The crypto and NFT gaming space is busier than ever lately, what with prominent games starting to release, token airdrops piling up, and a seemingly constant array of other things happening at all times. It’s a lot to take in!
Luckily, Decrypt’s GG is all over it. And if you need a quick way to get caught up on the latest moves around crypto video games, we’re happy to present This Week in Crypto Games.
Our weekend roundup serves up the biggest news from the past week, along with a few other tidbits you might have missed. We also showcase a few of our original stories from the week.
Biggest news
Bitcoin in GTA 6 rumors: Rumors that the widely anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 will utilize cryptocurrency started to bubble up more than a year after first appearing. On Wednesday, a pseudonymous Crypto Twitter influencer called Gordon shared to his nearly 500,000 followers that “GTA 6 will enable cryptocurrency payments,” and that “so far only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT [are] confirmed.”
When Twitter users asked the influencer for his sourcing, he’d jokingly reply that his “uncle works there,” or say that previous reports on the matter were “old” at this point. In truth, no cryptocurrencies have been confirmed for Grand Theft Auto 6. We dug into what has and hasn't been said on the GTA-meets-crypto front.
Bitcoin and Ethereum in GTA 6? It’s All Still Rumors—For Now
Rumors that the widely anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 will utilize cryptocurrency have been circulating for more than a year now—and they’re swirling again. On Wednesday, a pseudonymous Crypto Twitter influencer called Gordon—apparently named after Gordon Gekko from the iconic 1987 film “Wall Street”—shared to his nearly 500,000 followers that “GTA 6 will enable cryptocurrency payments,” and that “so far only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT [are] confirmed.” But in reality, no cryptocurrencies have...
Moonray airdrop push: Sci-fi arena combat game Moonray has launched its play-to-airdrop campaign, with successful participants eligible to receive the project’s native token once it launches. Players are required to place in the top half of five games to progress through the campaign. Users can also increase their chances of winning by participating in weekly social challenges.
This comes amid the game’s Epic Games Store debut, putting the game in front of a user base of 75 million monthly active players. This appears to be an emerging trend that crypto games launching on the store will launch a play-to-airdrop campaign alongside it, after BloodLoop and Nyan Heroes recently did the same.
'Moonray' Begins Play-to-Airdrop Push Alongside Epic Games Store Launch
Sci-fi arena combat game Moonray has launched its play-to-airdrop campaign, with successful participants eligible to receive the project’s native token once it launches, barring regional restrictions. This comes amid the game’s Epic Games Store debut. Every day, players are given the challenge to place in the top half of five games, and completing this will help you progress further through the airdrop campaign—in a similar style to the popular battle pass system from Fortnite and other games....
Telegram upgrade: On Tuesday, Telegram announced that it has launched a “mini app bar” feature for its mobile apps, enabling multitasking by letting users rapidly switch between multiple open mini apps. This applies to all types of apps built for the platform, including the Telegram Wallet bot and numerous games.
Popular messaging app Telegram is in the midst of a crypto gaming phenomenon, spurred by tap-to-earn games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat that have pulled in millions upon millions of players to their “mini apps.” The feature lets users collapse Telegram mini apps into a handy bar at the bottom of the screen, so users can bounce between chats, apps, and games. And it should make it easier for tap-to-earn players to hop between various games.
Telegram Just Made It Easier to Farm Crypto Games Like ‘Hamster Kombat’
Popular messaging app Telegram is in the midst of a crypto gaming phenomenon, spurred by tap-to-earn games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat that have pulled in millions upon millions of players to their “mini apps.” And now Telegram has made it easier for players to hop between several such games via its iOS and Android apps. On Tuesday, Telegram announced that it has launched a “mini app bar” feature for its mobile apps, enabling multitasking by letting users rapidly switch between multiple open...
ICYMI
- Nintendo confirmed it will not be using generative AI in its upcoming titles.
- Notcoin and analytics firm Helika launched an accelerator program for Telegram games and those building on The Open Network (TON).
- Milady NFT holders gathered in a Minecraft world to celebrate their second annual ball.
- Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov said that Hamster Kombat now has 236 million players, and called it the world's "fastest growing digital service."
Telegram CEO Calls Crypto Game Hamster Kombat World's 'Fastest-Growing Digital Service'
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has thrown his weight behind Hamster Kombat, praising the crypto game that’s taking over his dominant messaging platform as “the fastest-growing digital service in the world.” “A new era is arriving, and we are witnessing its arrival in real time,” Durov said on Thursday in his Telegram channel, describing Hamster Kombat as the current leader of a “new wave” of mini apps that he believes are poised to bring blockchain tech to the masses. Mini apps like Hams...
- Monster-catching MMORPG Spellborne went live last week, and players can earn airdrop points by playing.
- Ubisoft’s Champions Tactics entered closed beta. It's the gaming giant's first original crypto game, built on Oasys.
- Notcoin’s fresh start revealed itself a little more, with more teases regarding the collab with Lost Dogs Co.
- Telegram game PixelTap just added a new combatant inspired by Solana meme coin Mew.
GG spotlight
Here are a few of our original stories from this past week that we think are well worth a weekend read:
Why HV-MTL Ethereum Mechs Are Coming to Arena Shooter ‘Shatterline’
After a change of ownership this spring, the HV-MTL NFT mech suits minted on Ethereum—which were originally created by Bored Ape Yacht Club maker Yuga Labs—are set to be featured in a glossy, free-to-play arena shooter called Shatterline. Faraway, a gaming startup that still works closely with Yuga and purchased the HV-MTL and Legends of the Mara IP in April, teased the collaboration this week on Twitter (aka X). The brief trailer showcases the pixel mechs transformed into flying 3D companions t...
Pirate Nation CEO Predicts Thousands of Dedicated Crypto Game Blockchains
Amitt Mahajan—founder and CEO of Proof of Play, the developer of crypto game Pirate Nation—predicts that eventually there will be thousands of dedicated blockchains that each support individual applications. This comes after his experience building the viral Facebook game Farmville. During his time developing the casual farming simulator, Zynga operated approximately 64 databases simply to prevent the game from crashing. To Mahajan, the blockchain is just an advanced database. “At peak, [Farmvi...
‘Pixels’ Creators Plot More Crypto Games—Maybe on Telegram Too
Pixels has been one of the hottest crypto games all year, with its late 2023 migration to Ethereum gaming network Ronin and February’s token launch propelling the social farming game in front of millions of players. And now the developers are exploring other games in the same universe. In a recent interview around the Pixels Chapter 2 gameplay launch, founder Luke Barwikowski shared with Decrypt’s GG that the studio is working on other games in the Pixels universe, and that it is teaming up with...
