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Adult-themed games on Roblox?
The Sandbox x ZeptoLab’s new metaverse, new clip-sharing app Postparty, plus more top stories
🎮 Metaproof Gaming
Hey frens, this is Jacob from 🎮 Metaproof Gaming, the weekly newsletter where we keep you informed on how the metaverse and web3 are changing the gaming industry.
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📲 By the numbers
Roblox is doing more than okay: it reported it had 58.8 million average daily active users, up 19% YoY, as of the fourth quarter. For the full year 2022, average DAUs were 56 million, up 23% YoY, while January’s average DAUs had climbed to 65 million, or up 19% YoY. (Source)
The 2023 Global Digital Report discovered that video games were played by 95.8% of Filipino internet users between ages 16 and 64. According to these figures, the Philippines has the largest population of gamers in the world. (Source)
According to a recent DappRadar report, play-to-earn and metaverse games raised $1.3B in just the third quarter of 2022. This is because approximately 1 million wallets are active every day and participate in these activities. (Source)
📫 News & trends
Popular online game Roblox is set to introduce an update that will allow for adult content, such as profanity, gambling, and alcohol references, to be included in the game. The update has drawn mixed reactions from players, as it will bring new games and user-generated content to the community.
According to Roblox, the update will include age guidelines for games with adult themes, as well as new parental guidelines and settings. The company aims to strike a balance between catering to adult users and protecting younger players from inappropriate content.
However, critics of the update have expressed concern that younger players may be able to access 18+ games by changing their age on their profiles, or be scammed or misled by other players on the server. We’ll stay on the lookout for these changes expected to take effect in the coming months.
Meanwhile, in a boost for the metaverse, Roblox stock popped 25% after strong fourth-quarter earnings, with investors reacting to its better-than-expected earnings as it appeals to a younger demographic who go online to play games as well as to socialize with other players.
The Sandbox and ZeptoLab have announced a partnership to create a new metaverse project that will allow players to manage and serve customers in Om Nom Café, located in the city of Nomville. This new platform is expected to be a creative application of immersive experiences that push the boundaries of technology.
The decentralized gaming platform has gained attention in the gaming industry for allowing users to create, share, and monetize their own gaming experiences. ZeptoLab, known for its popular mobile game Cut the Rope, will bring its expertise to the project by creating new NFTs around the characters from Cut the Rope 2 and the Ancestors from Cut the Rope: Time Travel gameplays.
Epic Games has released a new clip-sharing app called Postparty, designed to make it easier for players of Fortnite and Rocket League to share gameplay clips on social media. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices, and allows players to share clips from Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and PC. Those who download the app and link their account will receive a special in-game Fortnite spray and wrap.
Epic Games recognizes that a smooth social world is the key to success in a multiplayer game. By simplifying the process of sharing clips, the company hopes to increase engagement and grow its community. Postparty is a step towards this goal, making it easier for players to showcase their best moments and connect with others who share their passion for gaming.
AlterVerse, a metaverse game company, has partnered with energy drink maker RIOT Energy to offer gamers clean energy drinks made from real ingredients. The announcement was made on Monday, and the new storefront in Sky City and vending machines located in other quests will provide players with the option to purchase drinks.
The partnership is part of a growing trend in the gaming industry to provide in-game purchases for gamers to enhance their experience. RIOT Energy, known for its commitment to using clean and organic ingredients, aims to provide gamers with the energy needed to perform well in-game without sacrificing their health.
On March 16th, Mastercard and Xsolla announced their collaboration to simplify payments for gamers. Xsolla, a payment platform for video games, has partnered with Mastercard to expand payment options and make purchases easier for users, with the goal to make in-game transactions smoother for gamers as well as to help developers monetize their games.
According to a report by App Annie, mobile game sales hit a decade-low in 2020. However, the report suggests that the mobile gaming market will still expand in the coming years, fueled by the growth of emerging markets and the popularity of hyper-casual games.
As the metaverse expands, virtual transaction capabilities are expected to bring more extensive use cases to the platform, including virtual real estate sales, the ability to buy virtual items and experiences, and more. Experts predict that the use of virtual currency in the metaverse will become more mainstream and virtual currencies could surpass traditional fiat currencies in the long run.
Nakamoto Games is embracing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance players' experience on its platform. The company is integrating AI into its upcoming multiplayer game NAKA Blaster and by doing so, its players will be able to battle against AI-trained bots that can develop their own strategies based on the temperament of the players. This approach promises to make the game more immersive and challenging for the community.
This marks a significant development for Nakamoto Games, as it looks to leverage AI to provide unique and engaging experiences for gamers. With NAKA Blaster, the company is taking a big step towards that goal, introducing AI to the multiplayer gaming world and potentially paving the way for more sophisticated, intelligent gaming experiences that could captivate players in new and exciting ways.
Zilliqa has announced the completion of the spin-off of its gaming division into a new standalone business, Roll1ng Thund3rz (RTz). The new gaming company, aiming to bring blockchain and NFTs to the gaming industry, is set to release its first flagship title, Web3War, on March 31. The game is said to be a blockchain-based, PvP arena game that will allow players to earn and trade unique NFT weapons and armor.
By launching RTz, Zilliqa hopes to expand the adoption of blockchain in the gaming industry and bring the benefits of decentralized gaming to a wider audience. With Web3War, RTz hopes to set a new standard for blockchain gaming and offer players a unique, immersive experience that combines blockchain, NFTs, and gaming for the best of those worlds.
🏃♂️Quick hits
Sandbox VR has launched a new virtual reality experience based on the popular Netflix series, Squid Game, at its 30 locations worldwide. The immersive experience, which requires use of VR gear, allows players to explore a virtual world inspired by the show and compete against each other in an arena-style game until only one player remains.
The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, taking place in France on June 19 and 23, will be featuring games and the metaverse in 2023. The Entertainment Lion for Gaming category will recognize creative work that links people to brands via gameplay, while the New Realities and Emerging Tech category is created in response to the increasing buzz around the metaverse.
MEVerse introduced MEVerse GameZ, a social casual game zone in the form of web3. The demo version will be opened throughout next week for users to get familiar with the platform.
Jill Magid has launched the NFT project Out-Game Flowers, available on the Artwrld platform. The digital flower arrangements consist of flowers that were obtained without permission from the source codes of popular video games such as Final Fantasy and Minecraft, with each flower holding a unique value within its respective virtual world.
PlaceWar and Arena Games have joined forces to bring blockchain technology to the online gaming industry. PlaceWar is a decentralized artillery game that allows players to earn while they play, while Arena Games is a web3 platform that offers developers easy access to a variety of blockchain gaming technologies.
💸 Finance buzz
NTT Docomo Ventures invested an unspecified sum in a US startup that has introduced a mobile cloud streaming platform for gamers, in a bid to offer multi-device metaverse services. (Source)
Ajuna Network raised $5M in a private funding round, coinciding with the launch of its NFT game collection Awesome Ajuna Avatars. The decentralized gaming platform had previously raised $2M in a seed round. (Source)
Matr1x, the web3 industry's first mobile shooting game, secured $10M and is set to conclude a fresh round of funding, in a move that marks the South Korean giant's first step into web3. (Source)
🗣️ Quote of the week
“There’s no doubt that gaming as a sector is the first reference point and early version of the metaverse. From a tech point of view that sector is a little bit ahead, and that’s where Sweden has had a lot of experience over the last decade.
One in four people in the world have played games manufactured or developed in Sweden. You can already see a lot of gaming studios going into metaverse development, and lots of talent being recruited from gaming companies.”
All content on this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not aim to serve as or replace expert investment advice.
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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.
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