NFT & Blockchain Gaming Weekly – 🕹️TON Reaches Record TVL, Launches BTC Bridge, and Other Developments

The Open Network (TON) reaches record TVL and launches a BTC bridge. Pixelverse plans PIXFI and Catizen airdrops. Notcoin partners with Pixelverse to offer exclusive rewards.

Quick Take

• Weekly Trend: The Open Network (TON) reached a record TVL of US$763 million on 15 July. The growing trend of Telegram tap-to-earn games is enhancing the NFT and gaming system on TON, with recent developments including Pixelverse’s PIXFI token launch, Pixelverse’s upcoming Pixelchain Layer-2 (L2) testnet, integration of Pudgy Penguins on PixelTap, newly secured funding for both Pixelverse and Catizen, and TON’s Teleport BTC bridge.
• Top Crypto.com NFT Drops: Exclusive Premium Web3 Domain Drop, The Tactical Gear Depot, Lil Bitcoins Generative, THE ELYSIUM – ARWEN’S SPACE JOURNEY
• Notable NFT News: TON launches a trustless BTC bridge for transfers; Notcoin collaborates with Pixelverse and Musk Empire; Pixelverse launches PIXFI and deploys Pixelchain; Axie Infinity launches Homeland Avatar Mode; Animoca’s Eden Games is developing Cosmic Royale; Immortal Rising 2 launches on Immutable zkEVM; ApeCoin launches ApeChain ‘Testnet Curtis’; Ubisoft mints free NFTs for Champions Tactics.

Chart of the Week

TON reached a record TVL of $763 million on 15 July, placing it among the top ten chains by TVL. The growing trend of Telegram tap-to-earn games is further enhancing the NFT and gaming system on TON, with developments including:

• Recently raising an additional $2 million, Pixelverse launched the PIXFI token on 18 July, added Pudgy Penguins to its game PixelTap, and plans to deploy the Pixelchain testnet, a dedicated L2 scaling network with EVM compatibility. Additionally, Notcoin is collaborating with Pixelverse’s PixelTap and Musk Empire to offer exclusive rewards.
• Catizen, developed by Pluto Studio, has grown to 25 million players and secured funding from TON. 
• TON launched the TON Teleport BTC bridge, a trustless bridge for secure Bitcoin transfers to the TON network.

These partnerships and activities are expected to continue driving increased growth and strengthening the TON ecosystem’s position.

The following table shows selected top games by weekly volume in USD:

Gaming Token Performance

The total market cap for gaming tokens now stands at $24.66 billion, increasing by +13.69% from last week.

News Highlights

• Animoca Brands’ subsidiary Eden Games announced the development of Cosmic Royale, a blockchain-based racing game inspired by Mario Kart. Set to launch in Q4 2024, the game will feature 40-player races and integrate various NFT avatars, including those from Cool Cats and Bored Ape Yacht Club. Starting 24 July, Moca NFT holders and Moca ID owners can participate in a limited-access beta to earn Realm Points for future MOCA Coin airdrops. The full version of Cosmic Royale will be available for free in the Epic Games Store.
• Immortal Rising 2, the sequel to the popular idle action RPG, is launching on Immutable zkEVM powered by Polygon. Developed by Planetarium Labs and backed by $32 million in funding from Animoca Brands, the game features hack-and-slash combat, automated grinding, and guild wars, aiming to engage both Web2 and Web3 gamers.
• Axie Infinity launched Homeland Avatar Mode, allowing players to explore the virtual world of Lunacia using their Axie NFTs as avatars, with access to four villages and real-time social interaction. An Open Beta Test from 17 to 24 July will feature daily events where participants can win collectible Axies and land items. The team aims for a full launch in late July or early August this year.
• ApeCoin announced the launch of its ApeChain ‘Testnet Curtis’ on 16 July. The testnet will support decentralised applications and pave the way for the mainnet launch.
• Ubisoft, a prominent game developer known for popular series such as Assassin’s Creed, is launching a free NFT mint for its blockchain-based game, Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles. Starting July 18, players can mint up to 75,000 in-game champion figurines without gas fees. This initiative is part of Ubisoft’s broader strategy to integrate blockchain technology into its games.

Recent Research Reports

• New Developments in GameFi: Play-to-Airdrop and Prediction Markets: Both play-to-airdrop and prediction markets have blurred the boundaries between Web2 and Web3. Our latest report looks into new developments in GameFi by delving deeper into these two trends.
• Spot Ethereum ETFs: In May, the SEC approved eight spot Ether ETFs, potentially launching in July. These ETFs, unlike Bitcoin’s, offer staking rewards. Projections estimate ETH ETFs could see $1.4 to $4.5 billion in inflows and $700 million to $2.4 billion in trading volume within six months. Ethereum’s scalability upgrades enhance its investment appeal.
• New Ethereum Layer-2s: Ethereum L2 networks have surged in activity, now accounting for approximately 90% of all transactions on the Ethereum network, up from 77% before the Dencun upgrade. This report explores the new Ethereum L2 landscape by examining the following projects: Cronos zkEVM, Taiko, Morph, Blast, Reya, and MegaETH.

Recent University Articles

• Crypto Tokenomics: What It Is and Why It Is Important: Tokenomics helps traders gauge how valuable a token might become. Here are the key factors to look for.
• Shiba Inu: A Beginner’s Guide to the Cryptocurrency’s Ecosystem: Shiba Inu has evolved far beyond the SHIB token and now boasts a metaverse, DeFi capabilities, NFT collections, and a synergised token network.
• Trading Cryptocurrency With Moving Averages: Moving averages smooth out price data to help identify trends and reversal points. Here’s how to use them in crypto trading.

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Authors

Research and Insights Team

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