Meta’s new shooter Super Rumble

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This week we are covering…

🤩 Meta launches new shooter game Super Rumble

🔲 Roblox now on Meta VR headsets, more big moves from web3 gaming giants

🏛 British Museum enters The Sandbox

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Meta launches new shooter game Super Rumble [Link]

In a bid to revive its somewhat ailing metaverse, Meta has launched a new in-house VR studio called Ouro Interactive, for which one of the newest featured games for the Horizon Worlds platform is Super Rumble.

Meta hypes up Super Rumble as a shooter that’s “more than just a new world” that heralds “the next generation of Horizons World.” The game is touted to have better graphics, more complex gameplay, and a level of fidelity that had users “awestruck” in the beta version, as enabled by imported objects, assets, and textures previously not possible.

More than just a game: Super Rumble and Horizons’ underlying new tech signal higher-quality gaming and enabling devs to import assets made via 3rd-party tools - a move from Meta to drive and compel greater adoption of its VR world and “seed the ecosystem.”

Super Rumble will also be among the 1st titles available on the mobile app that the Horizon team is developing, featuring cross-platform play to help Meta reach new audiences who don’t use or can’t afford a VR headset. This increased reach and accessibility through a mobile app bodes well for Meta’s bid for higher revenue amid its continuing metaverse losses.

Roblox now on Meta VR headsets, more big moves from web3 gaming giants

Users of Meta’s Quest 2 VR headset users, through the Quest Store or the App Lab, can now access Roblox through an open beta. The new development - allowed by Roblox’s universal design - enables Roblox devs to create new VR experiences or bring existing ones to Meta Quest. This means Quest users can access across various devices such as desktop, smartphones, and Xbox, potentially contributing to the metaverse’s interoperability.

Hoping the free 2-day event would attract investors, gamers, and the media, Solana Foundation mounts PlayGG - which stands for “play good games” - to showcase blockchain gaming without the dirty word “NFT” or crypto by not pushing these digital collectibles or token rewards. Trying to flip the narrative, Solana is keen on “using blockchain technology to provide unique and quality player experiences,” with many of the games not requiring any form of payment or crypto to play.

Mega NFT firm Yuga Labs, the parent company of Bored Ape Yacht Club, presents the latest live demo of its Otherside metaverse tailored to Bored Ape holders, soliciting live feedback from members of its original community. Holders of Otherdeed NFTs await the game's release, joining live virtual demos called Trips. Yuga Labs is also on a gaming exec-hiring spree for its expansion, including ex-Activision Blizzard boss and its new CEO Daniel Alegre, chief gaming officer Spencer Tucker, and chief creative officer Michael Figge.

The British Museum will enter the metaverse via ‘The Sandbox’ [Link]

The British Museum is collaborating with The Sandbox to create NFT digital collectibles through French startup LaCollection. These collectibles will showcase the museum's vast collections and offer immersive experiences within the game world, allowing players from around the world to learn about the rich history, art, and culture preserved by the museum.

The museum has previously ventured into the world of NFTs with LaCollection by auctioning digital postcards of works by Katsushika Hokusai and tokenized versions of pieces by British artist Joseph Mallord William Turner.

Why this is a significant development: Highly traditional art institutions stepping into the metaverse means a broader audience can access artworks that otherwise have limited public display opportunities.

The innovation is 2-way: the British Museum’s embrace of tech despite its establishment in 1753 as the world's first national public museum, and The Sandbox exploring further art-leaning initiatives, including an in-game museum dedicated to the NFT project World of Women.

Shiny new things in web3 gaming and more

These are the latest developments in technology and gaming, from AI-driven mods giving classic games a fresh makeover to the exciting world of blockchain-enabled gaming with NFTs.

• 8 years after the release of Fallout 4, players are coming up with ways to keep the older games fresh, such as with mods like REAL.AI, which overhauls the AI in Fallout 4 and makes the game more challenging. There’s also a Fallout: New Vegas mod about vampires gaining popularity, with fans holding out for a Fallout: New Vegas 2.

• Byte City is hosting a tribute event for Bruce Lee's 50th anniversary. Participants can interact with the legendary actor's avatar by minting avatars on Ethereum and Polygon blockchains, or get a chance to play as Bruce Lee's characters in the Byte City metaverse game. A partnership between the Bruce Lee Foundation and Shibuya has also yielded The House of Lee NFT collection.

• Solert Games, the studio behind the mobile game Legends at War, is creating its own Avalanche network subnet and launching a blockchain-enabled version of the game with NFTs. It’s working with Ava Labs to allow gamers to vote on governance and multiplayer strategy decisions. The game is endorsed by actor Hafthor Bjornsson and has seen 10K+ downloads on the Google Play Store.

🏃‍♂️Quick Hits

• Hasbro Gaming on the game-changing potential of AI-driven mechanics in anticipated board games. (Link)

• Gaming metaverse Star Atlas is undergoing a headcount reduction to prioritize key projects and ensure long-term success. (Link)

• ChinaJoy, the biggest gaming expo in China, welcomes the era of chatbots. (Link)

• Russian propaganda found in video games raises alarm over potential misinformation and its effects. (Link)

• Jujutsu Kaisen collaboration brings exciting crossover to Fortnite. (Link)

• Super Mario Bros’ mysterious new villain gets unveiled. (Link)

• Polkastream taps the booming entertainment market with a new OTT streaming and metaverse gaming platform. (Link)

• Modder Akven releases an AI-upscaled HD texture pack for Blood 2: The Chosen with elevated classic FPS graphics. (Link)

• SOFTSWISS showcases iGaming domains where AI outperforms humans. (Link)

• Gamers are invited to experience the future of gaming interactions as AI consciousness gets integrated into NPCs. (Link)

• Validators within crypto ensure that transactions are verified correctly, allowing blocks to be added. See how Ubisoft as a validator for the Cronos blockchain can shape industry innovation. (Link)

• Xbox VP Sarah Bond unveils a program to assist military people transition from service to the gaming industry. (Link)

• Solana gaming franchise Aurory ventures into Ethereum’s layer 2 Arbitrum to diversify the gaming horizons. (Link)

• Malta surges to 5th place in technical games research, outpacing Google and Meta in innovation. (Link)

• Gamefam, Roblox, and Warner Music Group (WMG) collaborate for an upcoming VR concert to showcase metaverse events. (Link)

• Video: Super League Gaming CEO Ann Hand discusses market data projections for in-game advertising, expected to reach $56B by 2024, and outlook for Meta ahead of the company's earnings. (Link)

• Uplatform explores how the metaverse could revolutionize the iGaming industry. (Link)

• Stanley Pierre-Louis discusses how gaming can rise above its stereotypes. (Link)

• Sony’s eye-tracking tech patent holds potential for a gaming revolution. (Link)

• Colopl’s Subsidiary Brilliantcrypto unveils blockchain game Brilliantcrypto with innovative "proof of gaming" concept. (Link)

• AI may allow more games to be made, bolster creativity, yet open a can of worms. (Link)

• A Minecraft fan develops a plugin to assist gamers in managing villagers. (Link)

• Gaming and sustainability? HEALV3RSE, a new game promoting real-world action for the planet, launches on the metaverse. (Link)

• Wombat web3 gaming platform gets a bullish rating of 0.74%. (Link)

• Spider Tanks introduces a rewarding spider friends referral program. (Link)

• NuxGame and Zeusplay team up to enhance online casino experience. (Link)

💸 Funding & Partnerships

• Hasbro teams up with Xplored to develop innovative hybrid games with AI-driven mechanics. (Link)

• Spaceport teams up with Intella X to provide direct access to an extensive licensed IP catalog for gaming and metaverse developers. (Link)

• Sky Play secures $10M investment from LDA Capital to expand blockchain gaming ventures. (Link)

• Delabs secures $4.7M investment to develop upcoming games, including Rumble Racing Star, and further marketing initiatives. (Link)

• Se7en partners with App Swim to expand its mobile gaming portfolio and strengthen its owned and operated app portfolio. (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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