IN THE LOOP with kapital k
The only gaming newsletter you need. I curate and aggregate content from across web2 & web3 to deliver it straight to your inbox.
Week 10 of 2023. Here are the top five headlines and fundraising announcements + a collection of content from independent creators that you missed this week!
PSA: thecoreloop is going to the next level! We’re excited to share with you what we’re building but we need YOUR feedback so please sign up for our waitlist today!
Halo Infinite / Forge beta hit 1M UGC creations — Halo Infinite's Forge beta has seen players create over 1 million custom creations, including maps and game modes, according to 343 Industries. The highly anticipated first-person shooter game is set to launch later this year on Xbox and PC. — link
Analysis: This news demonstrates the popularity and engagement of the Halo franchise and highlights the importance of user-generated content in the gaming industry. This further signals the rise of the player-creator. This rising class of gamers feel empowered to stand on the shoulders of IP giants to enhance the experience even further — creation is a part of gameplay.
Unity Technology / Unity Taps Metamask, Immutable X and Solana for Web3 Dev Tools — Game engine Unity has partnered with Metamask, Immutable X, and Solana to integrate their respective web3 developer tools. This move will enable Unity developers to build blockchain-based games and applications using these tools, expanding the potential use cases for blockchain technology in the gaming industry. — link
Analysis: This move from Unity reflects the growing interest in integrating blockchain technology in its product offering, which could potentially lead to new revenue streams and opportunities for investors. This could also signal that there may be some bi-web3-curious developers out there that are demanding these tools. Unity’s game engine is the go-to choice for the majority of mobile games, that’s a lot of developers.
Amazon / Launch NFT Marketplace Next Month — Amazon is reportedly set to launch its own NFT marketplace in April, allowing users to buy and sell digital assets such as unique gaming items, according to anonymous sources. This move follows a trend of major tech companies entering the NFT market, including Facebook and Google. — link
Analysis: Amazon's entry into the NFT market highlights the potential for a more integrated commerce experience. Amazon currently is one of the largest purveyor of physical goods but with NFTs they could facilitate digital goods as well. Further this lends credibility to the NFT technology and function, since Amazon now joins the list of leading consumer brands such as Disney, Nike, and Starbucks.
IAB Study / Gaming only accounts for 5% of Ad Spending — A recent study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau found that gaming accounts for less than 5% of ad spending, despite the industry's significant growth in recent years. However, the study also highlights the potential for advertisers to reach a highly engaged audience within the gaming space. — link
Analysis: The low percentage of ad spending on gaming highlights the potential for growth as novel UA techniques and new marketing content forms emerge, especially through better segmentations via on-chain transactions and wallet holdings. We’ve yet to see how in-game native advertisements perform but very large legacy brands are already thinking about their “metaverse” marketing strategies.
Epic Games / Launched Self-Publishing Option Epic Games Store — Epic Games Store has launched self-publishing tools for game developers and publishers, allowing them to release their titles on the platform without the need for a third-party publisher. This move aims to give independent developers more control over their games' distribution and potentially increase competition in the PC gaming market. — link
Analysis: Epic Games' self-publishing tools reflect the growing trend of game developers seeking more control, though this would also mean that there would be more competition since the barrier to entry has been greatly reduced. Another byproduct of this move is the expansion and innovation in game distribution and development tools as the traditional publisher model is disrupted.
Don’t miss out on next week’s IN THE LOOP w/ kapital k.
Check out this exclusive piece that we received from our good friends over at Nami Analytics. This time they’re talking about PHYGITAL with a particular focus on Trading Card Games (TCG) and how NFT technology can mitigate counterfeiting. They cover the greatest hits such as Pokemon TCG and Magic: The Gathering as well as some web3 titles like Gods Unchained and Skyweaver. Enjoy!
Andrew Chen (a16z) // Challenges for AI Startups in Gaming
Derek (ImmutableX) // The Secret to Eliminating Bots in Web3 Games … You Don’t.
Derek 🌌@xdereklauThe secret to eliminating bots in web3 games is... ... you don't Some thoughts 🧵11:01 PM · Mar 8, 20235 Reposts · 30 LikesSimon (Mighty Bear Games) // Perspective on The Struggles of Projects That Raised <$5M — link
Shades of Green (Chapter One) // History of Games and Future of Web3 Games — link
Ben (Crypto.com) // Reflections on Web3 Gaming Thesis — link
Insightful (Freelancer) // Summary of Delphi Digital & Naavik’s 2023 Report on Web3 Gaming — link
Maeve (Maverick Crypto) // A Digest of Galaxy’s History of Gaming and its Web3 Future — link
Bryan (a16z) // How do you know if a social app will be a “hit?” — link
Nami (Nami Analytics) // To Royalty or Not To Royalty? — link
Wassie’s Alpha gaming Metaverse Expedition (WAGME) // thecoreloop — link
The Case of Playrix and why Product-Market fit is a Moving Target // Deconstructor of Fun — link
A Consumer’s Digital Footprint // Konvoy Ventures — link
Understanding the Rise of Anime Art in Games // Naavik — link
Assembling a Community Before Game // Game Discover — link
Case Study: Counter Strike’s Marketplace // Deconstructor of Fun — link
This Week in Games (TWIG) #223 // Deconstructor of Fun
The New Gold Rush // Gamecraft
No rest for Call of Duty // GamesIndustry.biz Pod — link
New York Times’ Games Strategy // Naavik — link
How Zynga Built a Multi-Billion Dollar CULTURE // a16z Games — link
Champions Round // $7M // Web2 // Social — Sports media and consumer tech focused on live esports and GenZ. Investors: Point72 Ventures & Goodwater Capital, Pipeline Capital, Quest Venture Partners, Mana Ventures, Band of Angels, Gaingels
Avalon // $13M // Web3 // Infra — Game company building tools to create a new interoperable digital universe. Investors: Bitkraft Ventures, Hashed, Delphi Digital, Mechanism Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Yield Guild Games, Merit Circle, Avocado Guild, Morningstar Ventures.
VitalXP // $3M // Web3 // Shooter — Studio building a game called Lowlife Forms, which is an evolved modular shooter set in a Sci-Fi future. Investors: Streamlined Ventures, Marbruck Investments.
Tangle // $4M // Web2 // Social — Building virtual workspaces for teams. Investors: Qualcomm, March Gaming, Dune Ventures.
Redemption Games // $7M // Web3 // Puzzle — A game studio that spun out of AppLovin with aspirations to build mobile puzzle games. Investors: Play Ventures, Bitkraft Ventures, Merit Circle DAO, Orange DAO
The Believer Company // $55M // Web2 // MMO-Open-World — Founded by Riot Games founding team member and ex-EP of LoL: Wild Rift. next-generation open-world game, anchored by an original IP, stories where player choices matter, and gameplay systems that bring players together. Investors: Lightspeed Venture Partners, a16z, Bitkraft Ventures, Riot Games, 1Up Ventures, Cleveland Avenue, Tornante Company
Matchday // $21M // Web3 // Card — Casual mobile football card game with a potential partnership with FIFA license and investment from Lionel Messi. Investors: Play Time
For this week’s alpha calendar see our WAGME newsletter
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h/t to thecoreloop contributors: @0xkapital_k @chng_raymond @cloudxgmf @wassiecapital @iandaog @playtern @friandoteth @0xconglomerate @itsbambam
