‘Off the Grid’ Coming to Steam, Ethereum’s ‘Ember Sword’ Shuts Down

It is robust to maintain tabs on the ever-changing crypto gaming house, due to the fixed move of reports: all the things from huge sport launches and enjoyable degen experiments to token value swings and occasional venture collapses. It is so much to comply with.

Fortunately, we’re plugged in at Decrypt‘s GG. We cowl the largest happenings all through the week, after which this weekly roundup gives a fast option to catch up, in addition to discover a bunch of different little bits of reports from all through the week.

Prime tales

Off the Grid NFT gross sales, Steam plans: Avalanche-powered battle royale shooter sport Off the Grid is step by step transitioning its gamers from testnet to the GUNZ mainnet, enabling actual cryptocurrency buying and selling of in-game objects for GUN tokens. Presently, solely about 0.13% of the sport’s 16.5 million gamers can entry the mainnet market, but high-value trades are already occurring.

Notable latest gross sales embody a Prankster tactical vest for $2,393, a ZipperMouth masks for $1,100, and numerous different uncommon objects fetching a whole bunch to hundreds of {dollars}. Probably the most coveted objects are ultra-rare Pioneer and Legacy weapons, which collectors are holding onto anticipating future updates that might drive five-figure gross sales.

Off the Grid plans to increase to Steam in June, regardless of Steam’s 2021 ban on blockchain video games. Gunzilla Video games has but to clarify how it will work, although the sport can also be accessible on PlayStation and Xbox, which equally prohibit crypto options.

Ember Sword ends: Ember Sword, an Ethereum-based MMORPG, has shut down resulting from lack of funding. Developer Brilliant Star Studios, regardless of attracting distinguished traders and gaming trade veterans as advisors, stated it could not safe continued financing within the present market local weather.

The sport launched throughout the 2021 metaverse growth, attracting almost 35,000 gamers that pledged $203 million for its land sale, although the precise quantity raised was apparently far lower than that eye-popping determine. The sport confronted disappointing reception when it entered closed beta in July 2024, and its EMBER token has now crashed over 99% from peak ranges.

This closure displays a broader development of crypto sport shutdowns, with latest casualties together with Nyan Heroes, Blast Royale, and Tatsumeeko all closing throughout the similar interval, plus different distinguished 2025 closures together with Deadrop and The Thriller Society. The wave of closures highlights the funding challenges dealing with blockchain gaming tasks within the present market surroundings.

ICYMI

• Ubisoft has relaunched Champions Techniques on Steam as Champions Techniques: Reforged, which lacks the NFT market and advantages for holders. Decrypt is searching for additional clarification on the adjustments.
• Yield Guild Video games launched LOL Land, a board game-inspired expertise from its new publishing division, on Ethereum layer-2 community Summary.
• Legendary Video games’ upcoming cellular blockchain soccer sport FIFA Rivals has opened pre-registrations on Google’s Android Play Retailer.

• Basic Name of Responsibility multiplayer servers tied to the unofficial MLG meme coin have attracted greater than 20,000 gamers up to now.
• Sui gaming platform Seed Combinator apparently launched an Axie Infinity knockoff, producing a complete bunch of indignant tweets and distancing from the venture.
• Voya Video games raised $5 million in funding co-led by 1kx and Makers Fund, forward of the launch of its upcoming crypto sport, Craft World.

• Sony’s PlayStation Stars rewards program—which it went out of its option to verify wasn’t constructed round NFTs—is shutting down. Reminder that Sony now has its personal Ethereum layer-2 community, Soneium.
• Off the Grid is testing a much-anticipated deathmatch mode, with 20-player matches.
• Buying and selling card sport Parallel will maintain its subsequent esports open match on Might 31.

• Sugartown’s Royal Nutz Poker Membership sport relaunched on Summary on Friday.
• Sparkball has launched its pre-season forward of the late summer time Season Zero rollout.
• NFT card sport Gods Unchained seems to be teasing a crossover with Guild of Guardians for June.