Web3 gaming studio Pixion Games has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to build out Fableborne, the developers’ flagship game.

The round saw participation from a handful of notable investors including the Avalanche Foundation’s Blizzard Fund, investment firm Shima Capital, gaming decentralized autonomous organization ReadyPlayerDAO and more.

Pixion plans to put the funds towards Fableborne, the studio’s action-based role-playing game that allows players to interact with on-chain assets built atop the Avalanche network. Kam Punia, founder and CEO of Pixion Games, told CoinDesk he’s hoping to grow the game by building out its tech stack as well as hiring for roles across the leadership team.

“It’s really building what we call these competitive multiplayer games, mobile-first platform experiences, but having competitive tournaments and player-owned economies are at the heart of the core game,” said Punia. “And so that’s what we’re really trying to build as an experience for players.”

Read more: It’s Game On for Web3: How Gaming Will Onboard a Billion People

The game is inviting players to participate in playtests and is aiming for a public launch within the next calendar year.

While the bear market has slowed investments across the crypto space, Web3 gaming has maintained investor confidence. Earlier this month, Web3 gaming studio Argus raised $10 million in seed funding to build out its own native gaming software developer kit. And last week, decentralized chess game Anichess raised $1.5 million in seed funding led by gaming behemoth Animoca Brands.

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Infrastructure startup Thirdweb has appointed former Facebook executive Atif Khan as its new Vice President of Gaming in a bid to accelerate the growth of the Web3 gaming industry—and the firm recently built a game from scratch to demonstrate its capabilities.

The San Francisco-based startup offers a Web3 infrastructure toolkit for developers to build a suite of decentralized applications, from blockchain games to NFTs, DAOs, and more. The firm raised a $24 million Series A round at a $160 million valuation in August 2022 from investors including Haun Ventures, Polygon Labs, Coinbase Ventures, and Shopify.

Khan spent eight years at Facebook, most recently serving as Head of Mid-Market & In-App Ads for Global Gaming, before leaving in 2021 and taking the Chief Operating Officer role at Web3 gaming infrastructure firm Stardust.

Speaking exclusively to Decrypt, Khan shared that one of the major attractions in joining Thirdweb was the opportunity to “sell the full stack to a game developer.”

The mechanics of Web3 game building requires developers to access programs and tools such as RPC nodes, asset minting, wallet creation, payments processing, marketplace creation, API and game engine tools, and more. These services are often sourced from different providers, according to Khan, but Thirdweb aims to simplify the process.

“We want to build a great, one-stop shop tool that is comprehensive,” said Khan, “so that developers don’t have to go to seven or eight different places.”

But while Thirdweb will offer that full-stack option, it’s also willing to meet game developers’ needs for specific pieces of the puzzle. For example, if a studio opts to use a different RPC node or index relay provider, then Thirdweb can fill in the gaps. “We provide that flexibility,” he said.

“Game developers are starting to realize that users want modularity, they want choice,” Khan added. “You don’t need to be stuck or locked into one wallet–whether a smart, local, custodial, or non-custodial. Users have different preferences.”

As a demonstration of its toolkit’s capabilities, Thirdweb recently spent three weeks building an on-chain survival action game titled Web3 Warriors. The game, launched on the testnet for Base—am Ethereum layer-2 scaling network developed by Coinbase—attracted over 500 unique players and recorded 1,000 sessions in less than seven days, the firm said.

Akin to Reddit’s launch of digital collectibles, Thirdweb deployed a trojan horse strategy, prioritizing gameplay familiarity and user enjoyment while incorporating blockchain features such as non-custodial wallets, in-game battle tokens, and cosmetic skins as NFTs on the backend. In other words: fun first, crypto second.

In Khan’s view, some of the major pitfalls of the play-to-earn model—which skyrocketed in 2021 and then largely cratered last year—centered around the friction gamers felt navigating the complexities of the blockchain, as well as the model’s inherent focus on monetary reward via crypto tokens. More and more recently, Web3 game developers are talking about emphasizing fun and entertainment above all.

“I think over the next 18 months, we’ll start to see a lot less talk about the blockchain perspective,” he predicted, “and more about what the blockchain is actually bringing in terms of value to users and developers on both sides.”

Khan grew up playing an eclectic mix of games, from simulation games like Empire, Civilization, and The Sims to sports titles like FIFA and the first-person shooters GoldenEye 007 and Halo. Nowadays, the father of two tends to venture towards word-based games.

“When I look at mobile phones and the moment that they started to take off, a lot of that was to do with games,” he said. “What’s special about those games like Candy Crush is the community and social aspect.”

Dr. Disrespect’s Dynamic NFT Shooter ‘Deadrop’ Is Off to a Promising Start
“I think everybody’s waiting for those AAA-type games like [Deadrop] and Shrapnel to launch,” he said of the Web3 gaming space, but added that “casual, free-to-play mobile games are the type of fun games that are going to help take this industry to the next level.”

Khan believes that Web3-native casual mobile games will serve as the catalyst for mainstream adoption, surpassing traditional mobile games that incorporate the technology. But ultimately, he’s keen on bringing Thirdweb’s tools to all sorts of crypto-infused experiences.

“We want to become the best, most comprehensive dev tool,” he said, “not only in gaming, but across Web3.”

The post Thirdweb Plots Web3 Gaming Push With Ex-Facebook Exec Hire appeared first on BobTheBuilderGames.NET.

According to Chris Watkins, the co-founder and CEO of the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Digital Arms, many of the Web3 games developed in the last bull cycle were not only seemingly rushed but “lacked the essential element of fun,” hence they ultimately failed. Watkins also argued that the few games which did gain traction “relied on the allure of making money” which is not a sustainable model.

Web3 Gaming Not a Passing Fad

However, in his written answers sent to Bitcoin.com News, the Digital Arms CEO insisted that the industry’s focus has shifted back to making games with experiences and benefits which cannot be matched by traditional gaming. This shift in turn means Web3 gaming “is really just getting started” and may not be a passing fad as claimed by some critics, Watkins added.

Concerning his platform’s reported collaboration with the firearms industry, the CEO disclosed that this was made possible by the fact that some of Digital Arms’ founding members, including himself, are veterans of the gun industry. Watkins also shared his thoughts on Apple’s augmented reality headset and how this is likely to be a game changer for the Web3 gaming industry.

Below are Watkins’ answers to the questions sent to him via Telegram.

Bitcoin.com News (BCN): What benefits do gamers have when they buy in-game non-fungible tokens (NFTs) versus traditional in-game assets?

Chris Watkins (CW): The main advantage here is the true ownership and traceability of the assets. As Esports and the fanbase of popular leagues grow, the potential to buy and trade firearms used by your favorite Pro gamer is just one of the many exciting use cases.

BCN: According to a recent report by Polaris Market Research, the worldwide blockchain gaming market size is expected to reach over $1 trillion by 2032, up from an estimated $5.4 billion in 2022. What key emerging trends do you see that will shape the future of Web3 gaming?

CW: A prominent trend is the blending of real-world brands with the gaming scene, through either advertising rights or branded playable assets. Blockchain technology serves as the crucial link, unlocking new revenue streams for game developers via NFT licensing rights. As this trend progresses, I predict a surge in games integrating NFTs so seamlessly that players may not even realize they’re purchasing and trading these unique digital assets.

BCN: Over the last few years, the Web3 gaming industry has experimented with play-to-earn, play-and-earn and a bunch of other models to attract players. Even though some Web3 games have gained traction, we have not yet landed upon a sustainable model that appeals to both players and game developers. What makes you believe that Web3 gaming is more than just a fad?

CW: Games developed during the last bull run cycle often appeared rushed and lacked the essential element of fun. Those that did gain traction primarily relied on the allure of making money. This model is not sustainable in the long run as it depends on a continuous flow of players willing to spend. However, I’m seeing many emerging game developers creating high-quality, entertaining games with incorporated play-to-earn aspects. The focus is shifting back to making games that are fun to play and offer unique experiences and benefits that traditional gaming can’t match. In my opinion, Web3 gaming is really just getting started – exciting times ahead!

BCN: Your company Digital Arms is reportedly the only NFT marketplace where gamers can buy, sell, and customize licensed digital firearms from the world’s leading brands. Can you explain why the firearms industry chose Digital Arms and why they can or can’t sell their IP on other NFT marketplaces?

CW: The founding members of Digital Arms and I have over 25 years of experience in the firearms industry. We’ve built trust with leading brands and they’ve chosen us to guide them into the blockchain and digital collectable arena. We uphold their brand with high respect and ensure it’s delivered in a manner that aligns with their company image. No other marketplace or platform has our unique understanding of the firearms industry. Hence, the need for a unique marketplace like Digital Arms. You wouldn’t go to eBay or Amazon to buy a firearm, right?

BCN: Self-expression through customization has been a part of video games for as long as we can remember. It would seem like there is an attractive opportunity for the firearm and hunting industries in the Web3 gaming realm. What challenges, in your opinion, do such brands face in bringing digital firearms to Web3 games, especially considering the firearms industry is heavily regulated in most parts of the world?

CW: Maintaining a positive public image is very important to the firearms industry. The challenge is to ensure their products and branding are portrayed respectfully by game developers. As for firearm regulations, this is the exciting part. We are dealing with digital assets, not the actual firearm. Gamers in restricted regions now can own a piece of the brand. Digital Arms is producing limited edition, authentic IP-licensed NFT digital collectibles crafted from the original 3D CAD files used in the actual manufacturing of the firearm.

BCN: Do you think Web3 gaming could become an attractive revenue stream for firearms manufacturers — or physical goods brands, in general — in the near future?

CW: Yes, 100%! It’s already happening and is not limited to just firearms but many other in-game items and equipment.

BCN: Apple has just launched an innovative augmented reality headset called Apple Vision Pro. What role could such devices, assuming they become popular among gamers, play in the evolution of the Web3 gaming industry?

CW: Apple is leading the way, that’s for sure! This development is going to change the way we interact and play games in the future. Augmented reality can create immersive gaming experiences, combining digital items, such as our firearm NFTs, opens up a new world of possibilities.

The post Web3 Devs Now Focused on Making Games That ‘Traditional Gaming Can’t Match’ — Digital Arms CEO appeared first on BobTheBuilderGames.NET.

Assassin’s Creed joins the blockchain in the form of Smart Collectibles, a customized, physical cube tied to the blockchain that owners can level up and interact with! The mint for Passes to acquire these unique, collectible items opens on June 6th, but you’ll need to scramble to find a whitelist spot.

The worlds of web2 and web3 gaming grow ever closer as Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed meets the world of digital collectibles! Unfortunately, these collectibles aren’t linked to the gameplay in any fashion, but they should be an interesting collector’s item!

This upcoming mint is actually for a Pass that leads to the digital collectible. Known as Pieces of Eden Pass these passes are limited edition and provide access to exclusive drops, a unique, limited edition, Digital Soul, and priority printing for an IRL Smart Collectible!

The mint for these Passes has been pushed back to June 6th, 2023, at 11am CST. The mint cost is $200 and only 1500 of these Passes will be available.

Digital Soul? Smart Collectible?

A Digital Soul is the digital manifestation of a character from the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Owners can use the Soul Customizer to change outfits, weapons, poses, and more. The higher the rarity, the more options available.
Once the owner customizes their Digital Soul to their liking, they can order their Smart Collectible. The physical embodiment of the Soul’s customization will be a 3D-printed cube with an NFC tag tied to the same blockchain as the Digital Soul. Owners can scan the embedded chip and use the IRL companion app to interact with their character. Complete achievements, level up your account, even earn and unlock new items and recipes for customization. Owners will also be able to view, track and manage their Smart Collectibles collection in-app.

sample items from IRL Assassin’s Creed Smart Collectible collection

Physical Collectible with Blockchain Authentication

In short, the real-life Smart Collectible Cube is a customized, static object that includes a RFID tag that tracks the digital information. By using a special app, users can customize and interact with these collectible items. They are physical, collectible items, that can be verified with the blockchain and also include some extra, digital features.
Pretty cool! A nice blending of the physical and digital worlds. And with Assassin’s Creed such a huge, well renowned, game franchise, there will certainly be demand. The competition for whitelist spots are winding down but you may still have a chance to land one! Join the IRL Smart Collectibles Discord and keep an eye on their Twitter feed for giveaways. You may also want to check around with any other projects that you are involved with. Cross-project giveaways and promotions are common these days.

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