NFL Rivals kicks off

Hello hello! Welcome to all our new friends! And to our current friends – thanks for coming back for this week.

This week we are covering…

💥 NFL Rivals, league’s 1st licensed web3 game, kicks off

🎮 Retro gaming console Atari 2600 makes modern comeback

🦾 Nvidia rides AI boom in gaming

Did you read this newsletter from anywhere that’s not your inbox?

NFL Rivals, league’s 1st licensed web3 game, kicks off [Link]

NFL Rivals, the 1st NFL-licensed game to incorporate web3, launches as NFL, the NFL Players Association, and Mythical Games officially team up.

What’s in store with this historic web3 mobile game:

• With NFL Rivals, fans can step into the general manager role as they form and own their dream team, while players can face off arcade-style as they climb through the ranks through new seasons and events.

• Players can also join a squad, get allied with other GMs, and represent their favorite NFL franchise.

• In a “gamers first” tactic, players are given the chance to go all the way to the top and unlock digital collectibles and upgrade their NFL players.

Why this matters: NFL Rivals, soft-launched on Apr 26 and in 4 months was downloaded 2M+ times, continues the positive trend of sports leagues exploring web3-enabled games to bolster their revenue and fan engagement. Sorare is one such example, partnering with the NBA, MLB, and top soccer leagues worldwide.

Retro gaming console Atari 2600 makes modern comeback [Link]

Who remembers the Atari 2600 game console from 1977? With the rise of modern gaming, it’s hardly a surprise that the classic is making a fresh comeback, with Atari unveiling the Atari 2600+.

Details we know about the release so far:

• Atari 2600+ is bound for release on Nov 17 at a $129.99 price tag, with anticipated features such as an HDMI port, widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio support, and a single cartridge with 10 classic games including Adventure, Missile Command, and Yars’ Revenge.

• It won’t connect to the internet to download additional games from a service; it will retain much of the classic hardware that’s able to play hundreds of original Atari 2600 and 7800 games.

Why stay abreast of this development? The Atari brand had its heydays in the 70s to 80s and has evolved in leadership since then, including pivoting toward multiple directions such as crypto tokens and NFTs. Recently, the brand was tapped by Coinbase for a launch around its Base network.

It remains to be seen whether these new moves will garner significant attention and impact in the wider gaming space.

Roundup: New web3 game releases

• Gala Games has released its new game Champions Arena, which uses web3 tech and NFTs to enable players to customize their characters and take part in PvE and PvP challenges. Players can also own Estates and rent out their characters with rewards shared among the players. The game, designed to be accessible to newcomers without needing to use NFTs, is available now on PC and mobile devices.

• Immutable is showcasing its highly anticipated futuristic sports game Infinite Victory at Gamescom 2023. It is a fusion of 5 different sports and attendees get to explore and test play other Immutable-based titles such as Shardbound and Battle Derby, as well as watch a live-streamed MetalCore tournament. Pre-registering for the Infinite Victory Alpha Playtest is now open.

• IN is an MMORPG combining match-three combat with blockchain and NFTs. Players can explore diverse locations, build cities, collect gems, and own in-game items. They can also learn skills and become heroes who build a reverse portal to reconnect with the earthly universe. It was founded by Vladimir Malyshev and is touted to be the only game that offers this type of experience.

Nvidia rides AI boom in gaming [Link]

Silicon Valley powerhouse NVIDIA posts remarkable financial results for its latest quarter, showcasing the insatiable demand for its GPUs, predominantly used to fuel AI and gen AI models.

Some financial highlights:

• The gaming segment generated $2.49B in sales last quarter, a 22% YoY increase, attributed to GeForce RTX 40 Series gaming GPUs utilizing the same core architecture as data center AI.

• NVIDIA reported a staggering total revenue of $13.5B in its fiscal Q2, marking a remarkable 101% YoY increase and an 88% jump from the previous quarter.

• NVIDIA's Data Center segment achieved $10.32B in revenue, 171% annual growth, and a 141% increase from the previous quarter, largely due to the HGX platform based on the Hopper and Ampere GPU architectures, enabling large-scale language models and gen AI.

🏃‍♂️Quick Hits

• Meta now invites people to apply to join the beta test for Horizon Worlds on mobile devices, another access point into its VR social environment. (Link)

• Web3 virtual world and creator platform ZTX launches its Genesis Home Mint in partnership with OpenSea. (Link)

• The Sandbox opens up the Turkishverse for lovers of cultural traits, heritage, and artistry. (Link)

• Profile: Wreck League Majestic is a real time PvP competitive fighting game boasting spectacular battles, robust customization, and a competitive culture. (Link)

• Set against the backdrop of Gamescom 2023 in Cologne, Germany, web3 scalability protocol Saga showcases tech aimed at advancing gaming and entertainment. (Link)

• The Walking Dead: Empires introduces a blockchain-based zombie survival game in AMC’s universe, merging NFTs with MMORPG mechanics. (Link)

• A video game helps a woman left paralyzed after a stroke speak again, based on the world’s 1st brain-computer interface that electronically produces speech and facial expression from brain signals. (Link)

• A bank launches in The SandBox metaverse to “gamify” highlighting global food waste. (Link)

• Super League develops Yas Island Tycoon for Roblox to showcase Yas Island, Abu Dhabi’s leisure and entertainment destination. (Link)

• iGaming provider Pragmatic Play expands its presence in Argentina by pushing its content live with online casino Super 7. (Link)

• Japanese immersive entertainment studio Cocone enters the US gaming and entertainment market with its avatars and digital fashion creations. (Link)

• Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia’s GeForce Now will likely be part of the list of cloud gaming apps coming to older Samsung smart TVs. (Link)

• NVIDIA debuts its AI-enhanced real-time ray tracing for games and apps with the new DLSS 3.5. (Link)

• Play KFC’s VR game, win free chicken as a reward. (Link)

• VR breathes new life into stagnant gaming genres, such as horror games. (Link)

• Indie gaming studio Play for Fun unveils its AI-powered 3D simulation social game Club Koala. (Link)

• Renowned esports influencers Ricky “FaZe Banks” Bengston, Nordan “FaZe Rain” Shat, and 100 Thieves CEO Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag are among the top passive earners on new crypto platform Friend.tech. (Link)

• While arguably the best part of it, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond - one of Meta’s most well-funded VR games - is discontinuing its online multiplayer starting on Dec 1. (Link)

• Among the issues faced by blockchain gaming is scalability, the ability of a network to handle a large number of transactions and users without compromising performance or security. (Link)

• How the metaverse can completely transform the fortunes of online gaming. (Link)

💸 Funding & Partnerships

• Xterio joins forces with Particle Network to accelerate the web3 gaming ecosystem. (Link)

• Super League Gaming announces the closing of an underwritten public offering with gross proceeds of about $2.2M. (Link)

• Mindway AI forges a strategic partnership with Dutch operator BetCity.nl to improve player protection and promote responsible gambling practices. (Link)

• Blockchain investments in gaming were down to $127M in Q2 2023 vs $143M in Q1, reflecting caution within the sector. (Link)

• In its bid to expand globally, South Korean game developer Wemade signs onboarding contracts with 3 global game developers across Singapore, UAE, and South Korea for its gaming platform WEMIX PLAY. (Link)

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!