Gm players.

We are so back. All green across the board in the top gaming tokens by market cap and well into the CoinMarketCap Fear & Greed Index. There have been a couple of big esports stories this week, with web3’s own Nouns Dota 2 smashing through The International 2023, securing at least 8th place with their performance so far. We like to think we played a huge part in this. In traditional orgs, GGs to FaZe esports for winning the first CS2 event, but not so well on the corporate side after being acquired for 2% of their SPAC from last year.

The slate is evolving. Here’s what we’re talking about today:

• Merit Circle’s First Keynote - Enter Beam

• Change Log

• Deadrop Snapshot VII

• Release Radar

• Partnerships on Partnerships

• Other News

Merit Circle’s First Keynote - Enter Beam

Other than great visuals and an awesome background setup from Merit Circle's CTO Brandon Aaskov, the keynote detailed the vision for Beam. More than just the Beam Network built from an Avalanche Subnet, the ecosystem will drive improvements to web3 gaming pains felt by gamers, makers, and developers alike. The network is now live, with beamBridge and beamSwap accessible to all.

The platform emphasizes effortless onboarding, partnering with Openfort to ensure players can seamlessly create wallets without any hurdles. On that note, scrapping the term wallets altogether (something talked about at Zebu Day 1) and just calling them accounts. With the seamless flow, gamers won't have to know that there is a blockchain behind any of it unless they want to!

The Beam Companion App is a mobile app that allows gamers to truly own, swap, and share their in-game assets. Ownership outside a game is not the default but rather an opt-in for when gamers are ready to make the next step toward true asset ownership.

Sphere is set to redefine gaming marketplaces, contextualizing in-game assets and helping players understand actual use in-game (rarity /= utility). The BeamSDK is built off Sphere and empowers game makers to create immersive in-game marketplace experiences. If you're looking for a unified experience, BeamOS ties all these products together with their native launcher, ensuring a frictionless gaming journey.

The gap between gamers and developers has been widening, but Beam aims to bridge this divide. With a focus on immersion, ownership, and player experience, the Merit Circle DAO envisions a future where millions of gamers are part of the Beam network, making this launch not just a milestone but the dawn of a new era in gaming.

This was a super high-level summary, so I urge you all to watch the keynote below, and the article can be read here. At No Re, we're definitely on an ultralight Beam and bullish on their push for a world where gamers will use web3 without having to deal with the complexities of the blockchain.

Change Log

• Aurory introduced Crystals, an in-game, off-chain currency for buying non-tradable items.

• Cross The Ages Season 2 launched with 2x PvP gains from now until mid-November.

• Gods Unchained launched the Tides of Fate expansion with over 140 new cards, 15 new legendaries, and new features like Faction Skirmishes.

• Parallel Planetfall Manifest arrived with over 120 new cards available for presale now.

• The latest Pirate Nation Forgotten Gods Idol update is increasing competition among factions in the final stages of the competition.

• Star Atlas SAGE Labs received an update, including Scan adjustments, increased chances of finding higher concentrations of SDUs, and other improvements.

Deadrop Snapshot VII

Buckle up gamers! Midnight Society has unveiled its latest update, Snapshot VII: Midnight. In true Disrespect fashion, the spectacle of a reveal took place in Las Vegas, where the glitz and glamour of the city mirrored the excitement of the game's new features. The event, hosted at the HyperX Arena, wasn't just about showcasing the game; it was a celebration of over a year of collaboration with their community.

The update promises to be a thrilling ride, quite literally. Deadrop, the upcoming first-person shooter game, is now turbocharged with high-speed car battles. Imagine driving from your in-game "Hideout" garage to your matches, battling other players, swiping loot, and then making a daring escape on foot to an extraction point. And if you thought this was just another racing game, think again. The creators have emphasized that they're crafting an experience that will leave players wondering what this car gameplay has to do with their shooter.

The game is set to offer a plethora of user-generated content opportunities. Players can not only enjoy the game but also bring their unique game modes to life. And for the crypto enthusiasts out there, Deadrop might just offer the chance to monetize these creations as NFTs in the future. It's a testament to Midnight Society's commitment to open development and their trust in the community's creative prowess.

What's gameplay without degenerate case openings? In comes the Drivers Key Packages. Four limited-time packages, including Dr Disrespect's Drivers Key Package, include Legendary Vehicle Wraps and License Plates. For the ultimate collectors out there, a treasure trove awaits! Secure all four distinct Vehicle Wraps and unlock ten Exotic Crates with over 100 exclusive in-game cosmetics. To get your hands on these Drivers Key Packages, you'll need a Game Access Pass (except if you already have a Tower Key or Founders Pass). This is your gateway to Snapshot VII and all future Snapshots.

So, whether you're revving up for a stylish race or building an enviable collection, Snapshot VII has something for you.

Release Radar

• Champions Ascension (Early Access Alpha): Ongoing

• Fableborne (Holder Playtest): Ongoing

• Ember Sword (Playtest): Tomorrow

• Sugartown, Ora Gamma Charge (Playtest): Tomorrow

• Citizens Conflict (Alpha): “Soon”

Partnerships on Partnerships

Far too many partnerships happened this week to include them all in the Other News category, so we decided to create a partnership category to highlight them better and provide a bit more context.

Forge x Frens. Forge announced Portal Fantasy, Rushdown Revolt, Pixelmon, Genopets, The Sandbox, and Planet Mojo as its first set of game launch partners.

Illuvium x Ethlizards. Ethlizards is teaming up with Illuvium to launch a social-focused gaming platform for Illuvitar packs (D1SK) and hinted at future collaborations between the two projects.

LAMINA1 x Ava Labs. Neal Stephenson's (the guy who invented the term 'metaverse') blockchain LAMINA1 partnered with Ava Labs to build a creator-first, open metaverse platform on Avalanche.

SHRAPNEL x Bybit. SHRAPNEL partnered with Bybit, providing no clear objective in their announcement. The announcement was followed by a "mysterious rewards" giveaway from Bybit. SHRAP incoming

SHRAPNEL x RNG Foundation. SHRAPNEL also partnered with the Radon Network Guidance (RNG) Foundation to "support the Shrapnel Network and empower Creators." It's a bit vague, but we were able to get some context from the RNG Discord:

SHRAP is for sure incoming.

Star Atlas x Matrica Labs. Star Atlas partnered with community tool provider Matrica Labs to create better community connectivity through in-game asset holder verification.

Tribally Games x Paradise Tycoon, Pixels. Tribally partnered with Avalanche-based Paradise Tycoon and Ronin-based Pixels, onboarding both games into the Tribally social-gaming platform.

Other News

• Faze Clan was acquired for $17 million, one year after its $725 million SPAC.

• Minecraft-inspired world builder Hytopia (previously NFT Worlds) raised $3M in a funding round led by Delphi Ventures.

• Mythical Games’ NFL Rivals surpassed 3 million registered users.

• NFL Rivals is giving away Rivals Booster Packs to Amazon Prime customers.

• Proof of Play introduced tradable contracts as a way to create a more SBT-friendly marketplace environment.

• SHRAPNEL developer Neon Machine raised $20M in a Series A funding round led by Polychain Capital with participation from Brevan Howard Digital, Franklin Templeton, IOSG Ventures, and others.

• Third Time Entertainment raised $3.5M in Seed Funding from London Venture Partners, Coinbase Ventures, Maven Capital, and others to develop Photo Finish LIVE.

• Tribo Games, the gaming studio that developed Angry Birds and Plants v. Zombies, is building its latest game, Rumble Arcade, on Beam.

• Xterio launched its Pro-Creator Marketplace.