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Kate Irwin

Kate Irwin

Kate is the creative producer of GG and the lead gaming reporter at Decrypt. She has also written for Input, Dot Esports, and Game Rant. She's a graduate of UC Berkeley and Columbia University. Disclosure: She owns less than 1 BTC, less than 5 ETH, and some NFTs.

Stories by Kate Irwin

  • What Is Ronin? The Ethereum Gaming Chain Behind 'Axie Infinity' and 'Pixels'

    In the wide world of crypto, there are now many blockchains specifically designed for gaming—but Ronin was among the first to launch. Gaming blockchains are typically built to offer low transaction fees and a higher number of potential transactions, so they’re supposed to be more affordable and more scalable than blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Some gaming chains are also private, meaning that developers must gain approval from a blockchain’s creators in order to join its ecosystem. Ronin...

    ExplainersGaming
    5 min read
    Kate Irwin, Andrew Hayward
  • Artwork from Illuvium. Image: Illuvium

    Illuvium Preview: Everything You Need to Know About the NFT Games and Airdrop

    Illuvium is a sci-fi fantasy NFT gaming IP with four games in development: Illuvium Arena, Overworld, Zero, and Beyond. While each of these titles are separate games, they do offer some interoperability and cross-game rewards. The Illuvium team has also released its own Ethereum ERC-20 token, ILV, and its own marketplace, the Illuvidex. There’s also a community-based voting system in place with the Illuvium DAO, which suggests new initiatives for the Illuvium ecosystem. After years of developmen...

    ReviewsGames
    7 min read
    Kate Irwin, Andrew Hayward
  • Image: Ubisoft

    Champions Tactics Preview: Everything You Need to Know About Ubisoft's NFT Game

    It’s no secret that Ubisoft has been experimenting with NFTs and blockchain tech. From its early Ghost Recon NFTs to releasing NFTs based on its quirky Rabbids IP and Assassin’s Creed “smart collectibles,” Ubisoft has continued to explore blockchain gaming. Now, there’s Champions Tactics. Champions Tactics marks a new chapter in Ubisoft’s crypto plans. It’s the studio’s first original Web3 game—meaning that it’s being developed from scratch with NFTs front and center. Here’s everything you need...

    ReviewsGames
    4 min read
    Kate Irwin, Andrew Hayward
  • Image: Shutterstock

    The Rise and Fall of GameStop's NFT Marketplace

    GameStop has given up on NFTs. Less than three years after first hinting at its interest in NFTs, GameStop has ditched its NFT marketplace. As announced in January, the platform is no longer functional for buying and selling assets as of February 2, though it is still viewable online. The game retailer, which began as a U.S.-based brick-and-mortar operation back in 1984, has recently struggled to maintain a profitable business. GameStop was profitable for the first time in years in late 2022, bu...

    NewsGaming
    8 min read
    Kate Irwin, Andrew Hayward
  • Image: Shutterstock

    Microsoft Cuts 1,900 Xbox and Activision Staff Amid Gaming Industry Crisis

    Despite being less than a month into 2024, thousands of video game industry workers have already lost their jobs. Now Microsoft is joining the depressing trend as it plans to lay off 1,900 employees across Activision Blizzard and Xbox this week—despite just becoming the second company ever to hit a $3 trillion valuation. Most of the layoffs, which make up about 8% of Microsoft’s gaming division of 22,000 employees on the whole, will occur within its Activision Blizzard division—which the tech gi...

    NewsBusiness
    3 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Image: Shutterstock

    Gala Games Shuns Creator for Talking Too Much About Token Prices

    In blockchain gaming—where crypto tokens and ways to “earn” are at the forefront compared to traditional games—should influencers with insider knowledge be allowed to talk about tokens and their ever-changing prices publicly?  This question has become the center of a conflict between crypto influencer and YouTuber Jesus “Classy” Martinez and blockchain gaming company Gala Games. The firm removed Martinez from its creator program following concerns that Martinez’s videos were too focused on “ROI”...

    NewsGaming
    6 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Image created with AI by Decrypt

    Can Dogecoin Run 'Doom'? Yes, It Does—And Better Than on Bitcoin

    “Can it run Doom?” It’s a question that has delighted the online masses for years as techie folks attempt to play the influential 1993 demon shooter on all sorts of different devices and platforms. The latest? It’s Dogecoin. Yes, Dogecoin runs Doom. A pseudonymous Dogecoin ecosystem contributor called Pimax, also known as “Mini Doge,” has added a playable copy of Doom to the Dogecoin blockchain via its NFT-like protocol known as “Doginals.”  Doginals are like Bitcoin Ordinals, allowing users to...

    NewsGaming
    4 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Image: Shutterstock.

    Animoca Brands' Gamee Token Plunges 60% After Exploit

    Social gaming platform Gamee’s token suffered an exploit late Monday evening, with the alleged perpetrator taking 600 million GMEE tokens that were subsequently liquidated for Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies, the token’s reps shared. The GMEE token’s contracts—not user wallets or accounts—were exploited but have since been “secured,” according to the team, which stated that a compromised deployer address is no longer a risk because the team moved ownership to a new address. The exploit and e...

    NewsGaming
    2 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Artwork from Treeverse. Image: Endless Clouds

    'Treeverse' Studio Endless Clouds Picks Immutable zkEVM for Its NFT Games

    Game studio Endless Clouds is working with Immutable to launch two of its upcoming games, Treeverse and Capsule Heroes, on Immutable’s anticipated zkEVM blockchain, the firms announced Tuesday. The two titles will offer alpha and beta early access launches and will support the Immutable Passport, Immutable’s single sign-on crypto wallet. Immutable zkEVM is an upcoming Ethereum scaling network based on Polygon's zkEVM technology. “I am a huge believer in Ethereum, so naturally our options filtere...

    NewsGaming
    3 min read
    Kate Irwin

  • What Is Oasys? The Gaming Blockchain With Ubisoft and Sega Onboard

    Oasys is one of many gaming-focused crypto networks looking to appeal to game developers and players alike. But what is it—and what sets it apart from other chains? Here’s a look at Oasys blockchain, some of the key features, and which major game makers are using it. What is Oasys? Oasys—not to be confused with Oasis—is a blockchain protocol consisting of its own layer-1 blockchain called the “Hub layer” and an Ethereum-compatible layer-2 scaling solution blockchain called the “Verse layer.” Whe...

  • Image: Pixels

    Ronin Gaming Wallet Now Supports Ethereum, Polygon, and BNB Chain

    The Ronin blockchain’s official crypto wallet just got a massive upgrade. Sky Mavis, maker of the play-to-earn NFT game Axie Infinity and the developers behind the Ronin gaming sidechain for Ethereum, have added multichain support to the Ronin wallet mobile app for iOS and Android devices.  The Ethereum mainnet, the Ethereum sidechain Polygon, and Binance’s BNB Chain will now be accessible in the latest update, according to an image in the announcement. The new version of the app that began its...

    NewsGaming
    2 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Image: Nifty Island.

    'Nifty Island' Is Already Better Than Most NFT Sandbox Games

    Tired of voxel-style crypto games? Want a sandbox game that pays homage to your favorite NFTs—and lets you build your own custom island for free? Enter Nifty Island. Nifty Island has already made a splash among crypto gaming fans, many of whom are incentivized to check out the game because of its promised future airdrop where gamers could, basically, get free money in the form of tokens. But airdrops aside, Nifty Island is actually a good game given its current beta state, living up to my expect...

    ReviewsGames
    5 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Image: Nifty Island.

    'Nifty Island' NFT Game Launches Open Beta With Airdrop Rewards

    Nifty Island—a new social multiplayer game with NFTs—officially launched its public beta Wednesday. In the 3D game, players can complete quests, run around with friends, and build their own environments in real-time. Like Roblox, Animal Crossing, or Fortnite’s user-generated content (UGC) modes, Nifty Island players can customize the game world around them with buildings, foliage, and new terrain. As its title suggests, Nifty Island is all about UGC islands. Every Nifty Island player gets their...

    NewsGaming
    3 min read
    Kate Irwin

  • What Is Immutable? The Ethereum Network for Crypto and NFT Games

    Immutable X is a layer-2 scaling network built on top of Ethereum, the leading blockchain for decentralized applications. Developed by the Web3 firm Immutable via tech created by StarkWare, Immutable X uses the native ERC-20 token IMX and hosts a number of different blockchain games on its network like Gods Unchained, Guild of Guardians, Illuvium, and Ember Sword, to name a few. While Ethereum proponents argue that its mainnet is among the most decentralized and secure of all cryptocurrencies, i...

  • Image: JSR

    Shiba Inu Speedruns NES Game for 77,000 Viewers and Nearly Breaks His Record

    A highly-trained shiba inu named Peanut Butter played a speedrun of the 1985 Nintendo NES game Gyromite using a custom dog-friendly controller—and came close to achieving a new record Tuesday. With the help of his owner, a YouTuber and Twitch streamer known as JSR, Peanut Butter completed Gyromite's "B Game" mode in 26 minutes and 24.5 seconds. They attempted the “dog-assisted” record during the annual Awesome Games Done Quick event, but fell short of beating their previous record of 25:29 set l...

    NewsGaming
    2 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Image: Yuga Labs

    'Dookey Dash' Gets Free-to-Play Reboot With Token Rewards for Ethereum NFT Owners

    Ever wished you could run endlessly through a sewer? Soon you’ll be able to—again—as Bored Ape Yacht Club maker Yuga Labs is bringing back its Dookey Dash game in a new free-to-play “Unclogged” edition thanks to a collaboration with game studio Faraway. “Looks like Curtis needs to get the plunger out, there’s something in the toilet,” a post from Yuga Labs reads.  The crypto startup will bring Dookey Dash back sometime this quarter, according to the post. In the single-player original Dookey Das...

    NewsGaming
    4 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Epic Games is the maker of smash hit Fortnite. Image: Shutterstock

    Epic Games' Battle With Apple Is Finally Over as Supreme Court Rejects Appeals

    The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the Apple vs. Epic Games antitrust battle that has been ongoing for years, denying both companies’ requests Tuesday.  In effect, the court’s decision keeps Apple’s current App Store fees in place while allowing developers to direct users to external payment methods. It also allows Apple to continue to keep its App Store as the only one available to iOS users. “The Supreme Court denied both sides’ appeals of the Epic v. Apple antitrust case,” Epic Games CEO Ti...

    NewsGaming
    3 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Magnus Carlsen. Image: Anichess

    'Anichess' NFT Game Launches With Backing From World Chess Champ Magnus Carlsen

    Anichess is now in the first stage of its release according to an announcement from Animoca Brands, which is working with Chess.com and five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen on the free-to-play browser game’s launch. The initial version of the game available now offers a single-player experience, while an online player-vs-player (PVP) mode will be added sometime during Q1 2024. “Anichess revolutionizes the classic royal game by fusing traditional strategy and gameplay with the innovative...

    NewsGaming
    2 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • A screenshot from Assassin's Creed Mirage. Image: Ubisoft

    Assassin's Creed Maker Ubisoft Backs Yet Another Crypto Gaming Network

    Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six: Siege publisher Ubisoft is joining Korean game publisher WeMade’s Wemix’s blockchain node council as a partner, Wemix announced late last week. Ubisoft is now one of Wemix’s 40 partners running validator nodes for its new “Wemix 3.0” network, which is an Ethereum-compatible EVM blockchain. Previously, Wemix’s blockchain existed on the Klaytn mainnet. Now, WeMade has renamed the older chain and corresponding token “Wemix Classic.” The new Wemix blockchain operate...

    NewsGaming
    2 min read
    Kate Irwin
  • Image: Epic Games

    Nike Will 'Go Way Deeper' Into Video Game Fashion Amid NFT Push

    Sports apparel giant Nike’s blockchain and digital wearables division, .Swoosh, said Friday that it will push further into the video game space in the coming year—but it’s unclear if its future gaming activations will necessarily involve NFTs. “A virtual product’s value should be based on the enjoyment it gives you when using it to express yourself or unlocking access to a physical product. It’s more about the joy of collecting—of being a true fan—not just a transaction,” Nike’s .Swoosh wrote in...

    NewsGaming
    3 min read
    Kate Irwin
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