NFT & Blockchain Gaming Weekly (18/08/2023)

Crypto.com releases full tutorial for the Loaded Lions: Mane City game. BAPE collaborates with adidas Originals to release a new sneaker. NFT collection ‘y00ts’ announces migration from Polygon to Ethereum.

Chart of the Week

DeGods, one of the most valuable profile picture (PFP) projects, has experienced significantly increased trading volume in the past week. The community had a negative reaction to the first unveiling of the project’s new ‘Season III’ artwork, where each NFT was linked to four generative art pieces. In response, the team changed course by opting for a simplified design of ‘Art Downgrade’. They also introduced a game dubbed ‘Points Parlor’, which allows users to stake NFTs and earn rewards in return. Nevertheless, the floor price has plummeted as a result of whales unloading their holdings. 

New Project Spotlight

NFT Collectibles

[COMING SOON] ‘Dark Side of The Moon Festival 3023’ is a project by Zinkete, an illustrator and street artist. Dropping on 21 August on Crypto.com NFT, it details the fictional “Moon Festival”, during which the Moon becomes a centre of creativity, innovation, and inspiration.

[COMING SOON] ‘Future Worlds’ is a collection by Oscar Llorens, an illustrator with 15 years of experience working with both national and international clients. This drop features strange worlds that are full of colour and optimism, portrayed through the characteristic elements of the artist’s work. The collection goes live on Crypto.com NFT on 25 August.

Blockchain Games

[LIVE]Loaded Lions: Mane City has released new playbook updates, which include further details on supported platforms and operating systems, as well as a section that deep-dives into the game’s mechanics. The full tutorial for Loaded Lions: Mane City has also been released on YouTube.

[LIVE] The Cronos Stream for ecosystem project sharing and updates featured representatives from the gaming project CroSkulls, and other projects such as Krystal DeFi, Earn Network, and Pwn.xyz.

NFT Metrics

The following table shows select top collections (by weekly sales volume on each platform) and a sample of their art:

Platform	Collection	Sales Volume (USD)	Floor Price (USD)	Sample
OpenSea	DeGods	$30,402,000 (+167%)	$7,500
OpenSea	Bored Ape Yacht Club	$14,453,000 (+115%)	$49,100
Crypto.com NFT	SYNTHTOPIA	$63,900 (—)	$50
Crypto.com NFT	Loaded Lions	$47,500 (+87%)	$1,000
Minted	ArgoPetz	$11,400 (-48%)	$20
Minted	MiCROchips	$9,900 (-52%)	$40

Blockchain Game Metrics

The following table shows select top games by weekly Unique Active Wallets (UAW):

Game	Blockchain(s)	UAW	Volume	Logo
Sweat Economy	Ethereum, Near	175K (-12%)	$102K
Hippo Dash by Gameta	BNB Chain	153K (-23%)	$0.5K
Pandra War	Polygon	103K (-24%)	$1.1M
Carrom Blitz	Flow	97K (+1%)	$2K
Splinterlands	WAX, Hive, BNB	70K (+20%)	$1K

Gaming Token Performance

The total market cap for gaming tokens now stands at US$8.53 billion, down -15% from last week.

News Highlights

• Crypto.com has released the full tutorial for the Loaded Lions: Mane City game. Loaded Lions: Mane City is a tycoon simulator game, where players design and build the cities of their dreams, and is set to launch in two weeks’ time.
• Japanese streetwear company BAPE collaborates with adidas Originals to release a limited edition sneaker bound to an associated set of NFTs. Beginning on 22 August,  100 NFTs linked to 100 corresponding physical pairs of sneakers will be available for auction.
• Popular NFT collection ‘y00ts’ has announced its migration from Polygon to the Ethereum mainnet. The ‘y00ts’ collection will join its sister collection ‘DeGods’, and subsequently return the grant previously received from the Polygon team.
• Zynga, the mobile game developer behind Farmville and Words With Friends, has announced its first-ever blockchain game, Sugartown. The game is set to utilise Ethereum-based NFTs, immersing players in an alternate realm where they will encounter creatures known as  ‘Oras’.
• McDonald’s Singapore is giving away free NFT profile pictures on the Polygon network. Starting from 21 August, the regional branch of the fast food restaurant chain will offer up to 2,000 NFT collectibles featuring the brand’s purple monster mascot, Grimace, wearing different accessories.
• Decentraland has launched a four-week celebration of the humble emote. Fans of Decentraland will be able to engage with emote spaces, attend workshops, enter competitions, and party through the night.

Recent Research Report
Alpha Navigator: Quest for Alpha [July 2023]	Real-World Assets: Bridging Real-World Value to DeFi	Crypto Market Sizing Report H1 2023

• Crypto Market Sizing Report H1 2023: Global crypto owners reached 516 million by the first half of 2023.
• Real-World Assets: Bridging Real-World Value to DeFi: Real World Assets is a promising application for blockchain technology that is gaining traction. We explore notable projects like Centrifuge, Ondo, Tangible, and Toucan.
• Alpha Navigator: Quest for Alpha [July 2023]: Risk assets continued their positive price action in July, although BTC dipped slightly. Macro calendar is quiet up until mid-August when we have the US CPI and release of FOMC minutes.

Recent University Articles
What Are Layer-0 Protocols? Infrastructure for Customised Blockchains	Top Governance Tokens to Know in 2023	The Future of Ethereum: What to Expect in the Coming Years

• What Are Layer-0 Protocols? Infrastructure for Customised Blockchains: Layer-0 protocols are the infrastructure on which customised Layer-1 blockchains are built. We explore notable projects like Cosmos, Polkadot, and Avalanche.
• Top Governance Tokens to Know in 2023: Discover the top crypto governance tokens making waves in the decentralised finance and blockchain sectors.
• The Future of Ethereum: What to Expect in the Coming Years: Exploring the upcoming upgrades and developments that will shape the Ethereum network’s future.

We’re all ears.

Your feedback helps make our reporting more insightful. Tell us how we can improve this newsletter by taking the survey below. It will take less than a minute of your time. Thank you!

Author

Research and Insights Team

Disclaimer

The information in this report is provided as general market commentary by Crypto.com and its affiliates, and does not constitute any financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other advice. This report is not intended to offer or recommend any access to products and/or services. While we endeavour to publish and maintain accurate information, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information in this report nor do we adopt nor endorse, nor are we responsible for, the accuracy or reliability of any information submitted by other parties.

This report is not directed or intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity who is a citizen or resident of, or located in a jurisdiction, where such distribution or use would be contrary to applicable law or that would subject Crypto.com and/or its affiliates to any registration or licensing requirement.

The brands and the logos appearing in this report are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Nothing in this report is intended to suggest that NFTs are investment products, nor securities, nor anything similar or “financial” of any description. NFTs are to be reserved for fun only and NOT with any expectation of “value”, “profit”, “yield” or “investment”. You are also aware that NFTs are not a store of value, are not a generally accepted medium of exchange, and are considered very illiquid and volatile.