This Week in Crypto Games
Biggest News
Hamster Kombat TON layer-2: The makers of Telegram tap-to-earn game Hamster Kombat revealed plans to create a layer-2 network on top of The Open Network (TON). This decision was made after a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) vote, with 1.1 billion HMSTR token voting power in favor and just 104,368 against. Notably, the top two voters hold over 88% of all voting power, giving two whales immense influence.
Prior to this, the devs announced that Hamster Kombat’s hotly anticipated (and much-delayed) second season will be "more than just a game," with three games now in the works to become the core of an entertainment ecosystem using the IP. Called HamsterVerse, a closed beta is already underway for 30,000 community members.
Off the Grid stands tall:
As the end of the year dawned, Avalanche-based shooter Off the Grid raked in some media accolades. Not only did it win GG’s Game of the Year, but the battle royale shooter also won Gam3s’ Game of the Year award and made it to a Rolling Stone year-end gaming list.
Gunzilla Games shared its 2025 plans with Decrypt alongside the GOTY honors. Most notably, this includes an estimated Q1 2025 date for its GUNZ network to enter mainnet, which would enable its GUN token to be freely traded. Before then, the studio wants to launch ranked and solo queue modes, and open up the remaining 80% of the map while kicking off the game’s storyline.
Illuvium’s next steps:
Crypto gaming franchise Illuvium announced how it will be moving forward in the new year. The project previously launched three titles that fed into each other, both through shared resources and a narrative loop—but focusing on all three titles has been too challenging. Going forward, the team will prioritize efforts on one game at a time, starting with the auto-battler Illuvium Arena.
The lengthy blog post also touches on plans to reduce microtransactions, add more content, and raise more funding. Perhaps most significantly, the post ponders the possibility of temporarily shutting down the flagship title Illuvium Overworld until it is a "fully realized experience." But coming into 2025, improving the Overworld MMO experience is said to be the Illuvium team’s "top priority."
ICYMI
- Telegram game Catizen distributed rewards to airdrop pass holders on Friday, which saw holders receive three different tokens.
- Iconic gaming brand Atari revealed a new handheld console, the "My Arcade."
- Zoo, a surging Telegram game with over 12 million players, confirmed that its mining phase will end on January 31 and that one in-game ZOO token will be equal to one future on-chain token.
- Sonic SVM confirmed that players of its TikTok tap-to-earn game will receive a SONIC airdrop on the Solana blockchain.
- Crypto trading card game Parallel crossed 6 million games played in the history of its existence, with developers claiming it currently averages 200,000 games a week.
- Telegram game Cat Gold Miner announced that its token will be listed on Bitget, Gate, MEXC, and other exchanges on Thursday, January 9.
- Someone turned the iconic first-person shooter Doom into a CAPTCHA human verification challenge.
Conclusion
As the crypto and NFT gaming space continues to evolve, it’s essential to stay informed about the latest developments, announcements, and updates. This week’s report highlights some of the most significant news, from Hamster Kombat’s plans for a layer-2 network to Off the Grid’s well-deserved accolades. Keep an eye on these and other exciting projects as they continue to shape the future of the industry.
FAQs
Q: What is Hamster Kombat’s plan for a layer-2 network?
A: Hamster Kombat plans to create a layer-2 network on top of The Open Network (TON) after a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) vote.
Q: What is the current state of Off the Grid’s development?
A: Off the Grid has won several awards, including GG’s Game of the Year, and is set to launch new features in 2025.
Q: What are Illuvium’s plans for 2025?
A: Illuvium will prioritize efforts on one game at a time, starting with the auto-battler Illuvium Arena, and focus on reducing microtransactions, adding more content, and raising more funding.
