Ava Labs Launches Avalanche Arcad3 to Help Game Studios Enter Web3

Ava Labs, the crypto firm supporting the Avalanche blockchain, announced today that it is launching Avalanche Arcad3, a collaborative program for traditional game developers to explore blockchain game integrations.

As a part of the announcement exclusively shared with Decrypt and GG, Ava Labs also shared that Japanese metaverse and entertainment firms Gree and Gumi have joined Arcad3 as two of its earliest partners exploring blockchain gaming via the Ethereum-compatible chain.

Avalanche Arcad3 promises to connect so-called “Web2” game makers with existing esports organizations, blockchain gaming guilds, and Web3 game studios building on Avalanche. The program will offer strategies on regulatory compliance and how NFTs, prize pools, esports marketing, and in-game tokens can be implemented on-chain.

Web2 partners can also receive guidance and support on how to break into crypto gaming more broadly and market the change to gamers, who are sometimes wary of Web3 integrations.

“Some of the early, larger Web2 studios that have done stuff in Web3 have had some missteps,” Ava Labs Head of Gaming Ed Chang told Decrypt in an interview at this week’s 3XP gaming conference.

“It’s obviously not from a bad place, but maybe they don’t understand their community and how to talk about blockchain with them, or they don’t understand the Web3 space they’re going into,” Chang added.

Studios and game devs who join Avalanche Arcad3 aren’t entering into a formal exclusive commitment, said Chang. Instead, they’re joining a mentorship program and support network of sorts where they can explore blockchain gaming’s potential with more experienced Web3 firms. 

Avalanche Arcad3’s Web3 participants include games like Shrapnel, DeFi Kingdoms, and Gunz, as well as the Blitz gaming platform from esports organization TSM. 2dao3, Republic Crypto, and Avalaunch have also joined the program.

“Gree is always focused on the future of gaming, so we’re excited to be a part of Ava Labs’ Arcad3 program as a way to stay ahead on Web3 gaming and develop relationships with the studios who are experimenting in and building the space,” said Eiji Araki, Board of Director and SVP, Metaverse at Gree, in a statement.

He added that Gree’s first Web3 game, currently titled Project Incursion, will be “a breakthrough title that successfully combines our nearly 20 years of mobile game development knowledge with the new essence of Web3.” Further details about the game have yet to be revealed.

“Having an experienced Web3 partner like Ava Labs, and a program like Arcad3 where we can collaborate at a level of commitment that we are comfortable with, is extremely valuable in order to build a great Web3 game experience,” Araki added.