PLUS: are you a wolf or sheep...the first playable NFTs in an AAA game...an Emmy-winning showrunner enters the world of NFTs...and more!

created by @themikesteez

Issue #13 | December 9, 2021

gm frens,

I almost didn't make the newsletter deadline today, but I PROMISED YOU I WOULD.

So here I am.

I'm using my condensed format, but one story I do want to expand on a bit is the one I mention in my subject line..."Apple Rugs Bored Ape Yacht Club" because it has huge implications for the future of blockchain games.

Basically, last month BAYC tweeted about a mobile game competition for BAYC and MAYC holders, along with a video trailer of the gameplay:

(Click the image above to see the tweet and watch the video).

But then on 12/5/21, BAYC tweeted this:

A big brain in my RECESS DAO discord (🧢,🧢) posited that "ultimately, any attempt at making crypto games on a native iOS app that involves purchases isn’t gonna get accepted."

Back in September, I argued that the ruling on the Fortnite vs. Apple case was huge because it meant that Apple can't block apps or games from using crypto payment networks.

What I didn't account for is that Apple could just block the game/app entirely.

Now, is this the reason the BAYC game "got rugged"? Did the game even "get rugged" at all, as they claim? What if development was really far behind and this was just an excuse?

Whatever the case may be, it'll be curious to see how Web3 games move forward if they still rely on walled gardens (such as the Apple ecosystem) for mass distribution.

Okay, that's all my smol brain can handle as far as original thought.

Let's get to the GameBites for this week.

– Michael

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🍬MicroBites

🎮 Ubisoft announces first playable NFTs for their AAA title Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

🐺Wolf Game was (and still is) a big deal in p2e DeFi gaming for a while, with trading volume of almost 20k ETH and a ton of derivatives popping up

📺Emmy-award winner Bernie Su joined the Duskbreakers team, and I should also note here the Duskbreakers shipped a mini game as part of their an innovative Play-to-Mint strategy (more on that in the Deep Dives below)

🛥An NFT yacht designed to be used in The Sandbox sold for $650,000

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💰VC Land & Money Talk

💰Blockchain gaming platform Forte raises $725 million in Series B, which included a16z, Cosmos, Solana Ventures and Polygon Studios among its investors.

🏦Hivemind Capital Partners, founded by Citi Group vet Matt Zhang, launches $1.5 billion fund to invest in blockchain and digital asset ecosystems. The fund will include a play-to-earn gaming arm.

🥑Blockchain gaming guild Avocado raises $18 million Series A round from Solana Ventures, Animoca Brands, and others

⚔Upcoming NFT RPG, Guild of Guardians, raises $5.3 million via token sale

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🕳️Deep Dives

📖READ: Duskbreakers introduces Play-to-Mint concept

📖READ: Morgan Stanley Predicts Metaverse Gaming & NFTs to Account for 10% of Luxury Market by 2030

📖READ: Xbox chief thinks some NFT games feel "more exploitative than about entertainment"

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🐥Random Tweet

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Thanks for sticking with me and I'll see ya next week with another edition!

Also – would you be interested in a job board for the Web3 game space?

I'm considering using this section right here to host it.

Let me know what you think about this idea!

– Michael, editor of Crypto GameBites

PS – Can you forward this email to someone you think would enjoy it?

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🏴‍☠️

Disclosure: From time-to-time I might add links in this newsletter to products I use and I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Also, I hold crypto assets (shocking right?). See my investment disclosures here.

Disclaimer to protect my a$$: All investment strategies and investments involve risk of loss. Nothing contained in this magical newsletter should be construed as financial or investment advice. We’re just two brains connecting through cyberspace and shooting the shit about the wild world of blockchain gaming, where buzzwords like “crypto” and “NFTs” roam freely. Any reference to an investment's past or potential performance is not, and should not be construed as, a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit. Remember to do your own damn research and don’t just ape into things like I did with all those shitcoins from the Spring 2021 bull run.