With the arrival of summer, the web3 gaming community is buzzing with a plethora of releases, playtests, and information updates. It’s a bustling time, and it’s nearly impossible to cover everything in a single article. However, we wanted to highlight a few projects that have caught our attention for the month of July!

The influence of web3 gaming is expanding, as even major players like Epic Games, who rival Steam as a gaming distribution platform, are regularly incorporating web3 games. Notably, companies like Nike and Fortnite are cautiously exploring this realm as well.

Simultaneously, established projects continue to bring fresh experiences to the table week after week. Playtests, betas, and alphas are being released rapidly. Some require ownership of NFTs to participate, while others are freely accessible or provide game keys to their community members. Player governance is also gaining traction, with Alien Worlds leading the charge through its self-governing planetary DAOs. Mobile markets are experiencing growth, and the quality of game releases continues to improve.

While certain projects face challenges in launching or securing funding, the overall web3 gaming market is on an upward trajectory. Now, let’s delve into a few games that have piqued our interest for July.

Heroes of Mavia

The highly anticipated beta testing phase for Heroes of Mavia has commenced, much to the excitement of eager players. This base-building PvP game has garnered considerable attention, evident from the soaring prices of land plots, which are currently selling for over $700. Clearly, there is a significant level of interest surrounding this game.

Initial feedback suggests that players are enjoying the thrill of raiding each other’s bases and strategically devising defenses to withstand relentless attacks. Clash of Clans has proven the immense popularity of this genre. The question now arises: Can Heroes of Mavia carve out its own share of the player market in this genre?

Yuga Labs

Yuga Labs has recently made their first game release since Dookie Dash, signaling their ongoing commitment to developing their ecosystem. Although HV-MTL Forge, their latest release, has received a lukewarm response from the community, the game’s launch is a positive indication of Yuga Labs’ progress.

In addition to this, Yuga Labs has shared several details about their upcoming connected game, Legends of the Mara, which is part of the Otherside universe. Notably, the game will incorporate Otherside deeds, Kodas, and Vessels. However, deed owners will be required to “expand” their deeds before they can partake in the game. While a specific release date has not been provided, it is anticipated that we will receive further updates about Legends of the Mara sometime this month.

Splinterlands

While Splinterlands once competed with Alien Worlds for the title of having the most active players, several changes implemented over the past six months aimed at promoting human players and discouraging bot-nets from exploiting the system have unveiled a startling revelation: a significant portion of the active playerbase in Splinterlands consisted of bots!

To address this issue, Splinterlands intends to make efforts to completely block bots from participating in Modern format matches. Additionally, they have a controversial change on the horizon, where players will be required to stake SPS (Splinterlands’ native token) to avoid incurring penalties. The implementation of these changes raises concerns about whether another noticeable decline in players will occur. Furthermore, there is anticipation surrounding whether the introduction of Splinterlands land gameplay will rekindle interest in this pioneering web3 game. While specific dates for these upcoming features have not been provided, it is expected that some developments will surface this month. Additionally, there might be more information revealed about their tower defense and football-centric games currently in development.

Genopets

Genopets has been diligently enhancing its app, consistently rolling out updates that improve pet feeding, playing, and various user interface aspects.

In a recent update, the Genopets team introduced a tracking system that records player activities and awards badges when specific walking milestones and streaks are achieved. Furthermore, their roadmap reveals plans for exciting additions such as an in-app marketplace, crafting seasons, and even player governance.

With the foundation of the game firmly established, the team is swiftly working to introduce new features and provide engaging experiences. The highly anticipated pet combat, encompassing both player versus environment (PvE) and player versus player (PvP) encounters, is on the horizon and will be available in the game before long.

MMOs

Developing and crafting expansive worlds and game systems for Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) games is widely known to require substantial effort. Despite the compatibility of blockchain and NFTs with the MMO genre, playable builds of web3 MMOs have been relatively scarce thus far. However, the tides are starting to turn as games like Treeverse, Mirandus, Ember Sword, and Vulcan Verse emerge, offering increasingly refined glimpses and regular updates to the eager community.