QUESTS, EVENTS, AND TOURNAMENTS

• Vulcan is embracing the festive season by inviting users to go on an exciting journey packed with quests in "Vulcan's Holiday Quests". Until December 22, participants have the chance to claim a variety of rewards, with the total prize pool reaching a remarkable $20,000.

• Following the announcement of a collaboration with Sky Mavis to transition their web3 game to the Ronin Network, Foonie Magus has now revealed a lineup of special events to celebrate the move of their roguelike card-battling god game, Apeiron. The schedule includes five events –  Ronin x Apeiron Moku Quests, Homecoming Rewards, Free Booty Hours & New Apostle Minting, PVP Alpha Testing, plus one surprise event.

• The team behind Tales of Elleria, a blockchain RPG on Arbitrum One, has collaborated with the creators of the pixel-style 2D RPG, DeFi Kingdoms, for an exciting World Boss event boasting a prize pool over $35k. Kicking off on December 18 at 11 AM EST, this event showcases the iconic blowfish from DeFi Kingdoms, the Bloater, as it plunges into the depths of Elleria's waters, challenging players to defeat it.

• Meta Apes, an MMO strategy game centered around apes, conducted its free mint event on Earn Alliance on December 15. 2,000 Christmas mystery boxes were available. Each box contained relics that provide buffs to players, enhancing their capabilities on the battlefield.

• Star Symphony, a rhythm game set in a world of Symphony, initiated its first badge mint on Earn Alliance on December 14. Badge holders are eligible to participate in a raffle, providing them with the opportunity to win an NFT with similar perks enjoyed by other holders. 10,000 badges quickly sold out within a day!

ALPHA, BETA, AND GAME DEMO

• ZTX, the highly anticipated virtual world metaverse, announced their Open Beta Official Launch will take place between December 18 to 22. During the beta phase, users can engage in a harvesting and crafting game loop, allowing them to create assets and decorate their virtual real estate.

• Star Atlas is creating buzz with the debut of its eagerly awaited pre-alpha version: Star Atlas: Golden Era (SAGE). This launch represents a key achievement, introducing live in-game interactions on the blockchain, along with various features designed to revolutionize the gaming world.

• Following the debut of a trailer earlier this month, the WWII-themed free-to-play card game Storm Warfare is now in open beta. Accompanying this release is a tournament set to begin on December 18, featuring prizes including $40,000 in $JAN studio tokens and 505 Genesis Commander NFTs.

• Pudgy Penguin, a notable Ethereum PFP (NFT) collection, revealed its plans to launch an NFT game titled "Pudgy World." The game will revolve around the characters Pudgy and Peach, offering players an adventure in a story-driven environment. The alpha version of the game is expected to debut in early 2024.

• V4 of the game demo for MetaWars is set to release next week. It will be freely available for download on the official website, offering players a chance to share valuable feedback on the newest updates while experiencing the thrill of third-person mech shooter gameplay.

UPCOMING RELEASES

• Ubisoft is preparing for a major milestone with the first NFT release for its web3 game, "Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles," scheduled for December 18. This launch represents an important move in Ubisoft's foray into the realm of blockchain gaming.

• Shrapnel, acclaimed as the most anticipated game in the GAM3 Awards 2023, has revealed a strategic update in its release schedule for STX.01, now slated for the new year. The release of STX.01 will align with the start of a leaderboard-focused competition. In collaboration with the RNG Foundation, an impressive prize fund of $3 million in SHRAP tokens has been allocated for this competition.

LATEST GAME UPDATES

• The creators of the blockchain mining game, Mines of Dalarnia, have released a fresh Mainnet update titled Terraformed Patch 3. This third installment of the substantial Terraformed update focuses on resolving several issues to enhance overall gameplay quality. Differing from the compulsory Terraformed Patch 2, this new update is optional, allowing players to keep playing on Windows and Mac with the client from the prior update. Nevertheless, the development team advises players to upgrade to this most recent version for the best experience.

• The free-to-play, Polygon-based horse racing game Derby Stars has rolled out a new feature in its 0.9.7 update, introducing the Meta System. This system provides buffs or debuffs to horses registered for PvP competitions, depending on specific criteria. Especially applicable in VP tournaments, this system is planned to be modified with each season, as per the official statement. This approach ensures that every new PvP Season will offer a more dynamic and varied experience, as the conditions evolve from one season to another.

• Champions Arena, a turn-based mobile battler, is introducing a novel in-game NFT system to entice web2 gamers into the web3 gaming environment. The new feature allows players to experience the game first before deciding to commit to the web3 world. By initially playing the game and later minting characters, the team aims to make the transition to web3 gaming more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

• Nine Chronicles M has introduced an update featuring four new runes, two additional rune slots, and a Rune Summoning feature, offering players a novel method to acquire these beneficial items. Gamers now have the option to utilize golden dust in the workshop for rune summoning, including this week's fresh additions: the Stamina Rune, Quick Rune, Stun Rune, and Vampiric Rune. Each of these runes is distinct, offering varied skill effects and statistical benefits.

NETWORK MIGRATION

• Enjin has effectively migrated 200 million NFTs from Ethereum to its dedicated NFT network, the Enjin Blockchain. Holders of these assets can now claim them using the Enjin Wallet application. To facilitate this transition, fuel tanks on the new chain will offer free transactions for the upcoming three months.

• Mirai Labs, the crypto gaming studio known for the blockchain game Pegaxy, has transitioned its entire ecosystem, including the Pegaxy gaming governance token PGX and other elements, to its dedicated subnet on the Avalanche blockchain.

• My Neighbor Alice, a well-known blockchain game released in 2021, has finalized its migration from the BNB Chain to the up-and-coming Chromia network, aligning with Chromia's mainnet debut. Created by Antler Interactive, My Neighbor Alice is an on-chain game that draws inspiration from Web2 classics such as Animal Crossing and Minecraft.

HAPPENINGS

• Ultra, a marketplace catering to both web3 and web2 games, is set to implement a unique initiative where they will transform a game into an NFT. The selected game, Josh Journey, initially released on Steam as a web2 game, will undergo the NFT conversion process. This means players can sell the game on the marketplace when they no longer wish to play it. The ownership will transfer to the new buyer, enabling them to access and enjoy the game. This innovative approach adds a new dimension to game ownership and resale within the NFT ecosystem.

• Immutable, a web3 gaming blockchain and marketplace, has announced plans to eliminate gas fees for web3 gaming in 2024. This initiative aims to leverage zkEVM, a scaling solution for its blockchain, providing web3 game developers with the technology to remove gas fees for players. This move is expected to enhance the gaming experience, particularly for players who may be hesitant to explore the Web3 gaming due to concerns about fees.

• Parallel, a sci-fi card game, received the prestigious title of "2023 Game of the Year" and “2023 Best Card Game” on GAM3S.GG on December 15. This recognition underscores the game's innovation and standout features that have captured the attention and acclaim of the gaming community.

• On December 14, Ledger, a wallet service catering to both Web3 and web3 gaming, experienced a security breach. This incident might have impacted users, prompting cautionary measures. Users were advised to refrain from using Ledger until the situation is deemed secure. The hack affected multiple crypto applications associated with Ledger. Fortunately, the security breach has been resolved.

• On December 11, Gods Unchained, a renowned NFT card game, was delisted from the Epic Games Store. The decision was prompted by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) assigning the game an 'Adult Only' rating due to its Play-to-Earn features. The development team has submitted an appeal to address this issue, and updates on the resolution will be provided in due course.

• Immortal Game, an online chess game on the Immutable network, has made the decision to suspend its crypto reward or play-to-earn mechanics due to extensive cheating on the platform.

• Pixel, a browser game centered around adventure and farming, is set to launch its PIXEL token.

FUNDINGS AND PARTNERSHIPS

• Line Next, the NFT-focused branch of Line, has achieved a notable feat by securing $140 million in a recent funding round. This round of funding was spearheaded by Crescendo Equity Partners, a private equity firm. This substantial financial boost signifies a major achievement, marking it as the most substantial support received by an Asian blockchain enterprise this year.

• Ceden, a crypto infrastructure firm, and Kanpai Pandas, a studio, have jointly acquired Raini Studios. This move will lead to the creation of RJV International, DBA Raini Studios.

• Taki Games, a mobile game developer, has partnered with Rally Protocol, a blockchain web3 mobile layer, to make Taki’s mobile games have a smoother wallet process. Through Rallymobile and Transact, transactions will be gasless and anyone without prior web3 knowledge can sign up easily.

• In a significant move for the gaming sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Farcana, a leading gaming studio based in the UAE, has raised $10 million in seed funding from distinguished backers, such as Animoca Brands, Polygon Ventures, and Fenbushi Capital. This investment is set to be pivotal in furthering the progress of Farcana, a third-person multiplayer shooter game that integrates NFTs and cryptocurrency rewards.