162 | How Minecraft ban built Hytopia

Sony's stablecoin plans, Fableborne Season 4, EVE Frontier's free week, and Footium's $600,000 funding. [0:32] Sony looks like it's going to be launching a stablecoin in the US.[1:09] It's an extension of the trend that's seen PayPal, Stripe and Klarna also announcing stablecoins.[2:00] Sony has set up a US bank, which is applying for a federal license, required for stablecoins. [4:44] One key reason is companies pay up to 2% of transactions as fees to Visa and Mastercard. [6:30] Sony could save up to $20 million for each $1 billion of spending it moves to its stablecoin.[8:55] Do other gaming platforms such as Steam start adopting stablecoins too?[10:43] Mobile RPG Fableborne has launched its Season 4, including guilds for the first time.[13:07] It's one of the last of a long line of play-to-earn games. Interesting to see how it goes.[14:43] Fableborne is on Ronin, which now has a bunch of live and liveish games.[15:35] Also on Ronin, Craft World has a new collab with Fishing [20:26] Immutable has launched an new AI-based marketing platform. [21:16] New mobile/PC action-RPG Myths will launch in 2026, using the Mythical Market for NFTs. [28:00] EVE Frontier is free for everyone until Tuesday 9th December; the end of Cycle 3.[34:44] UK studio Footium has raised $600,000 for its own-IP soccer management game.[36:25] Trying to create your own brands for clubs and players in a sports game is a hard sell.

Xociety and Arise release their first public playables, MapleStory burns $1.7 million tokens and we talk generative AI. [0:30] Ndus has raised $1.6 million for its pop extractor shooter Xociety, which hits also early access. [10:00] Cross The Ages has launched its PC RPG Arise into open alpha. [18:54] "It's like juggling an elephant and a crocodile. If it works, absolutely amazing."[21:36] Nexpace will burn $1.7 million NXPC in the first of its planned quarterly token burns.[27:32] Hytopia has had 1 million downloads on Google Play store.[29:47] JC Kim was on the podcast talking about genAI game-making platform Verse8.[37:10] Should games be hand-built like luxury shoes or watches? Rant over.

Jon Jordan talk to Verse8 creator JC Kim about the genAI game-making platform, which is now live for professionals and noobs. [3:15] How JC Kim first met Delabs' co-CEO James Joonmo Kwon as a mentor.[6:05] Why JC Kim started work on a generative AI game-making tool, which became Verse8.[7:20] Verse8 includes coding, 2D image generation, background music and 3D model generation.[8:10] The game sector's biggest issue is production costs. GenAI reduces this by 90%.[10:06] This means developers can try more ideas and be more [10:20] This is particularly important for web3 developers who want to rewards players with tokens. [11:56] Using AI, anyone can make mini-games and apps around an IP, which enables real community.[15:53] One element of Verse8 is the ability for users to recast or "spin" existing games.[19:15] Verse8 can generate a complete multiplayer game for around $10-$20. [21:50] Verse8 can suppport both professional game devs and inexperienced users (kids!).[28:35] Creators can also choose to launch tokens, effectively memecoins.[31:45] Delabs Games is already using Verse8 to develop new titles.

MapleStory Universe get $50M ecosystem fund, Legend of Ymir custom servers expanded, Stan extends Series A and we talk Hyptopia and Moku's Grand Arena.[0:40] Nexpace has announced a $50 million ecosystem fund for MapleStory Universe.[3:48] As a reminder Nexon funded Nexpace two years ago with $100 million of funding. [4:17] Technically the fund is "up to $50 million" - likely mainly NXPC tokens and work-in-kind etc.[6:56] MapleStory N is the core, but the fund is to encourage third party games and app around it.[8:55] This is a trend for many fully onchain games such as Soccerverse and EVE Frontier.[12:10] There's also a deeper trend with stablecoins becoming payment rails for Tradfi.[14:03] Our Mavens discussed the balance of financials and fun for blockchain games.[17:22] Wemade has expanded the custom server business for its Legend of Ymir MMORPG.[18:00] It originally auctioned 10 servers for +$20,000 each. You can earn 15% of in-game [21:37] Indian social gaming app Stan extended its Series A funding to $10.5 million.[23:08] One likely reason is India banned real money games so apps like Stan are now an alternative.[26:29] Jon had Maxwell from Hytopia on the podcast this week. [29:12] The platform is now live with its HYBUX token also live on Base.[30:16] Maxwell says "Crypto is cool but fun is #1".[33:13] Moku has launched the 4 week preseason for its Grand Arena game.

Maxwell Holmes from Roblox-on-blockchain UGC platform Hytopia thinks "Crypto is cool but fun is number 1"[2:30] "I like it when the house is on fire and tomorrow is unknown. I need the craziness."[05:08] "People see we have been consistent through the changes. We don't play the hype game."[09:36] "We're trying to use crypto to empower gamers." That continues to be the [12:46] Comparing Hytopia to Minecraft and/or Roblox in terms of its base functionality.[15:43] Gaming used to be about fidelity and polish. Now it's about social, virality and memes. [16:54] "The user is the most knowledgable about the product they want." That's the power of UGC.[18:07] "Attracting creators is Hytopia's top priority now."[19:30] Hytopia uses Typescript/Javascript, which is the easiest way to make games. [20:56] Our app (mobile/desktop) is basically the website wrapped into the app.[22:57] Anytime you target web3 gamers, you're going to fail. There aren't enough of [23:40] Crypto is cool but fun is number 1. If the games aren't fun, you will [25:44] Why does Hytopia have blockchain? It has to enhance the user [27:40] In future, investors will be able to fund new games in Hytopia and get a [29:15] Hytopia is currently doing 19,000 DAUs and 100,000 WAUs, and growing from organic users.[31:42] At launch, the marketplace will give 85% to creators with 15% used for token buybacks.[33:55] The marketplace uses both fiat and HYBUX but using HYBUX incentivized.

Axie Infinity tweaked its rewards and lost 45% DAUWs, MapleStory N has banned 640,000 bots, and Forkast moved to Arbitrum. [0:35] Axie Infinity's DAUWs have dropped 45% following to a change in its AXS reward system.[3:10] In April 2024, it launched its first Bounty Board, which more than doubled its audience. [4:45] There were further giveaways, which further boosted DAUWs to more than 100,000.[6:29] Now, the rewards system has been streamlined, with a paid battle pass added.[8:34] Over time, these reward systems become increasing complex to understand.[10:06] Not directly related but the AXS token is down from $7 to $1 since April 2024.[15:00] The good news is web3 games are now more focused on profit and sustainability.[17:54] Nexpace has banned 640,000 accounts from MapleStory N for botting and macros. [21:20] It's also forced 28,000 KYCed accounts to be reregistered. Only 155 succeeded. [25:10] The Forkast prediction market has moved from Ronin to Arbritrum. [32:55] Jon is enjoying playing EVE Frontier but likely won't be part of its Winter PVP tournament.

Animoca's Nasdaq listing plan, Spider Tanks reborn, Moonfrost goes web2 and IMX is fully liquid. [0:24] Animoca Brands has announced a reverse merger to get a Nasdaq listing. [4:25] It's started the process to merge with tiny Nasdaq listed company Currenc.[6:03] Currenc shareholders will get 5% of the new company. Animoca's 95%.[7:58] There's no official valuation for Animoca, but it's likely somewhere between $3-4 billion.[11:30] But the entire process will take 9-12 months, so Animoca won't be listed until late 2026.[14:16] Moonfrost has gone pure web2 but is also launching web3 degen platform Frost Arcade.[22:30] Immutable's IMX is the first major gaming token to become 100% circulating.[25:18] The Sandbox has committed to be majority UGC-focused in 2026.[30:45] Spider Tanks is being rebooted on Immutable, with early access from 8th December.

Jon talks to Pixels CEO Luke Barwikowski about how he still believes play-to-earn rewards are a viable marketing mechanic. [2:09] 'This is probably the worst market sentiment I've seen in the space.'[5:40] 'Without speculation, you have to build something that's fundamentally sound. That's hard.'[7:50] 'In early 2024, Pixels was loved. People were making money. But we weren't making money.'[8:39] '1% of our players were taking 50% of the rewards.'[9:51] After recent changes, Pixels has generated a Return On Reward Spend greater than 1.[12:25] 'I think over time, Play-to-Earn becomes more of a loyalty or a cash-back system.'[14:00] 'We've noticed crypto is very off-putting for normal users. Robux or V-Bucks are more [20:45] The spend-only vPIXEL token has been surprisingly effective when used correctly.[23:45] Pixels Chapter 3 introduces Unions, which are factions for competitive gameplay.[27:13] 'The issue with web3 gaming isn't fidelity, it's figuring out the economics.'[27:53] 'We did $20 million in revenue in 2024. 2025 will be less but it's more sustainable.'[29:41] Why Pixels has launched new social tamagotchi app Chubkins. (Currently only US.)[30:05] 'We're not going to emphasis crypto, but we will emphasis rewards, including crypto cash-out.'[33:50] Pixels also plans to launch a standalone rewards app in 2026.

Wemade launched Legend of Ymir, Mythical integrated World Chain, Pixels launched Chapter 3 and Yuga's Otherside goes live on 12th November. [0:30] Wemade has launched its latest web3-enabled MMORPG Legend of Ymir on PC and mobile.[2:10] Wemade previously tried to add blockchain to casual mobile games. It didn't work.[3:24] Legend of Ymir is the result of Wemade's experience over its previous web3 games.[4:50] Ten game servers have been auctioned to be run by guilds etc.[5:50] It's more combat-focused than Night Crows, but still with a lot of idle gameplay.[8:09] Wemade as become more nuaunced in how it's combining web2 and web3 elements.[10:07] Cambria has raised $2 million from Bitkraft, Sky Mavis and various angels.[16:03] The Mythos blockchain is integrating World via the launch of an L3 on World Chain.[19:38] One advantage is this gives the Polkadot parachain EVM compatibility for the first time.[23:34] Yuga Labs' Otherside will finally go live on 12th November with the Koda Nexus hub.[31:13] Pixels has launched Chapter 3 including an new lightweight social competition layer.

Jon's been asking What's Working For Web3 Gaming? at Zebu Live conference. [0:27] It's been London Blockchain Week and Jon has been at Zebu Live 2025.[2:06] He moderated a panel about What's Working In Web3 Gaming?[4:08] Panellists including Koko from Mighty Bear Games and Russell from Metacade.[5:58] We've moved from blockchain games to crypto games, with the emphasis on "crypto gainz".[7:00] ICP-based MMORPG Dragginz has gone into "hiberation".[12:30] YGG Play's LOL Land has now done $5.5 million in revenue. [12:59] The key issue for most blockchain game companies is doing what you need to make money. [14:10] The comparison is EVE Frontier, MapleStory Universe etc - big onchain gaming ecosystems.[16:51] Wildcard has launched into early access on Steam: it's a web2 game with a web3 ecosystem.[22:56] Jon's been enjoying playing RavenIdle.