Gm/Gn gamers, but more likely Gn unless you’re opening this tomorrow. We’re still messing around with scheduling to find the best time to catch you all between matches, so let us know if we’re dropping Web3 Weekly when you are.

Before we start, go check out a16z Gaming’s new series with Danny O’Dwyer. As fans of his documentaries with NoClip and a16z’s ability to fund cool projects, we’ll be refreshing YouTube for more game dev content every week.

Now that you’ve seen that and before you dive into the Bauldur’s Gate episode, we’ve got a relatively light load this week to get you caught up:

• Solana Gameshift Beta

• Change Log

• Saga Pegasus

• Release Radar

• Other News

Solana Gameshift Beta

Solana Labs has recently unveiled GameShift in its beta avatar, a pioneering toolkit designed to revolutionize the way games are developed on the Solana blockchain. This innovative platform is a boon for developers, offering a streamlined, code-free gateway to the world of Web3 gaming.

With GameShift, the blockchain accessibility is neatly packaged under a user-friendly API, liberating game creators to focus on crafting captivating gaming experiences without the technical overload.

GameShift is poised to transform the gaming landscape by offering a frictionless economic ecosystem within games. Players can now effortlessly acquire and trade virtual assets without the need for cryptocurrency, simply by using conventional payment methods like credit cards, bridging the gap between traditional gaming markets and web3 games.

With the beta launch announced at Solana Breakpoint event, GameShift is setting a new standard for the gaming community, leveraging Solana's high-speed, cost-effective network to speed up the game development process.

Change Log

• Pixels is live on Ronin Network following a successful migration from Polygon.

• Blast Royale patch v0.16 provide new updates and a 400 MATC prize pool for creators.

• Parallel’s initial season is wrapping up as Planetfall approaches.

• The Chain of Alliance Alpha 3.0 update features new classes of characters including Shadeborn and Assassins.

Release Radar

• Shatterpoint (Season 39, Closed Alpha): Ongoing

• Trial Xtreme Freedom (Playtest): Ongoing

• The Machines Arena (Season 2, Beta): Ongoing

• Ember Sword (Playtest, Ongoing): Ongoing

Saga’s Incentivized Testnet is Live

The gaming universe just got a little more exciting with Saga's launch of the Pegasus Incentivized Testnet, a playground for game developers in the web3 space. Pegasus is the precursor to the much-anticipated Saga Protocol V1 Mainnet, set to be live in early 2024. This launch isn't just a milestone; it's a treasure map for builders. With the promise of airdropped SAGA tokens and 282 innovative projects already in the pipeline, the Saga ecosystem is buzzing with activity and anticipation.

Built on the Saga Protocol, it offers a suite of high-performance, gasless, and interoperable chainlets that cater to every developer's whim. Imagine a multiverse where custom chains are as diverse as the games they support, with the first EVM-based Chainlet ready to embrace the vast Solidity and Ethereum community. This is where developers can craft their unique tech stacks, secure in the knowledge that Saga's infrastructure is as VM-agnostic as it is robust. The launch supports configurable realms right out of the gate, setting the stage for a future where Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, and others can seamlessly interact.

The heart of Saga's success lies in its vibrant community. With the Pegasus launch, Saga is rolling out the red carpet for developers, users, and validators to partake in quests and contribute to the ecosystem's growth. Those who dive into these quests can expect a shower of SAGA tokens as a token of appreciation. Rebecca Liao, Saga's Co-Founder and CEO, encapsulates the excitement, "Seeing our Innovators showcasing their creativity in this Incentivized Testnet, we are more positioned for success than ever.”

Other News

• Gaming and AI focused decentralized cloud infrastructure provider Aethir joined the NVIDIA Inception Program.

• Animoca Brands acquired web3 streaming platform Azarus Games, a previous portfolio company, for an undisclosed amount.

• Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Investment Fund partnered with and invested $50M into Animoca Brands to accelerate web3 development in the NEOM region.

• Crypto Unicorns partnered with web3 developer platform Sequence.

• Crypto Unicorns partnered with web3 gaming launcher HyperPlay.

• Merit Circle annouced the Beam Hackathon, with registration open through next week.

• Moonveil Entertainment raised $5.4M in a pre-seed funding round from Gumi Cryptos Capital, Arcane Group, Longhash, IOSG Ventures, and others.