GAM3 Awards Returns: Nominations Open | GAM3S Grid Weekly

Nominate your favorite games and creators, Shrapnel Raises $20M, Ember Sword Playtest and More!

Author

GAM3S.GG
October 26, 2023

🔥 Top headlines from this week’s digest:

  • GAM3 Awards Return for Second Year, Nominations Open

  • Neon Machine Raises $20M for Shrapnel Extraction Shooter

  • Habbo Renames NFTs as "Habbo Collectibles"

  • NFT Worlds Rebrands to HYTOPIA and Reveals $3M Funding

  • Ember Sword First Impressions: Dungeons Galore

  • Upland Secures $7M Investment for Web3 Metaverse Expansion

  • NFL Rivals Grows to Three Million Players and Revenues Surge

  • Neal Stephenson’s Lamina1 Reveals Plans & Partnership with Avalanche

  • Dr. Disrespect's Deadrop Snapshot VII Features Cars & Racing Battles

  • The Sandbox Game Shifts Focus to Content Creation in Web3 Gaming

  • Ready Player Me Introduces Premium Skins Catalog for Avatars

  • PUBG Mobile Invests $100 Million in “Wonder Creators Network”

  • State of Web3 Gaming in Q3 2023: DappRadar x BGA Report

  • Konvoy Gaming Industry Report Q3 2023: Funding, M&A, and Web3

🏆 GAM3 Awards Returns

We are thrilled to announce the return of the biggest web3 gaming event of the year, the GAM3 Awards, for its second consecutive year, with 19 categories, 50+ industry leaders, and a $2M prize pool to crown the best web3 games and creators.

We’re proud to present this year’s event in partnership with Magic Eden.

Nominations for People's Choice and Best Content Creator are now open, directly on GAM3S.GG, and will run until the shortlist is announced ahead of the final voting.

⚔️ NEW GAM3 Quests

It is time to prove you are the best warrior in all of Lunacia. Win 12 Ranked games to win one of the following:

  • 100 Regular Axies

  • 10 Japanese Axies

Start Quest | Ends Nov 2nd

Complete the missions below to get the chance to open a Mystery Box with NFTs from the featured games; Nyan Heroes, Wreck League, Blocklords, Pirate Nation, and Shardbound.

Start Quest | Ends Oct 31st

đź“ť Konvoy Gaming Industry Report Q3 2023: Funding, M&A, and Web3

Discover the latest gaming industry insights from Konvoy's Q3 2023 report. Explore funding trends, and major M&A deals, with a focus on the evolving landscape of web3 gaming.

What’s Going On Here? 

Konvoy has recently released its Gaming Industry Report for Q3 2023, offering a deep dive into the latest trends and developments in the gaming sector. This report covers private market funding shifts, notable mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and the evolving landscape of web3 gaming.

What Does This Mean?

In Q3 2023, the gaming industry saw a 9% decrease in venture capital funding, amounting to $454 million, down from $498 million in the previous quarter. Interestingly, these funds were primarily directed toward content development, including game studios, with around $275 million invested, while game tech and platform companies secured roughly $90 million.

Despite the dip in funding, the industry remains on a growth trajectory. Konvoy predicts that the gaming sector will generate $188 billion in revenue for the year and is set to reach a staggering $288 billion by 2028, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.94%.

Web3 gaming tech and platform funding highlighted notable players, including Proof Of Play, Xborg, and GAM3S.GG, securing substantial amounts. Animoca Brands' Mocaverse, Xterio's Overworld, and GamePhilos also attracted significant funding.

In terms of regional activity, Asia continued to lead in investment, with $193 million directed to 39 companies. North America saw a slight increase in deals and funding, while Europe experienced a 40% drop in investment in Q3.

Why Should I Care?

This Q3 2023 gaming industry report holds relevance for several reasons:

  1. Web3 Gaming Evolution: The report sheds light on the evolving landscape of web3 gaming, with substantial funding in the web3 gaming tech and platform sectors. This suggests that web3 gaming is gaining traction and reshaping the industry.

  2. Content Development Focus: The emphasis on content development underscores the importance of creating engaging and quality games, aligning with the principles of web3 gaming.

  3. Mergers and Acquisitions Dynamics: The dynamics of M&A, including Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, highlight the evolving competitive landscape and its potential impact on the gaming industry.

  4. Unity's Strategic Changes: The report mentions Unity's strategic changes, which can have ripple effects in the gaming ecosystem, including web3 gaming.

Read the full report breakdown here

✍️ Reviews of the Week

We defended our base valiantly in a tower defense title and dove deep into dungeons filled with loot and dangerous enemies in our two featured reviews:

While WAGMI Defense graphics are well done, character animations and disappearances need improvement. Sound design is strong, but unique soundtracks for maps and dynamic music could enhance immersion. Addressing player retention issues, such as limited box capacity and leveling challenges, is essential.

Crypto Raiders’ gameplay has limitations, as characters can only run five dungeons weekly unless they purchase additional keys, and quests lack excitement. The game suffers from persistent bugs, and the absence of an in-game tutorial is a major drawback, making it challenging for newcomers.

🎮 Fresh Games

From racing on the tracks with supercars to exploring the mysteries behind the floating continent, check out the latest games added to our platform!

Nitro Nation World Tour, a mobile racing game, offers players a global racing experience with unique social features and true ownership of their car collection with hundreds of licensed NFT cars from top manufacturers.

Symbiogenesis immerses players in a mysterious floating continent, blending intricate storylines with strategic gameplay. Discover the secrets of this enigmatic world.

🎙️Conversation of the Week

This week we spoke with Amitt Mahajan - CEO and Co-founder of Proof of Play, the studio behind Pirate Nation, to learn more about their choice to build fully on-chain games and how they are spending the $33M raised.

Pirate Nation is an exciting new on-chain pirate-themed RPG game that offers players a high seas adventure filled with treasure, fun, and unexpected surprises. Players can collect and send pirates on thrilling expeditions, where they can gather materials for crafting, treasures, and pirate gold.

What You Need to Know About Pirate Nation:

  • Gameplay and Setting: Pirate Nation is an on-chain, pirate-themed RPG set on Arbitrum Nova, offering a high seas adventure where players can send pirates on expeditions to gather materials, treasures, and pirate gold. The game's ultimate goal is to create a vast, immersive world filled with countless adventures.

  • Pirate NFTs and Progression: Players choose a pirate as their captain, gaining unique benefits and using items like Rum to restore energy. Pirates gain experience points from quests, and leveling up enhances their abilities and access to more rewarding quests. Each pirate has an elemental affinity and expertise, impacting combat performance.

  • Future Plans: A standout feature in Proof of Play's roadmap is the ambition to create a "Forever Game." This concept seeks a game that operates autonomously, without the need for external servers or direct intervention from its creators.

  • Open Playground: Reflecting its expansive vision, Proof of Play envisions a platform that's open-source, enabling players to infuse their creativity into in-game assets. These user-generated constructs can then be harnessed by either Proof of Play or other developers to design and expand self-sufficient digital worlds.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation recording here

đź“ş Video: Ember Sword Ultra Deep Alpha Playtest

We got the chance to participate in the Ember Sword Ultra Deep Alpha Playtest and share our experience trying to take down Shauk and restore peace to Thanabus. Make sure to check it out and let us know if you managed to take him down in the comments section 👇

đź’š Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this week’s recap, we’d appreciate it if you shared it with a friend - share your unique link: https://gam3sgg.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=

Until next time, happy gaming!