Weekly Digest

July 06-July 12

Author

Yoda Labs
July 13, 2023

July jolts forward, jam-packed with juicy gaming updates. Google Play Store allows apps to use and offer NFTs. SEGA scans the scene for blockchain benefits, tentatively testing the waters with an IP Partnership. Gas Hero generates a growing buzz, while Axie admits to adversities but bravely battles on. Yuga Labs' Otherside offers an intriguing teaser for their next title, igniting interest. With all these exciting updates, are you ready to dive deeper into the dynamic domain of Web3 gaming, or will you wait and watch as the landscape continues to evolve?

Also in our weekly digest:

  • Mighty Action Heroes pivots from Polygon to Arbitrum

  • AI tooling continues to speed up game development

  • Ubisoft back in Web3 with a new game in development

  • Epic Games pushes Web3 gaming forward with The Machines: Arena

  • Minecraft and Bitcoin - yes you can with the help of Zebedee

  • Will Web4.0 be driven by the Metaverse, EU thinks so, but should we be concerned?

In addition, Yoda Labs bring a new section this week where you can get the updates on the ongoing Alpha tests, early accesses for top Web3 games

Yoda Labs proudly invites you to our recently launched community for builders, gamers, VCs, streamers, ecosystem folks and more!

Web3 Gaming News 🎮

  • Cradles: Origin of Species public beta begins in July 2023, offering unique NFT-based creature breeding and trading

  • Mojo Melee launches Season One on Google Play, featuring exciting battles with unique Mojo creatures, new features, challenges, and rewards.

  • Quicksave Interactive introduces Garden of Friends chapter in Axie Infinity, offering new gameplay features, quests, and characters

  • Mighty Bear Games switches blockchain platforms just before game launch, showcasing industry flexibility making the switch from Polygon to Arbitrum

  • Gran Saga, an anime MMORPG, is gaining unlimited early access on the Aptos platform, showcasing its stunning visuals and engaging storyline

Web3 Gaming Trends 🚀

  • Ubisoft, Roblox, and Blizzard use generative AI to automate game development, creating content like character renderings, language models, and interactive NPC interactions

AI Game Development Tools Here to Stay

Game studios are using AI to automate the most tedious elements of game development and instantly conjure characters. Ubisoft is using AI to generate realistic facial expressions for its characters -utilizing a tool called DeepMind's Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) to generate realistic facial expressions for its characters.

Roblox is using AI to create custom avatars for its users via the use of a tool called Loom.ai to create custom avatars for its users. Blizzard on the other hand is using a tool called Lyrebird to generate dialogue for its characters.

The use of such tools saves developers a significant amount of time. As AI technology continues to develop, we can expect to see adoption in Web3 game studios and even more innovative applications of AI in the game development industry.

  • Ultra gaming platform tokenizes its first free-to-play game, allowing more and more players to witness the evolution in decentralized gaming

Web3 Funding News 💸

  • Xertio, a Web3 game publisher, secures $15M from Binance Labs to lead the on-chain game development

  • Karta secures $1.1 million in funding from music and gaming industries to develop a metaverse platform bridging music and gaming

  • PikaMoon, an Ethereum-based game, raised $3.6 million in its final ICO phase, using NFTs as in-game assets, showcasing interest in the growing trend of ICOs for game development.

Exploring the Metaverse 🛸

  • Prince Pepe NFT project aims to transform metaverse experience with royalty and feudalism elements, organized in a feudal hierarchy

  • Megaverse launches land sale on Binance NFT platform, redefining virtual reality, augmented reality, and NFTs for users to explore and own

  • EU unveils metaverse vision, focusing on standards, governance, and funding for inclusivity, sustainability, and user-centricity.

Will Web4.0 Be Driven By The Metaverse?

The EU's 27 member states have included "Web 4.0" among key technologies to remain competitive. However, EU lawmaker Axel Voss warned of numerous legal challenges in the metaverse and called for an update of the General Data Protection Regulation. Voss is concerned that the EU might repeat past mistakes, like failing to manage illegal content on social media, and emphasized the need for immediate and concerted action.

But as consumers, users, explorers, and players, should we also be concerned?

The development of the metaverse comes with noteworthy concerns. Privacy and security are paramount due to vast amounts of user data at risk. The possibility of a widened digital divide is also a concern, as access may be restricted to those with resources for high-speed internet and requisite hardware. The metaverse may also open avenues for new forms of crime in virtual environments. Misinformation and propaganda could be magnified in these immersive spaces, posing further challenges. Mental health is another concern as we contemplate the impacts of increased time in virtual environments. Ethical dilemmas such as rights of virtual avatars, commercialization, commoditization, of virtual spaces, and potential replication of real-world biases also is a concern.

However potential benefits of the metaverse, in areas such as communication, education, work, and entertainment, create the need for a balanced dialogue between lawmakers, tech firms, and society to mitigate risks while maximizing benefits.

  • Terraforms, NFTs representing virtual lands in the metaverse, gain popularity for creators, investors, and enthusiasts, enabling virtual real estate ownership and ecosystem development

  • Pixel Pets introduces metaverse Mutts, combining blockchain technology and NFTs for unique pet ownership and customization.

Alpha Test, Early Access & Hands-On Gaming ⚒️

Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with the latest news and announcements!

"Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you, it will”
-Yoda

See you same place same time next week!

❤❤❤

Yoda Labs team