Tag: gaming industry

Gala Games' Walking Dead Debacle Signals Web3's Regulatory Reckoning

Gala Games' Walking Dead Debacle Signals Web3's Regulatory Reckoning

• Commentary

The abrupt demise of Gala Games' The Walking Dead: Empires isn't just about a failed NFT game. This troubling state of affairs should set off alarm bells. Consider it Web3’s canary in the coal mine, sounding the alarm for more regulatory oversight in the largely unregulated space that is Web3....

Walking Dead NFT Game's Demise: Another Blow to Web3's Promise?

Walking Dead NFT Game's Demise: Another Blow to Web3's Promise?

• Commentary

Let’s say her name is Anya, a young aspiring digital artist from a remote Cambodian village. Anya, like many others in Southeast Asia, saw The Walking Dead: Empires as more than just a game. It was a doorway. This creates a huge opportunity for a new creative economy. It provides...

Zed Champions: A Fresh Start or Another Broken Promise for Web3 Gaming?

Zed Champions: A Fresh Start or Another Broken Promise for Web3 Gaming?

• Commentary

Zed Run is dead. Long live Zed Champions? This fundamental question reverberates throughout the Web3 gaming community in Southeast Asia. Virtually Human Studios (VHS), creators of the once extremely popular NFT horse racing game, are currently doing everything in their power to resurrect it. But forgive my skepticism. I’ve been...

MagicBlock's $7.5M: A Win for Southeast Asian Game Devs?

MagicBlock's $7.5M: A Win for Southeast Asian Game Devs?

• Commentary

I would reminisce about the time I attended a small scale game dev game jam in Jakarta a few years ago. Talented artists, coders brimming with ideas… but the conversation kept circling back to the same problem: access. Access to funding, access to mentorship, access to a global audience. And...

Japan's Bitcoin Revolution: A Boon for Artists and Web3 Creators?

Is Japan on the verge of accidentally unleashing a tsunami of creative destruction and financial liberation onto the rest of the emerging markets? I know this seems like a tall order, but hear me out. Japan’s regulatory change to officially recognize Bitcoin as a financial product. This step is a...

5 Ways This Crypto Bill Empowers Southeast Asian Artists, Not Wall Street

Let’s be honest, when you hear about crypto regulation, your first thought probably isn't Southeast Asian artists finding new avenues for creative expression. Surely visions of Wall Street honchos and inscrutable derivatives dance in your head. Well, what if I told you that the Senate’s Banking Committee just released their...

Crypto's 'Light-Touch' Regulation Gamble Will It Protect You?

The Senate Committee’s proposed “light-touch” regulatory framework for crypto is a long high-stakes poker game. Are we all truly holding a winning hand, or are we collectively bluffing our way into a future financial crisis? It’s a question every investor, every innovator, and frankly, every citizen should want to know....

Trump Jr. at KBW2025: Web3's Punk Rock Moment or Sellout?

Or I think about Nandar, a wonderful Burmese artist that I met in Yangon, sharing with me her latest NFT collection. Each work exploded with vivid imagery, bravely fighting back against the junta’s repressive hold. She began selling them directly to supporters around the world, allowing her to cleverly sidestep...

KBW2025: Is Trump Jr. Web3's Trojan Horse or its Savior?

Donald Trump Jr. at Korea Blockchain Week? It's a head-scratcher, isn't it? About as easy as locating a MAGA hat at a Burning Man soirée. Before we put this down as just another short-lived publicity stunt, let’s take a closer look at what this could IoTally Web3 means. Cynical ploy...

Schiff's Crypto Ban: Is He Protecting Us or Silencing Innovation?

Senator Adam Schiff's proposed crypto ban, the COIN Act, aimed at preventing the President (read: Donald Trump) from dabbling in digital assets, raises a critical question: Is this genuine protection against corruption, or a veiled attempt to stifle innovation, especially for emerging markets? Let's be real, the optics are terrible....

Immutable's Gamble: Will Gas-Free Trading Save Web3 Gaming?

Yet the hype around Web3 gaming is real, offering gamers true digital ownership and player-driven economies. Let’s get real: that promise usually meets a very different fate. High gas fees and a clunky user experience can quickly derail those intentions. Immutable is taking a big bet with its zkEVM and...