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European Gaming Congress 2024

Blockchain

NEON Closes Successful Seed Funding Round, Raising $10.5 Million Led by Griffin Gaming Partners

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Griffin Gaming Partners, Polychain Capital, and Forte.io have invested in the development of a AAA blockchain-enabled game by the talent behind Halo, Call of Duty, and Star Wars

NEON, an independent game studio, has closed a successful seed funding round, raising $10.5 million USD to build the world’s first blockchain-enabled AAA first-person shooter game. Demonstrating significant interest in the project across the gaming, blockchain, and technology sectors, the oversubscribed round was led by Griffin Gaming Partners, alongside Polychain Capital and Forte. Forte will also provide technical support to the project.

Designed to reward and empower players and creators, Shrapnel will be the world’s first blockchain-enabled AAA first-person shooter game. Full details of the game are set to be announced next year.

Commenting on the raise, Mark Long, CEO at NEON, said, “When we saw the market research that players want to truly own their digital items, we knew there was a unique opportunity in blockchain. Thanks to Griffin’s investment and expertise, along with Polychain and Forte, we can bring to life a game and mod platform that I’ve dreamed of making for years. This team is inspiring to work with. We know we have the right game with the right tech at the right time.”

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Spun-out from HBO Interactive, the NEON team has unmatched professional experience in transmedia, virtual production, and gaming-as-a-service. Comprised of BAFTA and Emmy award-winning game industry veterans hailing from some of the world’s leading game companies including Xbox, Electronic Arts, HBO, LucasFilm, Irrational, and Zombie Ent amongst others, NEON’s vision is to create the most immersive gaming experience ever seen in the crypto space. To support this vision, a range of blockchain and deep tech experts will support the architectural and design needs of the game.

Pierre Planche, Partner at Griffin Gaming Partners, said, “Griffin is thrilled to be working closely with Mark and the NEON team as well as an awesome group of strategic partners. It is exciting to see a AAA games team of this caliber contribute to moving the blockchain gaming ecosystem forward with a focus on quality gameplay and long-term value. NEON is authentically leveraging some of the most exciting pillars of utility that blockchain has to offer gaming – its core game design innovates on competitive game modes, and its digital economy will directly reward and empower the community. As a long-time FPS player and prior esports competitor in the genre, I know Shrapnel is exactly the experience my peers and I can’t wait to get our hands on. “

Ben Perszyk, Partner at Polychain, said, “Polychain has long held that crypto will enable novel, unforeseen behaviors, businesses, and use cases, and we are seeing another example of that now with Shrapnel. We believe crypto assets and incentive structures will fundamentally change the way users play games, and we’re extremely excited to see the experienced team at NEON push the envelope forward on what’s possible in the crypto gaming industry by integrating crypto into a deep, immersive, AAA-style FPS experience.”

Josh Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Forte, said, “Experienced game developers like the NEON team know that core gameplay and engagement mechanics are crucial for staying power. They are committed to creating sustainable blockchain ecosystems by putting game design and user experience first and we are honored they’ve chosen Forte to help them bring their vision to life.”

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Blockchain

EMERGE Group is Leveraging Sei’s Unique Optimizations to Revolutionize Web3 Gaming

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EMERGE Group, a leading commercialization partner and Web3 game publishing company, is excited to announce that it will leverage Sei, an open-source blockchain platform and ecosystem, to onboard innovative Web3 games. Powered by Sei, EMERGE Group will use its expertise in Web3 marketing and go-to-market (GTM) strategies to expand the Sei user base and bring in more high-profile gaming projects.

As part of its aggressive expansion into the Web3 gaming industry, Sei is actively seeking quality games to build on its platform. The blockchain platform is offering grants and comprehensive support to help these games succeed from development to launch through Sei’s ultra-fast layer 1 blockchain – currently the fastest chain in the market. By joining Sei, game developers can focus more on creativity and innovation, while utilizing Sei’s secure and efficient blockchain infrastructure to handle technical blockchain complexities.

EMERGE Group is committed to supporting Sei’s vision of elevating the gaming experience by integrating decentralized finance (DeFi) elements and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into quality games. The Web3 integration will also see EMERGE Group hosting significant Web3 events and leading game publishing efforts to ensure successful launches and sustained growth for games on the Sei platform.

The post EMERGE Group is Leveraging Sei’s Unique Optimizations to Revolutionize Web3 Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Traderland.io Launches a Fusion of Gaming and Investment Training

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Traderland.io, an innovative interactive trading simulator gaming universe, has officially launched. The dynamic trading platform offers users the chance to immerse themselves in a socially-driven game landscape while honing their investment and asset-trading skills. Since its initial release, Traderland.io has rapidly gained popularity, attracting over 15,000 users.

Traderland.io stands out by utilizing real-time market data, allowing users to experience an immersive and realistic trading environment. Players can engage in trading activities that reflect live market conditions, providing a true-to-life simulation that enhances their learning experience.

In the Traderland.io universe, players are represented by customizable animated avatars. These avatars enable users to explore various cities within the platform, each offering unique challenges and opportunities. A significant feature is the ability to invest in virtual real estate across eight distinct regions, each with varying price points.

A core element of the Traderland.io experience is its tutorials, which are grounded in real-life trading scenarios. Users can choose to navigate these lessons with the guidance of a coach who is available to answer questions and provide step-by-step assistance.

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Traderland.io offers a broad selection of virtual assets for users to trade, including forex, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and futures. By trading these assets, players can gain practical experience and understand the intricacies of different investment vehicles.

The asset prices within the platform mirror actual market fluctuations, allowing traders to observe the impact of their decisions and adapt their strategies accordingly. Players can monitor their gains and losses through a comprehensive dashboard, providing a snapshot of their portfolio’s performance.

One of the platform’s most exciting features is the opportunity for players to engage in trading battles and tournaments against traders from around the world. These competitions not only elevate the excitement but also offer the chance to win real money, adding a tangible reward to the virtual trading experience.

The investment landscape is expanding rapidly, with the cryptocurrency market alone projected to grow to $13.18 billion by 2031. As more investors enter the market, Traderland.io aims to bridge the knowledge gap by educating users about various assets through an engaging, gamified approach. By participating in real-time trading and completing the tutorials, players can enter the investment space with confidence and competence.

Traderland.io is available exclusively through its website, offering a unique and comprehensive trading simulator that combines education, competition, and community engagement.

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Rivalry Expands Crypto Native Experience With Token Launch in H2 2024, Web3 Product Enhancements

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Blockchain-Based Product to Position Rivalry Within Fast-Growing Crypto Gambling Segment, Drive Product-Market Fit Among Digitally Native Bettors with Increased Functionality and User Experiences

Rivalry, the leading sportsbook and iGaming operator for Gen Z, revealed Rivalry Token, a native crypto token on the blockchain to add increased functionality, economics, and user experiences across the company’s product suite, continuing Rivalry’s track record of innovation in online betting. The launch of Rivalry Token, anticipated to arrive in H2 2024, represents one of several forthcoming initiatives to position Rivalry in the crypto gambling market and better serve its core audience of 30-and-under bettors.

“Online gambling is the latest web-based consumer category being increasingly disrupted by blockchain technologies with greater speed, access, and functionality than their legacy counterparts,” said Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO, Rivalry. “Tech-savvy bettors are leading a behavioral shift towards more experiential and crypto-enabled gambling experiences that are taking wallet share from incumbents at an accelerated rate.”

“Rivalry is well-positioned to access the growth opportunity in crypto with a proven product set, a brand entrenched in internet culture, and a captive audience of digitally native users that are driving this economic renaissance,” Salz added. “The launch of Rivalry Token, alongside a broader expansion into cryptocurrencies, strengthens our product-market fit among an under-30 audience and positions us competitively to capture a meaningful share of this fast-growing segment of the market.”

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Rivalry Token will be integrated within Rivalry’s product suite – from sportsbook to casino and more – with built-in properties to enhance the customer experience from end-to-end. Users can earn tokens through site activity such as betting and referring friends, which can be used on Rivalry to boost odds, participate in jackpots, and more to be detailed in the future. Rivalry Token will also be available on several to-be-announced crypto exchange platforms, trading under $RVLRY.

Rivalry Token creates a new dynamic relationship between player and house where every sports wager and casino spin, win or lose, is rewarded with a decentralized asset that can accrue value alongside player activity on Rivalry. The company expects its token will drive a meaningful increase in player engagement, loyalty, and advocacy by establishing more positive economic alignment and enabling customers to actively participate in product success.

Rivalry has today launched a pre-farming campaign where users can begin accumulating an interim currency through site activity and eventually social media which will be converted into Rivalry Token during the token generation event in H2 2024. Additionally, tokens will be distributed to all Rivalry accounts based on historical activity, rewarding loyal customers and creating a substantial reactivation opportunity for churned users.

Rivalry will also soon be adding greater support for other cryptocurrencies on its platform, allowing users to more easily bet with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and other major cryptocurrencies. This will enable Rivalry to access a fast-growing audience gambling with crypto that is estimated to account for up to one quarter of global betting handle.

Following the official launch, Rivalry Token will be available for players to use on Rivalry in all of the company’s active markets excluding Ontario and Australia.

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The company will release more information about Rivalry Token throughout the coming months, including commercial partners, token economics, and more.

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