Web3 Gamer: Will Apple fix gaming? SEC hates Metaverse, Logan Paul gets trolled on Steam

gaming on mac to suck less

Is Apple’s reign as the worst platform for gaming coming to an end?

Amid all the hype about their long-haul VR/AR headset due in early 2024 (queues outside Apple Stores start in October), this isn’t the only sign that Apple has finally sorted out its subpar gaming offering. Could It’s also releasing software that will make it easier to play Windows games on the Mac.

Gaming on the Mac really sucks. A lot of games – especially indie and early releases – are not compatible. Keyboard mapping can be funky. To this day I have been unable to find special tackle with my fishing rod (no, it is not comfortable) on the Mac version of Stardew Valley.

With VR games, it’s even worse. If you want to spend hours watching YouTube videos, you can get most VR headsets to work with a Mac to some degree. But right now the only one that’s actually officially compatible seems to be the HTC Vive.

The downside to the Apple-native product is that it comes with an Apple price tag: $3,499. It’s hard to justify spending that much money exploring the empty, backward metaverse when you can travel for a few months and see some of the best places in the real world for the same price.

Endless legal wrangling over in-game virtual assets

The tokens of Sandbox, Decenterland and AXI Infinity – SAND, MANA and AXS, respectively – have been filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a complaint against crypto exchange Binance, which was filed on June 5.

Complaint There are 13 charges against crypto exchange Binance, including selling unregistered securities. The SEC counts SAND, MANA and AXS as such securities – meaning it considers them a type of investment, not a currency.

Speaking at the Irreplaceable Conference (NFC) in Lisbon, Portugal on June 7th, The Sandbox COO Sébastien Borget said that his team was aware of the litigation but they themselves are not subject to any.

“We do not necessarily agree with the characterization put forward in that litigation, including the qualification of SAND as a security,” he said, adding that it would not change the day-to-day business of the company.

Since the announcement, eToro has said it will delist several tokens, including MANA, for US-based customers.

Securitizing in-game currencies is a new twist in the mess that is bridging the gap between virtual gaming currencies and real-life money.

This is not a new thing. The debate over the legal status of in-game currencies dates back even before the invention of bitcoin. got a second life first millionaire The question of who owes what and to whom in 2006 is exacerbated by the fact that many developers and manufacturers already feel they owe large “taxes” to the platforms.

Yet past conversations have mostly centered around making sure that those who sell virtual assets or developer games on the platform are taxed correctly, not about investments and, as Web2 virtual currencies more likely, Well, act like currencies.

At last check, the US IRS doesn’t seem too concerned with virtual currencies if they don’t outlaw the game.

Avalanche Wants To Help Web2 Gaming Leaders Go Web3

The quest for blockchain to turn gaming companies to the dark side continues with Ava Labs launching Arcade3, a program to help web2 gaming giants “launch powerful blockchain deployments.”

Ava Labs, which has supported gaming companies in building more than ten gaming subnets and more than 100 Web3 games on Avalanche, will work with the teams on game monetization, marketing, user acquisition and risk management.

The first companies to participate include Tokyo-based firms Gumi and Gree (not to be confused with Chinese aircon giant, Gree Electrics), as well as Gunzilla by Shrapnel, DeFi Kingdom and Gunz Chain.

Gree’s Board of Directors and SVP, Metaverse, Eiji Araki said he believes the program will help the company stay ahead on Web3 gaming and develop relationships with studios that are experimenting and building in the space. Are. It is currently working on its first Web3 game, Project Incursion.

“I can’t share any details other than the project code right now, but it will be a successful title that successfully combines our nearly 20 years of mobile game development knowledge with the fresh essence of Web3,” he said in a statement.

GameStop CEO replaced by memestock trading billionaire

So long, Matt Furlong.

The GameStop CEO and former Amazon exec was fired on June 7 following the end of his 24-month contract with the gaming retailer. During that time, he oversaw GameStop’s transition from a primarily brick and mortar retailer to a more Internet-focused firm.

Ryan Cohen will replace Furlong. Cohen made his fortune founding online pet supply retailer Chewy, but is perhaps better known for his involvement with Memestocks. He successfully got people to invest in companies like Bed, Bath & Beyond and in GameStop itself, causing prices to skyrocket. Critics say he is pumping and dumping.

He joined GameStop’s board in January 2021, becoming chairman of the board that same year, and owns about 12% of the company.

It seems that much of GameStop’s subsequent foray into crypto came from Cohen. In February of this year, it entered into an agreement with Immutable to build GameStop’s NFT marketplace. It is scheduled to launch later this year.

Hot Tech: Crypto-Themed Games on Steam

Given the lack of interesting web3 games that have come across my desk over the past few weeks, let’s talk about non-blockchain based games that are about crypto.

Steam may not allow crypto games but it can do little about trading simulators and bitcoin mining tycoon rpgs. There is no hit. Most seem tongue in cheek.

Take Coin Invaders, for example, which tells players they must save bitcoin by destroying altcoins. It’s basically Space Invaders with extra steps, notes one reviewer.

Or maybe you’ll enjoy Crypto Is Dead, in which an attack has crippled the world economy and physical currency is back. It is up to you to decide which bills are genuine and which are fake. Entertaining stuff.

You can then choose from a half-dozen-odd mining tycoon simulators, which require you to build mining rigs and businesses to cash in on cryptocurrency of varying degrees of complexity. One version also has a simplified version for children.

But perhaps the award for most entertaining crypto-themed non-crypto game goes to Cryptozoo, which came out this February. I know what you’re thinking and the answer is no: Logan Paul has yet to make good on his promise to revive the zombie project that earned him an entire series on crypto sleuth Coffeezilla’s YouTube channel.

The task of creating a Cryptozoo game was instead taken over by Rye Bread Games, which describes itself on Steam as a merchant who makes games for fun.

According to its deck, Cryptozoo “…is the best Cryptozoo on the market…the best of its kind…the best it will ever be…”

It may not involve NFTs, but at least players are getting the long-awaited chance to breed animals in scientifically impossible pairings.

other stuff

– Heroes of Mavia will release the first stage of its beta game to Land NFT owners on June 30th. The larger community will be able to play the game in the second phase from September 1 to October 31.

Amazon’s Prime gaming partnership with Web3 companies continues. This is in line with another deal with Mythical Games’ Blancos Block Party, under which Prime members will be able to claim exclusive bundles for use in the game.

– The Otherside: Ahead of the potential launch of Legends of the Mara this summer, Yuga Labs is expanding the merch machine with Coda pendants for holders of the Otherside Coda and Vessels. The pendant is the first “relic” in the Otherside Relic by Gucci collection.

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callen quinn

Callan Quinn is a British freelance journalist covering crypto and technology. He has worked as a business journalist in China, UK, Somaliland and Republic of Georgia. Previously, she was also the NFTs, gaming and metaverse reporter at The Block.