CSGOs Success & Gaming NFTs v2.0

Listen In

Navik — Manish Agarwal (IndiGG): Bringing Web3 Gaming to India

Listen In

📝 Notes / Summaries

Rich Cabrera (Ready Player DAO) — CS:GO GDC 2014 Talk Summary

Rich Cabrera 🎮

@ReadyPlayerRich

CS:GO gave a talk at GDC in 2014 around the launch of their economy that is VERY important for everyone developing games in web3

I watched the entire hour long talk so I could break it down for you but feel free to check it out here: gdcvault.com/play/1021349/B…

MEGA 1/13

gdcvault.com

Building the Content that Drives the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Economy

When our team set out to add an economy to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, we were faced with two huge challenges. First, we needed to create enough content to satisfy over a million players with...

78

5:05 PM • Jan 16, 2023

🧵Threads

Ben (Crypto.com) — Reflections on the Web3 Gaming Thesis and how has it evolved from 2021 to now

Ben

@benhwx

I spent most of late 2021 and early 2022 looking at Web3 Gaming VC.

Some reflections on the Web3 Gaming thesis, and how my views have evolved over time

89

5:14 AM • Mar 7, 2023

A ZEUS — Quick thread on Avalon raising $13m to build an interoperable digital universe

A ZEUS

@0x_zeus

Avalon raises $13M to build an interoperable digital universe.

The company was founded by leaders from games including

• EverQuest
• Call of Duty
• Diablo
• God of War
• Elden Ring

@avalon

The round also included @kevinlin co-founder of Twitch.

50

2:27 PM • Feb 28, 2023

Degen Wars — Basic Gameplay Thread

DEGEN WAR$ (FREE,MINT)

@Degen_Wars

DEGEN WAR$ is a PvP digital card game that lets two opponents battle each other.

How the basic gameplay works, and all relevant information for the players is explained below

62

8:37 PM • Mar 1, 2023

Reboot GG — All about Reboot.gg

Reboot

@rebootgg_

The current video game production and distribution model is broken. Developers are funneled into centralized platforms with high fees and restrictive content policies, leading to predatory monetization tactics that harm players.

163

7:06 PM • Mar 1, 2023

Andrew Chen (a16z) — Why its going to be hard for AI startups to break into the gaming industry

andrew chen

@andrewchen

there's been a rush of AI startups trying to break into the games industry

It feels obvious to use genAI to create avatars, environments, levels, NPCs - plus sound, music, and so on - and maybe entire games

But it's going to VERY hard for these cos to break in. Here's why

292

1:34 AM • Mar 3, 2023

ggQuest — Thread about ggQuest & its Progression System

ggQuest

@gg_quest_gg

We’re developing a unique progression system that will bring a true paradigm shift among gamers.

Interested in some alpha?

96

11:08 PM • Feb 26, 2023

Kalos (Parallel) — ETH Denver Gaming Takeaways

//Kalos

@templecrash

Eth Denver Gaming Takeaways

I met a lot of friendly, talented and passionate people with different models/approaches to Web3 gaming... no one is better or than the other, just sharing observations.

90

11:08 PM • Mar 5, 2023

Sachi Kamiya (Polygon) — Why am I bullish on Web3 Gaming

Sachi Kamiya 💜 🦇🔊

@0xsachi

Why I am bullish web3 gaming:

Gaming VCs increased in size vs. 2018. A lot of funding is available for gaming projects.

80% are actively investing in web 3 gaming.

Buts it’s a tough industry to invest— there are only 19 notable exits in the past 10 years.

Cc:@naavik_co

56

11:31 PM • Mar 5, 2023

Simon (Mighty Bear Games) — What's next for projects that didn't get to raise enough

Simon 💪🏼🐻🕹 - WE'RE HIRING!

@skilllevel7

In 2022 I shared my perspective that projects raising <$5M in Web3 were raising just enough to fail. I got a lot of pushback for that but after the last few months I'm even more certain that 2023 is going to be a brutal year - a on what's next



1/17

Simon 💪🏼🐻🕹 - WE'RE HIRING!

@skilllevel7

Watching the funding announcements in Web3 gaming over the past year or so, it’s obvious that the bulk games in this space have raised not enough money to succeed but just enough money to fail (<$5M). We saw this in mobile in the 2010s, thread on why and what’s next

1/22

116

5:15 PM • Mar 5, 2023

Makai Witch (Otaku Guild) — Web3 Gaming WL Tier List

MakaiWitch🧙‍♀️Web3Game情報屋

@akiii345

個人的ランキング

・3月にNFTを発行する
・今からWL獲得に向けて行動可能
・3月中何かしらのイベント

そんな40のWeb3 Gameプロジェクトを個人的にランク付け！

WL獲得やMINTの参考になれば……と思います！

↓

91

10:56 AM • Mar 5, 2023

Kartoha (Metaguild) — 5 Decks to play around with in Parallel

kartoha // 💚, 🎮

@kartohao

Need help figuring out what to play in @ParallelTCG?
As someone who thoroughly enjoys the deckbuilding aspect of the game, I had a blast creating 5 decks during the Parallel Closed Alpha that you'll enjoy.

Don't forget to have fun! //

82

9:58 AM • Mar 5, 2023

Recloner — 🧵 on Mithraeum's 1st Autonomous-Algorithmic Wipe

Recloner

@MagicBets4

Today, the first autonomous-algorithmic wipe took place in @MithraeumIO. Its concept is that it happens not according to a predetermined schedule or not by the will of the admins, but when the Game decides that something going is wrong in it

24

5:33 PM • Mar 3, 2023

lordOfAFew (Loot Realms) — On chain gaming teams are realizing the limits of bare EVM / solidity

🍞 👑

@lordOfAFew

Interestingly every serious onchain gaming team is realizing the limits of bare EVM / solidity

@ArgusLabs_ - New execution engine closer to the metal
@latticexyz - Iterating on MUD to be more performant and closer to the bits.
@0xcurio - Building their own chain for games

76

3:34 AM • Mar 6, 2023

Vulcan Forged — New Chapter for Vulcan as Vulcan Studios Rebrands

Vulcan Studios

@VulcanStudiosHQ

A new chapter begins for @VulcanForged's portfolio of games

Introducing: our new Vulcan Studios logo & brand identity!

A thread

508

8:19 AM • Mar 4, 2023

ZTX Financial District — An introduction to the metaverse that Zepeto & Jump are creating

ZTX

@ZTXofficial

Now introducing: ZTX Financial District (1/10)

1,309

1:03 AM • Mar 4, 2023

Mystis Game — Intro to Mystis, an on-chain fighting game on StarkNet

Mystis

@MystisGame

[THREAD] What is Mystis?

Step into the Mystis world, a web3 on-chain fighting game on #Starknet and try to become the best Mystidian

(Our testnet is almost finished ! Interact with this tweet to have a chance to be whitelisted)

202

5:52 PM • Mar 6, 2023

Mystic Games — Intro to Mystic Games & their Web3 Roguelite ARPG

Call of the VoYd ❤️‍🔥

@CallOfTheVoYd

Who are Mystic Games?

1/7

Mystic Games is soon releasing their latest game called Call of the VOYD - a fast-paced, easy-to-play Roguelike Royale that combines MMO longevity and monetisation of Mobile RPG and #web3 .

25

4:18 AM • Mar 7, 2023

Wale.Swoosh (Azuki) — Amazon is building an NFT Marketplace

wale.swoosh 🐳

@waleswoosh

Amazon is building an NFT marketplace:

Is this the moment we've all been waiting for?

(1/16)

1,314

11:05 AM • Mar 7, 2023

📰 News / Updates / Action Items

🔍 Newly Spotted Projects

• Block Born Studio — No info yet — more

• Spectarium — A Nordic, fantasy world RPG — more

• Bor3d Games — Game Publisher & Studio by Kyler Frisbee (w/ Robin Chan, Matt Sorg & Justin Kan as Advisors) — more

• Galaxy Throne — Fully on-chain Sci-Fi Strategy Building Game (Won 1st in TRON Hackathon: GameFi Track) — more

• Dragon Crossing — Web3 RPG launching in May 2023 — more

• Trudan Studios — Game studio developing KuroroBeast on Arbitrum — more

• Avalon — Game Studio building an interoperable digital MMORPG (Recently raised $13m) — more

• Starfall Gates — Project related to the Web3 MOBA, Starfall Arena — more

• ZTX Official — Metaverse being built by Zepeto & Jump — more

• Momometaverse — NFT Metaverse Project — more

• Magic Block — Web3 studio building on-chain mobile games — more

• Garbles Fun — Mobile game that cleans up the planet (Developed by Magic Block) — more

• DCL Studios — Studio for Decentraland — more

• Reboot GG — Reboot GG is a decentralized, scalable framework for skill-based games that rewards players & developers — more

• Waifu Force — Waifu Force is a AAAAA multiplayer shooter powered by Worlds Org & Unreal Engine 5 — more

• Spac3 GG — Space 3 is a Web 3 gaming loyalty platform being developed by Ancient 8 — more

• Dark Bright Games — Dark Bright Games is a game studio launched by Treasure DAO that is developing Smolville — more

• Starknet Gaming — Gaming on Starknet (Not much info yet) — more

• Webe Studio — Web3 Metaverse gaming studio — more

• Chess Olympiads — On chain Chess — more

• Shadow War Games — Hero-based web3 hybrid-action title being developed by Patriots Division — more

• Patriots PMC — Studio developing Shadow War Game — more

• Bisonic Games — Game Studio behind Runiverse — more

• Runes TCG — Runiverse-themed Trading Card Game (TCG) — more

• Warped Canto — Fully onchain PvP MMO RTS on Canto — more

• Kamigotchi World — Web3 Pet Idle game by Asphodel Labs on Canto — more

• Fun Dream Games — Istanbul based game studio developing web3 mobile games — more

• Blink Moon Games — Indie game studio building for cloud gaming — more

• Echoplus Studio — Game studio building Code Sekai — more

• Code Sekai — Anime Universe being developed by Echo Plus Studio — more

• Aradena Warrior — Trading Card Game (TCG) being developed by Litoja Labs — more

• L1523Kick Games — Russian indie gaming studio building Worldshards (Sandbox RPG) — more

🗨️ Quotable Quotes

Mitch Lasky (Benchmark) — The laziest VC move in games is "pedigree chasing"

Mitch Lasky

@mitchlasky

The laziest VC move in games is "pedigree chasing": only funding ex-Riot, Epic, or Blizzard employees (and not always leads). The founders of those massive companies (and countless other successful ones) had zero "big game company" experience. But now they're the Ivy League.

622

3:17 AM • Mar 1, 2023

Jon (Play Ember) — Web3 UA is a billion $ opportunity for whomever cracks it

Jon | PlayEmber | ✈️ ETH Denver

@JonHook

Great discussion with a gaming VC's about web3 UA/ad network models

Agreement on what it wont look like:

- NOT a mobile ad network 2.0 - high ECPM/crypto ads

- NOT Google Ads 2.0

- NOT wallet ads ( at least in the current form)

Billion $$ opp for whoever cracks it.

16

1:29 PM • Feb 28, 2023

Tommy Ngo (Zynga) — Higher user demand than product supply makes Web3 gaming promising. Esp since there's no playbook yet.

tommy ngo

@tommyngo

On gaming —

PC/console gaming is all about IP and graphic

mobile gaming is all about microtransactions and LTV

no web3 gaming playbook yet, but cannot be more bullish on a space with higher user demand than product supply

2023/2024 should be fun

1

2:27 AM • Feb 26, 2023

Derek Lau (Guild of Guardian) — We are now seeing Web2 gamers onboarded to NFTs, NOT because of good gameplay, but because of the idea of playing for profit

Derek 🌌

@xdereklau

It's interesting to the second order impacts of the $1.6m @yugalabs key sale

We are now seeing Web2 gamers onboarded to NFTs, NOT because of good gameplay, but because of the idea of playing for profit

17

8:25 AM • Mar 7, 2023

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