The crypto and NFT gaming sector is experiencing a surge in activity, with major game releases, numerous token airdrops, and an ongoing stream of developments capturing attention. This dynamic environment can be overwhelming to navigate. Fortunately, Decrypt’s GG has the latest updates covered. For those looking to stay informed about the latest happenings in the world of crypto gaming, we present “This Week in Crypto Games.” Our weekend summary highlights the most significant news from the past week and includes some noteworthy stories you may have overlooked.
Major Developments
Gaming tokens face significant downturns: Recently, cryptocurrency assets have undergone considerable fluctuations, particularly influenced by the unpredictable nature of President Trump’s trade policies. Among these, gaming tokens have suffered more than others. A glance at CoinGecko’s top 100 cryptocurrencies reveals the absence of gaming tokens. Immutable (IMX), which had managed to remain on the list, fell off last Monday, with only a brief reappearance midweek. A year prior, six gaming tokens, including The Sandbox (SAND) and Gala Games (GALA), made the list, but now they are non-existent. Long-standing gaming tokens have seen substantial declines, while last year’s most promising new entries have also experienced sharp drops.
A detailed analysis has been conducted to explore the challenges currently facing the crypto gaming industry and the broader market trends affecting the valuation of gaming tokens, featuring insights from industry experts regarding the present landscape.
Eve Frontier’s Free Trial Launch
Eve Frontier, an MMO space survival game built on the Ethereum blockchain, has initiated a 10-day free trial on April 11, offering players a chance to explore its universe without the benefits of paid Founders Access passes. This trial, which will conclude on April 21, aligns with the game’s third phase, a time designated for the introduction of new features. CCP Games, which secured $40 million in funding this year to enhance its Eve Online universe through blockchain technology, introduced closed alpha access for Eve Frontier in December, with Founders Access passes priced between $30 and $90. Recently, the company appointed a former Central Bank of Iceland economist to develop a player-driven financial system.
Eve Frontier is built on Redstone, an Ethereum layer-2 network, and will support multiple tokens, including the future introduction of an EVE utility token. This game is a sequel to Eve Online, a complex MMORPG launched in 2003 that remains popular, thanks to dedicated player communities and extensive lore.
Immutable’s Network Integration
Immutable, a leading Ethereum gaming platform, has announced its plans to integrate its original Immutable X network with its newer Immutable zkEVM layer-2 blockchain by late 2025. This merger is intended to streamline its gaming ecosystem following the impressive growth of the zkEVM network, which has processed nearly 150 million transactions since the start of 2024. For users, the transition will largely be seamless, with assets automatically transferred to existing wallets, although an opt-out option will be provided. Developers, however, will face more significant changes, including the need to reimplement certain mechanics and updates to collection addresses due to deprecated APIs.
Guild of Guardians has already completed this migration, setting a precedent for other prominent games on the platform, such as Gods Unchained and Illuvium.
Additional Highlights
In related developments, the Ethereum game Aavegotchi is transitioning from Polygon to Base after a community decision, and it will discontinue its layer-3 Geist network. A meme coin associated with Solana experienced a brief surge in value after Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney labeled it a “scam” on social media.
Furthermore, the game Realms of Alurya has officially announced its move to the Ronin Network, marking an important advancement in Web3 gaming. Gaming network Xterio Chain will be dissolved, migrating all assets to the BNB Chain. Horizon Blockchain Games has rebranded itself as Sequence, focusing on its gaming infrastructure suite, and the long-running NFT card game Skyweaver will continue under this new name.
The Roblox-like crypto game Nifty Island has introduced its Playground Options Expansion, offering creators more flexibility. Meanwhile, the developers behind the mobile game Heroes of Mavia have rolled out their roadmap for the remainder of the year, outlining game updates, a marketplace launch, and plans for additional titles.
GG Spotlight
We have curated a selection of original stories from the past week that we believe are essential reads for the weekend:
Edited by Andrew Hayward
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