Weekly Digest

September bursts onto the scene with unexpected news catching the Web3 gaming industry off-guard - Gala Games is in turmoil due to internal conflicts, with its co-founders entangled in a fierce legal skirmish. Google has taken a notable step forward by permitting NFT games to advertise on its platform. Guild of Guardians is pivoting its attention to player onboarding, while Mythical Games is undergoing a strategic shift from PC to mobile platforms. Not to be left behind, Immutable is setting its sights on the Asian market, recognizing it as a potential hotbed for exponential growth. With such a shift taking place, one has to ask: What do you think is the biggest game-changer of this week?

Also in our weekly digest:

• Torque Drift 2 introduces simulation drifting to blockchain gaming

• EPIC Games adopts new tech, leaving STEAM with outdated views

• The team behind Arbitrum thinks it can dominate on-chain gaming

• Taxation could be on its way to the metaverse and we don’t like it

• Yuga Labs announces the open beta of its 2D strategy game

• Kaj Labs drops $6M funding for Galactic War

Yoda’s next instituional level in-depth research is here. The most comprehensive look at the Gala Games ecosystem and it’s future!

Web3 Gaming News 🎮

• Google will allow NFT games to run ads provided they don't promote gambling content, starting September 15, advertisers must comply with Google's gambling and games policy, and Google Ads certification

• Gala Games has announced a partnership with social media network REP to bring their app and ecosystem to GalaChain. REP will feature a 'Super Twitter', allowing users to create private social networks

• Torque Drift 2 by Grease Monkey Games, the Australian-based subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is a Web3 driving game that promises phygital integrations to entice players into immersive drifting

• South Korean video game company behind PUBG, Krafton plans to launch Settlus, a Cosmos-based blockchain, in early 2024, offering creators a transparent settlement system and NFTs for royalty rights.

• Sipher, the cyberpunk Web3 battler, is entering its closed alpha phase, allowing select players and testers to experience its features, mechanics, and gameplay

• Offchain Labs, the team behind Arbitrum, has gained interest in the NFT gaming sector with the introduction of AnyTrust stack and Arbitrum Orbit

• Yuga Labs has launched a 13-week cipher puzzle series called TwelveFold, inspired by Bitcoin-based artwork. Participants can win Bitcoin prizes by solving puzzles

• Zynga, the mobile gaming giant owned by Take-Two Interactive, is making its Web3 debut with a new franchise, Sugartown

• Crypto.com's NFT collection, Loaded Lions, has entered the Web3 gaming world with its debut game "Loaded Lions: Mane City." Built on the Cronos blockchain

• Epic Games supports AI-generated & blockchain games on its digital storefront, contrasting Valve's ban on Steam, CEO Tim Sweeney criticizes Valve's cautious approach

• Tokyo Beast, a crypto game built on Polygon, will launch during Korea Blockchain Week, the game features players collecting and battling digital creatures called "Beasts" to earn rewards and tokens

• Phantom Galaxies introduces the Ceres Quadrant, a planet-centric gameplay experience for planet owners, Planet NFTs can send drones for Recon missions and complete weekly missions to earn $ASTRAFER

• Champions Ascension has released a month-long Xiva Festival, celebrating fire spirits and bringing harmony to Massina the festival runs from August 29 to September 23

• Gala Games co-founders Eric Schiermeyer and Wright Thurston have filed a legal dispute, alleging theft of $130 million in GALA tokens

Is Gala Games In Trouble?

Eric Schiermeyer and Wright Thurston, the co-founders of Gala Games, a blockchain gaming company, are engaged in a legal dispute. Schiermeyer is suing Thurston, alleging that he misappropriated $130 million in GALA tokens, the native cryptocurrency of Gala Games. Schiermeyer also alleges that Thurston denied him access to company records and operated the company independently. Thurston has denied the allegations and has countersued Schiermeyer, alleging that he was wrongfully removed as CEO of Gala Games.

The legal battle is ongoing and has cast uncertainty over the future of Gala Games. The company has been forced to delay the launch of several games, and its stock price has plummeted. The outcome of the legal battle could have a significant impact on the future of blockchain gaming.

If Schiermeyer is successful in his lawsuit, it could set a precedent for other lawsuits involving blockchain gaming companies. It could also make it more difficult for blockchain gaming companies to raise money and attract new investors. If Thurston is successful in his lawsuit, it could damage the reputation of Gala Games and make it more difficult for the company to attract new users.

The legal battle between Schiermeyer and Thurston is a major setback for Gala Games. The outcome of the case could have a significant impact on the future of blockchain gaming. However, since the dispute kicked off, Gala has come out with an official statement.

• Guild of Guardians has revamped its economy, focusing on onboarding players and making Web3 functionality optional. The game will have two primary branches: dungeon crawling and crafting

• Mythical Games has shifted its focus from PC to mobile gaming, focusing on "Blankos Mobile" the game, which gained traction during the early blockchain gaming craze, will remain unchanged

• "Cradles" is set to launch its open beta on 10th September, as part of a rolling list of game launches, including "Zeedz" on 5th October, "Wreck League" on 14th September

• Bazooka Tango has launched alpha pre-registrations for its turn-based strategy game "Shardbound" from 7-17 September. Ather Labs' RPG "Sipher Odyssey" is now open for NFT holders

• Zebedee, a Bitcoin gaming payment network, has added six new mobile games to its ZBD platform, including "Bitcoin Cards," "Dubbz Arcade," "Satoshi Goals," and "Bitcoin2048."

• Chicken Derby the chicken racing sim built on Polygon is introducing a new token called BAWK, designed for upcoming features like breeding and mini-games

• Hurley has launched digital collectible NFTs, including the Super Surfer™ game and the Hurleyverse, on the SKALE blockchain, available for purchase on Jump.trade

• Cryptopia is a blockchain-based world where citizens can create a bright future by building a DeFi empire or becoming a skilled Adventurer

• Sastanaqqam is nearing completion of its game-centric blockchain, a platform for gaming and decentralized applications

• WAGMI Games, a Web 3.0 gaming company, aims to transform the gaming landscape by empowering gamers with control over their content

• Immutable is to focus on Asia gaming region as the talent and capital in Web3 are undergoing a mass migration towards powerhouse economy hubs in Asia

• Oasys and double jump.tokyo will have a joint booth at the Tokyo Game Show 2023, featuring exclusive products related to "Battle of Three Kingdoms."

• MetaCene, a blockchain MMORPG, is set to release in Q3 2024, combining Web3 gaming with AI and blockchain technologies

• Untitled Platformer is a popular SKALE game that combines 80s pixel aesthetics with blockchain technology. Launched in May 2023, the game allows players to hop on and off anytime they want

Web3 Gaming Trends 🚀

• Animoca Brands, is developing tools that integrate AI and NFTs for educational purposes to speed up content creation

• Mino Games is incorporating real-time AI into its upcoming game, "Dimensionals," a move that reflects the growing trend of leveraging AI technologies in gaming

• Harvard legal expert Christine Kim suggests that the metaverse should be taxed, as it allows participants to build wealth within its ecosystem

Christine Kim Has Fast-Tracked the Idea of Metaverse Taxation 

The metaverse is a virtual world that is still in its early stages of development, but it has the potential to be a major economic force. As people increasingly spend time and money in the metaverse, governments could see this as an opportunity to tax this new economy.

Harvard legal scholar Christine Kim argues that income and wealth in the metaverse should be subject to immediate taxation. She points out that the metaverse allows participants to create and build wealth entirely within its ecosystem, and that this burgeoning wealth sector should be regulated under tax codes. She also argues that failure to tax the metaverse would create a tax haven.

Kim's arguments are persuasive as she presents her views. We have already begun to see the rollout of state services as governments put more focus on the metaverse. A narrative could easily be adopted highlighting the need to uphold law and order, failure to do so could lead to unfair competition and tax evasion.

Of course, there are some challenges to taxing the metaverse as it can be difficult to determine the value of metaverse assets. But, these challenges are not insurmountable. Governments have a history of adapting tax laws to new economic realities, and they will likely be able to do the same with the metaverse. This is a trend that we are not looking forward to.

Web3 Funding News 💸

• Galactic War, a P2E game, has received $6 million in funding from KaJ Labs, a non-profit blockchain and AI research company, to support its development over the next ten years.

• BulletChain, a web3 combat game, raised $2M in a private sale funded by Asian gamers. The game, available on Android and iOS

• Web3 venture capitalists have established a $20 million fund to invest in undervalued Web3 projects and companies focused on blockchain gaming and tokens

Exploring the Metaverse 🛸

• RFOX VALT is a metaverse that combines Web3 innovation and AI-enhanced creative tools, allowing creators to customize spaces, experiences, and assets using AI tools

• The Otherside metaverse project by Yuga Labs aims to be the metaverse of all metaverses, bringing interoperability of digital assets to the forefront

• Sorare, a popular fantasy football platform, has introduced 3D and AR player cards, allowing users to view their digital cards in three dimensions and virtually place them in their real-world surroundings

• The Sandbox is hosting a Grand Boss Battle Game Jam, inviting budding game creators to create an epic, Deadfellaz-inspired boss battle using game maker software

• Yuga Labs has announced the release of its 2D strategy game, Legends of the Mara (LoTM), in open beta

Alpha Test, Early Access & Hands-On Gaming ⚒️

Mojo Melee‘ Fall Faceoff tournament, 1st-9th September

Rift opens in Yuga’s HV-MTL Forge, 7th September

Shardbound alpha test, 7th September

Rise of Otto from Aviram Studio launching in The Sandbox, 8th September

Cradles open beta launch, 10th September

Fableborne Esperkin PFPs mint on Magic Eden, 12th September

Captain Tsubasa avatar mint in The Sandbox, 12th September

Pocket Gamer Connects returns to Helsinki, 12th-13th September

Wreck League box open and game launch, 14th September

Zeedz public alpha launch, 5th October

Upcoming Free Gaming Mints ⚒️

Cryptopia September 7th

Infinite Victory September 7th

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^{"Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future”}
-Yoda

See you same place same time next week!

❤❤❤

Yoda Labs team