- Metaproof Gaming
- Posts
- Fortnite and PS VR2 are shaping mixed reality’s future
Fortnite and PS VR2 are shaping mixed reality’s future
UN’s educational metaverse game for teens, MMORPG Resurgence on ImmutableX, plus more top stories
Metaproof Team
February 02, 2023
🎮 Metaproof Gaming
Hey frens, this is Sophia from 🎮 Metaproof Gaming, the weekly newsletter where we keep you informed on how the metaverse and web3 are changing the gaming industry.
Stay informed via our Twitter and Subscribe here to get your metaverse gaming news every Thursday.
💌 A quick thanks to our friends…
This edition is sponsored by Atmos. Mine, fabricate, and compete in what we like to call “intergalactic F1 racing.” The Atmos team is made up of experienced game developers and web3 OGs that are building an incredible experience. Join up and build the fastest, most efficient Exosuit possible to race for glory in ExoGP. Check them out today!
📲 By the numbers
Metaverse-related tokens have started the year hot, outperforming Bitcoin by large margins (Source):
Decentraland's MANA, the metaverse project's native token, increased by 145% in January. Decentraland's price hike has mainly coincided with the platform's mid-month launch of a number of new features, albeit user numbers haven't grown considerably.
Yield Guild Games' YGG, a gaming guild that invests in the play-to-earn world and offers players on-ramps, has increased in value by 92%. It has a market capitalization of $57M.
The Sandbox's SAND token has increased by 91% in value ahead of its token release in mid-February.
AXS, the token of the play-to-earn game Axie Infinity, garnered roughly 75% throughout the month and will be unlocked in April.
📫 News & trends
The gaming industry is constantly evolving and the recent advancements in mixed reality and metaverse gaming are no exception. With the upcoming release of the PlayStation VR2 and Meta Quest headsets, developers are eagerly anticipating the potential of these new technologies.According to a recent survey:
18% of developers plan to release their next game on the PS VR2.
35% of developers expressed interest in the PS VR2, while 39% showed interest in the Meta Quest headset.
The potential of the metaverse has not gone unnoticed, with 14% of surveyed developers believing that Fortnite will be the team to deliver on its promise.
Not everyone is convinced. 45% of developers remain skeptical about the potential of the metaverse. One respondent even stated that the metaverse needs cheaper and better hardware, as well as a unique experience that cannot be found elsewhere.
As the industry continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how the mixed reality and metaverse gaming experiences develop. Will the PS VR2 and Meta Quest be the game changers the industry needs, or will they fall short of expectations? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain, the future of gaming is an exhilarating one.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a new game called Apollo's Edition, aimed at promoting environmental education in a fun and engaging way. The game utilizes the potential of the metaverse to provide players with a unique and realistic experience through in-game avatars and motion capture technology. It’s an addition to the main game platform called Reset Earth, which offers a host of educational metaverse games that teaches players ages 13 to 18 about environmental education, mostly about the dangers of the planet’s depleting ozone layer.
In this game, players are tasked to make important decisions that will impact the game's progression, giving them a hands-on approach to learning about environmental issues and the steps they can take to address them. This is yet another compelling use case of the metaverse as a platform for a wide range of educational purposes, connecting users globally and promoting learning beyond borders.
Emergent Games has taken the next step in the world of web3 gaming by launching its MMORPG, Resurgence, on the ImmutableX blockchain platform. The platform offers high scalability and zero gas fees, making it an ideal choice for blockchain games.
With Resurgence, a web3 massively multiplayer online role-playing game, players can expect a seamless gaming experience with the added benefits of blockchain technology, such as secure item ownership and true player-driven economies. This new addition to the ImmutableX platform helps solidify its position as a leader in the web3 gaming space, alongside other top games such as Gods Unchained, Illuvium, and Guild of Guardians.
Manticore Games, leading developer of online games, and MekaVerse, a blockchain platform that allows players to create their own 2D PFPs or physical game pieces that they can use in their games, have partnered to create a collection of NFTs called Meka-Drivers.
With 8,888 pieces available, the Meka-Drivers collection includes exclusive features such as the social hub, Meka-Hangar, and Training Ground. The collection was set to mint January 27, with the full reveal of the pieces coming the week after.
Big Time has been named Game of the Year at the GAM3RS Choice Awards in Miami, one of three awards earned by the multiplayer RPG. The free-to-play title was won by Illuvium, Blankos Block Party, Undead Blocks, and ev.io, which also won Game of the Year at the inaugural GAM3 awards in December.
Big Time is a free-to-play, multiplayer action RPG with a mystery danger that threatens the existence of time. To offer an unusual gaming experience, the game blends fantasy warfare, collector NFTs, and a history-spanning quest.
The world of blockchain is expanding into new and exciting territories, particularly in the realm of gaming. One of the newest and most exciting additions to the space is MixMob Racer 1 Alpha V3, a platform that enables easier access to web3. Coinciding with the release of MixMob Racer 1 Alpha V3 is the launch of its "Got SUD$" campaign, which introduces the game's virtual currency. Players with enough SUD$ can buy entry into Arenas, where they can compete in Rookie, Hero, or Degen modes to win even more SUD$.
Powered by Solana, MixMob Racer 1 is now playable on mobile devices and on the newest release allows non-racers to benefit from the game's expanded and improved viewing and wagering features. SUD$ can also be traded for future incentives like digital collectibles and season game passes, with the developer predicting a significant spike in user interest from the latest development.
gDEX has announced its tie-up with The Wake Game to onboard the game and provide a center for gamers, developers, and guilds to interact and cohabitate. The Wake Game will be one of the first to join the gDEX Metaverse, employing gDEX's capabilities to enable interoperability throughout their game while also taking full advantage of gDEX's metaverse passport and metahub features to enhance its players' gaming experience.
The gDEX Metaverse Passport allows players to take ownership of their gaming experience by giving them access to all of their games, guilds, and items across all games on the platform. This means that players can literally own their gaming experience in a way they never could before! gDEX Metaverse also offers an ecosystem for professionals who want to start their careers as professional gamers; Metahub allows players who want to be part of a team or guild to find others who share their passion for gaming, providing a portal for those who want to join the professional ranks.
GGslayer and web3 ecosystem RACA have announced a strategic partnership that will give GGslayer access to RACA's extensive portfolio of products, including Metamon, USM metaverse, and NFT marketplace. This partnership will enable GGslayer to tap into the exciting world of NFTs and metaverse. The details we know:
GGslayer is currently experiencing a 151% increase in total users, making this an opportune time for it to expand into the metaverse.
RACA has recently launched JAZ Network, a BNB side chain, and is planning to launch its mainnet in February 2023. This will provide a secure and scalable infrastructure for GGslayer to build on.
RACA is also planning to elevate its new game, the social deduction game Looki Looki Jazzi, which will further bolster the partnership by providing an additional platform for users to interact with NFTs.
Auxuman, an AI game generator app that enables users to create multiplayer sessions from text input by creating a custom avatar and then sending them into a virtual world where they can interact with other players, has partnered with Oorbit and LG Electronics to bring metaverse gaming to LG Smart TVs in the United States.
This new partnership will allow users to create personalized and customizable gaming experiences, which is exciting for Auxuman's future business growth, particularly because it will make it easier than ever before for the users to get into the metaverse on their TV sets. The cost of creating games may be too expensive for some users, but the AI technology behind AuxWorld can potentially build these experiences at a reasonable price point.
ExoWorlds, a gaming metaverse backed by VeChain, has launched its whitepaper with the aim of enhancing the user experience in the trillion-dollar gaming world. The platform is an open world metaverse that allows creators to build, explore, and conquer a verified galaxy, powered by 10,000 Planet Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) collections.
The protocol will focus on launching its Metaverse Prototype and conducting a public sale of its token later this year. The success of the platform may depend on the founding team's experience, as well as the sustainability of the token's tokenomics in the long run.
The metaverse has been a hot topic at CES 2023, with many companies showcasing efforts to use mixed reality and penetrate business opportunities more deeply. Game developers, experts in using game engines that they are, may be the ones to lead the way in the development of the metaverse.
According to a report from Accenture, over half of consumers surveyed see the metaverse as a business opportunity for creating and monetizing content. However, not all game developers are still not sold on the metaverse, with a recent survey from the Game Developers Conference finding that some developers are skeptical of the hype surrounding the much-hyped virtual realm.
Despite the mixed opinions, the potential of the metaverse continues to generate interest and investment. As companies strive to find new ways to utilize mixed reality, the role of gaming in the development of the metaverse remains an area to eagerly watch.
MMORPG Undeads Metaverse has successfully managed its vendors, for tasks such as 3D scanning or off-the-shelf hardware, to create an immersive experience for players. The key to this success: careful vendor management, an important factor in the creation of any product.
To ensure the best results, it is recommended to keep as much of the process in-house as possible and to select vendors wisely. Establishing clear communication channels and regularly scheduled meetings is also crucial for effective vendor management. Outsourcing tasks can be expensive and may not guarantee high project priority for your project, so it’s key to consider the costs and benefits while mapping out a vendor management strategy.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, VR and AR are proving to be more than just passing trends. While these technologies still make up a small portion of the gaming market, their popularity is on the rise, with more and more players and developers getting on board. The metaverse itself is picking up steam in gaming, as new and existing businesses alike move to secure funding, spin up projects, and develop new technology.
One of the main drivers of VR and AR's growth is the PC platform. With the rise of powerful and accessible hardware, game developers have been able to create more immersive and interactive experiences for players. Additionally, the concept of the metaverse has also gained traction, with many companies exploring the potential of using mixed reality to expand collaborative opportunities.
The Indian esports market is on the brink of major changes in 2023, with new trends and developments set to shape the industry. One of the biggest trends is the rise of the metaverse, a virtual reality network that will be used to facilitate online gaming and other social activities. This will have a major impact on the way we play and interact with games, and is poised to change the Indian esports landscape.
Another trend is the shift from casual to mid-core games, as gamers become more invested in esports. This will lead to a rise in competitive gaming and more investment in the industry. There is also a growing emphasis on women-centric games and independent games, which are poised to gain traction in the local market.
💸 Finance buzz
Big Time Studios, the company behind a free-to-player multiplayer action RPG, received $21M in two rounds of fundraising. The second round closed a $11M fund to invest in gaming firms that use its technologies. (Source)
Cryptocurrency gaming platform Oh Baby Games emerged from stealth after raising $6M in seed funding. (Source)
Tech firm Alpha Metaverse Technologies Inc. launched its Center of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence (AI), which will focus on developing cutting-edge AI technologies aimed at improving the efficiency and quality of 3D modeling, optimization, and automated content production. (Source)
🗣️ Quote of the week
“The future of gaming will be powered by player ownership, social collaboration, and creative expression.”
All content on this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not aim to serve as or replace expert investment advice.
--
If you are a startup building in the metaverse / web3 ecosystem and are raising capital, please reach out to Sfermion. Sfermion is an investment firm focused on accelerating the emergence of the metaverse.
If you enjoyed this content, Subscribe here and stay informed via our Twitter to get your fix of metaverse gaming news. See you next Thursday!