Meta’s new Quest+ subscription for VR

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This week we are covering…

🥽 Inside Meta’s new Quest+ subscription for VR

🚫 Valve quietly bans games with AI art

🎮 New web3 game releases

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Inside Meta’s new Quest+ subscription for VR [Link]

In an apparent bid to get Quest users to become more interested in its expanded VR offerings, Meta has just announced a new $7.99 a month Meta+ subscription program that will provide users with access to two VR titles.

What’s in store on the 1st of each month upon redemption:

• Meta pairs Cloudhead Games’ physical action-rhythm FPS Pistol Whip with the nostalgia-fueled arcade adventure Pixel Ripped 1995 from ARVORE Immersive Experiences.

• For August, it offers a social VR experience in Mighty Coconut’s Walkabout Mini Golf and “some frantic weapon-crafting and shooter action” in MOTHERGUNSHIP: FORGE from Terrible Posture Games.

• As long as they remain a Quest+ member, subscribers will be able to keep each title, which means the offer’s value accumulates over time.

Why this matters: Besides showcasing its evolving VR offerings, this creates a new revenue stream for Meta, a program akin to the gaming subscription programs offered by Microsoft and Sony for their consoles.

It also appears to be another step for Meta in its long game of metaverse adoption, which finds an easy crowd with the gaming community.

Tencent tweaks enemy AI via evolution theory [Link]

Tencent has published a new patent, dubbed GENERATION-BASED EVOLUTION OF NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS IN A GAME, to change the way enemy AI is added.

In order to solve the challenge of enemies growing predictable, it utilizes the concept of evolution theory: let enemies grow over time by evolving in every generation, gain new abilities, and grow in difficulty as well as smartness inside a game.

In the new patent, the enemy AI is developed by adding the ability to have varying characteristics and levels of difficulty after evolving from the past generation.

The cool factor: The patent tackles a massive challenge in the gaming industry, namely making rivals evolve alongside the player in a playthrough such that enemies will feel more fun to fight, dynamic, and provide a different experience each time.

Tencent’s previously filed patents include a system that automatically generates livestream commentary via AI.

Metaverse gaming business updates from Nintendo, Animoca Brands

HK-based gaming and metaverse company Animoca Brands has announced that its co-founder and executive chair Yat Siu has been appointed by the HK government to the task force on promoting web3 development.

Saying it “firmly establishes Hong Kong as the leading example of a mature and highly modernized economy” embracing opportunities brought about by web3, blockchain, virtual assets, and the open metaverse, the exec believes the task force will help shape blockchain adoption particularly in areas of regulation, ecosystem building, industry development, and talent development.

Meanwhile, in a recent Q&A session with investors, Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa has bared some thoughts on the metaverse, providing an answer identical to one he gave back in Feb 2022. “The concept has potential, but it’s difficult at the moment,” he says of the metaverse, reflecting a stance where it isn’t being seriously considered by the company.

While known for leading gaming innovation, Nintendo remains cautious of the metaverse, NFTs, as well as shared virtual spaces, upholding a traditional approach to gaming.

Valve quietly bans games with AI art [Link]

Valve, the company powering popular games Steam and Counter-Strike, quietly implements a ban on games that use AI-generated art in their development.

A user's post on the AIGameDev subreddit revealed their failed attempt to release a game with AI-generated art assets on the platform.

In response, Valve sent an email stating that they cannot allow games to be shipped if the developer doesn't possess all the necessary rights to the assets used. This move seems to be made in response to the complex issue of copyright associated with AI-generated art.

This decision, however, raises questions about the sustainability of the approach, especially given the costs associated with game submissions on Steam. Valve has offered refunds under specific circumstances, while navigating the complexities and implications of AI-generated content on the platform.

New web3 game releases

• Yuga Labs has launched HV-MTL Forge, a mix of pet game and world builder that culminates in a competitive dungeon crawler. Players must build a unique and useful crafting station, generate energy, take care of their HV, and explore portals to other dimensions. They will also compete for “amps,” which can be used to unlock the new evolutions of an HV. BAYC, MAYC, and BAKC holders will have exclusive items available in season 2.

• Ubisoft has announced its first blockchain game, Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles, a PVP tactical RPG being developed for the Japanese blockchain platform Oasys. Players will assemble teams of mythical champions and battle other players in a dark and mystical world. Further details will be released via Twitter and Discord.

• double jump.tokyo has released a teaser site for its new game, Battle of Three Kingdoms – Sangokushi Taisen, which is being developed under license from SEGA CORPORATION. To be released by the end of the year, it is touted as a next-gen deck-building card game fused with auto-battler elements and will feature NFT warlord cards illustrated by artists.

• Wimbledon, in collaboration with Fortnite and Roblox, ventures into online gaming via Race to Wimbledon in Fortnite, where players race through London landmarks to reach Centre Court, and Wimbledon Smash in Roblox, an immersive gamified tennis app allowing users to test their skills in breaking bricks with a tennis racket. Through these digital initiatives, Wimbledon aims to expand its reach and deliver memorable experiences for fans.

Call of Duty embraces Chainlink-powered NFTs [Link]

The Call of Duty team has revealed that Call of Duty®: Warzone™ Caldera will cease operations by Sept 21, 2023, enabling the team to focus on future content and the free-to-play Warzone experience and embrace Chainlink-powered NFTs to change its existing digital ownership.

Some benefits of Chainlink in NFT games:

• Players gain true ownership of their digital assets, similar to physical collectibles, fostering deeper player involvement

• Enhances interoperability and monetization as NFTs enable seamless trading across games built on the same blockchain. Notable examples are Gods Unchained, Dookey Dash, and Loot.

• Offers developers the ability to leverage blockchain to enhance existing games, resulting in a more comprehensive gaming experience

• Addresses the current limitations of NFT games, such as the inability to interface with data outside the blockchain

🏃‍♂️Quick Hits

• This Milan-based company challenges Zuckerberg and Gates on the metaverse and games. (Link)

• Rush Royale, a leading tower defense strategy genre game from MY.GAMES, surpasses 63M installs and $230M in revenue since its 2020 launch. (Link)

• Nakamoto Games rolls out the Progressive Web App (PWA), a step in realizing its comprehensive web3 mobile app. (Link)

• SuperDuper, the studio behind NFT collection Cold Blooded Creepz, partners with Immutable on the upcoming blockchain-based real-time strategy (RTS) game Overlord. (Link)

• Derby Stars, a new NFT-powered horse racing game, promises superior graphics, free-to-play gameplay, strategic systems and earning potential. (Link)

• In South Africa, Cape Town launches new Roblox game Starlight Adventures In The Cape Karoo to inspire tweens, teens, and their families to explore the Western Cape this winter. (Link)

• Have fun, earn crypto: MyLand.Earth Metaverse Treasure Hunt-2-Earn Game goes live. (Link)

• Inspired by notorious cities from the real world, Metaverse game Sinverse’s 17 districts provide a chilling backdrop for players to engage in nefarious activities reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto. (Link)

• Nakamoto Games integrates its platform into the curricula of premier Thai universities, part of which is a series of hackathons to experience blockchain gaming firsthand. (Link)

• The Elder Scrolls franchise is speculated to collide with the battle royale game Fortnite in an exciting crossover. (Link)

• Dragons or unicorns? Why Laguna Games rejected Game of Thrones to make the NFT game Crypto Unicorns. (Link)

• Game devs find an ally in new AI tools Unity Sentis and Unity Muse, largely designed to increase productivity and accelerate workflows. (Link)

• Roblox turns into a $23B metaverse sensation by decoding Gen Z - here are its 5 tips for success with this generation. (Link)

• World of Dypians, claiming to be the biggest metaverse sandbox gaming platform ever built, wants to partake of the metaverse’s 400M+ monthly active users and $900B market by 2030. (Link)

• Human-centric metaverse: Will the next internet be filled with ads, payments, games, or even something beyond what we currently know to exist? (Link)

• Gaming developers enish and GeekOut launch their own unique Verse on the gaming blockchain Oasys, releasing their first title, De:Lithe Last Memories, in 2024. (Link)

• In India, metaverse gaming platform AvatarLife gets $1.5M in seed funding, believing the next iteration of the internet will be more visual and socialized as it runs 25+ games across three operations. (Link)

• “Phenomenal audio design, decent enemy AI, and a really cool map procedural generation engine push this game past its peers”: New Steam game climbs to top of charts. (Link)

• A Super Mario game is reportedly so rife with malware that it can hijack your crypto wallet and install crypto mining software. (Link)

💸 Funding & Partnerships

• Animoca Brands Corporation joins hands with RugbyDAO Forge to create a rugby-themed web3 initiative. (Link)

• SuperDuper partners with Immutable to create a web3 real-time strategy game based on its Overlord IP. (Link)

• Community-driven web3 gaming platform Neon Link raises $1M. (Link)

• The Sandbox partners with Metafight for a unique MMA-themed virtual experience. (Link)

• PlayMining GameFi platform partners with gaming blockchain Oasys to deploy layer 2 chain. (Link)

• Mythical Games secures first close of $37M toward its latest round of funding. (Link)

• Avalanche-backed web3 gaming studio Pixion games closes $5.5M seed round. (Link)

• Oasys explores a potential partnership with Mixi Corporation to accelerate growth of blockchain gaming. (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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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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