The blockchain gaming sector faced a rough start of the year, as venture capital deals dropped by nearly 60%, totaling $288 million, signaling caution among investors.
Developers in the blockchain gaming industry are facing a mix of caution and optimism, as indicated by a decrease in venture capital deals compared to previous quarters. According to data gathered by DappRadar, the sector secured $288 million in funding in Q1, marking a 57% decrease compared to Q4 2023.
“The focus of these investments has largely been on web3 games and infrastructure. This surely highlights a period of foundational building aimed at enriching the web3 gaming ecosystem.”
Sara Gherghelas, a blockchain analyst at DappRadar
The analyst noted that only two standout deals shaped the investment landscape during the period: Parallel Studios and Gunzilla Games.
In March, Parallel Studios secured $35 million in funding, supported by Distributed Global, The Operating Group, VanEck, Solana Ventures, Base Ecosystem Fund, and Amber, among others. Although the developers did not provide specific details on how they intend to utilize the proceeds, it appears that the studio aims to broaden its presence across various platforms, with the Epic Games Store gaming marketplace as a key milestone for expansion.
Gunzilla Games also raised $30 million for its upcoming project, Off the Grid, a free-to-play battle royale game. The investment, co-led by CoinFund and Avalanche’s Blizzard Fund, also aims to expand the game across multiple gaming platforms, including Sony PlayStation, Microsoft’s Xbox, and PC.
Despite investor caution, the influx of investments into new game development and technological advancements “shows that there’s a lot of hope for what’s next,” Gherhelas noted.