Gods Unchained on Epic Games Store

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This week we are covering…

📈 Gods Unchained expands to 230M player base via Epic Games

🔲 Roblox targets age 17+ with TikTok-like experiences

🎮 AI-powered gaming moves this week

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Gods Unchained expands to 230M player base via Epic Games [Link]

Trading card game (TCG) Gods Unchained launches on the Epic Games Store, one of the largest PC gaming platforms worldwide.

Gods Unchained is also soft-launching on Google Play Store and Apple App Store in the latter half of the year, revamping its pack opening experience and streamlining gameplay as part of the shift.

Epic Games, the game publisher behind the wildly popular Fortnite and Unreal Engine, forges ahead in web3 gaming with a wealth of partnerships that include one with LVMH for new customer experiences in virtual fitting rooms, AR, fashion rooms, product digital twins, and more.

Why this is big news: This essentially opens up a massive audience for the game on the store, or more than 230M gamers globally composed of both traditional PC players and TCG enthusiasts. The move appeals to traditional gamers and blockchain enthusiasts alike, increasing the credibility and adoption of blockchain tech within the gaming space.

Roblox targets age 17+ with TikTok-like experiences [Link]

38% of Roblox’s daily active users are over 17 yet the platform experience is still highly focused on children.

In a statement, Roblox provides the following inside details:

• “As a natural evolution, we’re now allowing creators to make content specifically for this audience,” Roblox noted in reference to the age group, although it doesn’t specify a minimum age and thus allows all ages to create and join groups, chat, as well as interact with other users.

• The new experiences will likely feature more mature themes and storylines “like in TV shows or stand-up comedy,” which “may contain more violence, blood, or crude humor.”

• The statement harps on safety, saying it will deploy comprehensive safety and moderation tools namely age verification, parental control and guidance, and moderation and community standards.

Interestingly, TikTok has age 13 set as the required minimum age to use its platform, while it has no similar tools or mechanisms requiring users to prove their age during account registration.

Fortnite x LEGO could be bigger than you imagined [Link]

A presentation delivered by Epic Games and LEGO representatives uncover crucial details on the confirmed Fortnite and LEGO collaboration.

Epic Games president Adam Sussman and LEGO Global Chief Product and Marketing Officer Julia Goldin, presenting at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, gave fans a glimpse of their partnership: Digital Twin, which will focus on bringing real-world LEGO creations to Fortnite using Unreal Engine.

Some key guesses and speculations include Fortnite and LEGO joining forces for a crossover event.

What’s their common denominator? The sense of building, and this matters greatly in the space considering how many gamers enjoy Creative Mode, using the UEFN software, and the infinite possibilities from characters from completely different worlds coming together.

Nvidia sets tone for immersive gaming [Link]

NVIDIA is changing the game in video game development with its AI-powered storytelling tools. By integrating generative AI into the creative process, game designers can enhance existing narratives and create entirely new ones.

NVIDIA's ACE for Games platform, building on the back of the established Omniverse ACE solutions, enables developers to deploy customized speech, conversation, and animation AI models in their software and games.

The innovation on offer: This new design and storytelling tool targeting game designers could bring enterprise-level generative AI to indie games and AAA titles, something that game devs are already toying around with via mods of classic games.

AI-powered gaming moves this week

These recent developments demonstrate the growing influence of AI in web3 gaming, revolutionizing content creation, gameplay experiences, and development processes.

• Super League has integrated generative AI tech, including Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Adobe Firefly, Eleven Labs, and ChatGPT, to streamline their content development process. This integration has resulted in improved efficiency, high-quality content, and new business opportunities for the gaming giant.

• SenseTime has unveiled the SenseRobot Go, an advanced AI-powered robot designed for the strategic board game Go. With immersive gameplay, personalized support, and online capabilities, the SenseRobot Go offers a comprehensive gaming experience for players of all levels.

• YouTuber Tyler Green successfully developed a Pokemon Horror game with the help of ChatGPT. This collaboration, in its sheer simplicity, highlights the potential of AI in game development, showcasing the efficiency and creativity it brings to the process.

NFL Rivals breaches 1M downloads [Link]

Since its debut on April 26, NFL Rivals has quickly climbed to the top spot in the App Store, reflecting the enthusiasm and warm reception of web3 players.

The game has achieved remarkable success, with a 4.8 out of 5 App Store rating and 15M matches played. Players spend 2 hours per day engaging in an average of 6 sessions, showing a standout appeal and stickiness.

NFL Rivals offers NFT player cards of varying rarities, strengths, and weaknesses. Players can buy, sell, or trade via an in-game wallet. 10% of the players have engaged with the marketplace, including cards from Super Bowl LVII, and they are able to monetize in-game assets.

Why this matters: Mythical Games seeks to educate players about web3 and fortify adoption via NFL Rivals, allowing them to understand the worth of their digital assets by even selling them for real money.

🏃‍♂️Quick Hits

• Korean video games are gaining interest from Japanese gamers, with real-time AI translation eliminating language barriers. (Link)

• P2E games, expected to balloon into a $8,856M market by 2028, are reshaping the gaming market by combining blockchain with gaming and rewarding players with crypto-based assets and NFTs. (Link)

• Web3 platform GameFi and Japanese gaming blockchain Oasys roll out the new NFT marketplace Oasys Navi. (Link)

• Roblox launches a partner program to grow its global advertising ecosystem and educate brands looking to advertise on its immersive gaming platform. (Link)

• Web3 metaverse/game platform Creta appoints John Kavanagh, previously the license manager for games and interactive at BBC Studios, as an advisor. (Link)

• NFTs are “useless” or “scammy,” gaming doesn’t need blockchain, and crypto is “too difficult” to deal with: Will web3 gaming onboard a billion people eventually? (Link)

• A fast-growing American PR agency rolls out its Gaming Practice to support web3 gaming, in-game advertising, eSports, and more. Will more follow suit? (Link)

• Chick-fil-A debuts its new digital game Code Moo featuring its signature cows, rewarding members weekly. (Link)

• llumRoblox, a metaverse platform specializing in gaming and events, rolls out its Immersive Ad Partner Program at Cannes Lions. (Link)

• LegendsOfCrypto (LOCGame), backed by the Amsterdam-based RBL Labs, unveils a new roadmap to lead casual web3 gaming. (Link)

• ChatGPT builds the latest release of the AI-powered interrogation game True Crime Episode in AR. (Link)

• Web3 gaming hub Nakamoto Games rolls out its ecosystem and announces upcoming GameFi plans. (Link)

• In Australia, Nir Shor joins forces with Minted Loot Studios to explore generative AI in creating adaptive video game music responding to game scenarios, characters, and player interactions. (Link)

• Online fantasy card game Champions of Otherworldly Magic, where players collect and trade NFT cards, gears up for launch. (Link)

• An AR mode for Quest turns VR game Espire 2’s physical environment into a stealth shooter. (Link)

• Peek into Improbable’s “stupidly ambitious” MSquared project as it launches its metaverse-building tools. (Link)

• The Sandbox and record label Nuclear Blast introduce Blast Valley, an immersive heavy metal-themed metaverse. (Link)

• Roblox UNOfficial, a game recently removed off the platform, returns under the moniker LOCOfficial. (Link)

• AI-driven creator tech firm Animeta onboards social media gaming-led creators Assassins Army, PVS Gaming, X Mania, and food creator Grandpa Kitchen. (Link)

• Harnessing its huge developer base for industry-standard GPU hardware and software apps, Nvidia unveils the Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE) for game development. (Link)

• Nike teases its .Swoosh NFT platform coming to Fortnite. (Link)

• Upland and Nowhere unite to forge a new era of digital community interactions for the metaverse. (Link)

• NFT-based gaming ushers in the gamification of trading, changing things up in web3. (Link)

• As healthcare providers and parents continue to fight growing video game addiction among kids, the next big threat is already here in the form of AR/VR games, multi-gaming platforms, and e-sports competitions. (Link)

💸 Funding & Partnerships

• Gaming-focused VC firm Lumikai launches its second fund with a total corpus of $50M. (Link)

• Avatar startup Genies launches the $1M Developer Engagement Fund to incentivize developers to build AR experiences. (Link)

• AI game maker Versed raises $1.7M (€1.6M) in pre-seed funding to build virtual worlds, dialogue, and combat for anyone that writes on the platform. (Link)

• Web3 game Cat Paradise raises seed fund at $15M valuation. (Link)

• Animoca signs a strategic partnership with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. for a strategic investment. (Link)

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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