2025-12-30 11:24:24

GameFi's 2025 reality check: funding has nosedived over 55% compared to last year, while most hyped game launches fell short of expectations. The landscape is telling us something important.

What's actually gaining traction? Web2.5 games. Teams like Fumb, Mythical, and Wemade are taking a different approach—they're treating blockchain as underlying infrastructure rather than the headline feature. This distinction matters more than you'd think.

Web3-native games still generate decent revenue streams, sure. But here's the catch: player retention remains the stubborn pain point that the category hasn't cracked. When the game mechanics and tokenomics don't align with genuine engagement loops, players bounce. The ones succeeding are those who solve for fun first and integrate blockchain second, not the other way around.

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

15 Likes

Reward
15
5
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

LiquidityNinja

· 13h ago

Funding drops by 55%, indicating that everyone has finally woken up. Not all coin-driven games are worth playing. The Web2.5 path is indeed correct. Using blockchain as infrastructure is the right approach. Don't always rely on token economics to salvage poorly designed games. Retention rate is the real indicator. Projects that lose users immediately after launch are doomed regardless of how much funding they raise.

View OriginalReply0

Whale_Whisperer

· 13h ago

Funding has plummeted by 55%, and you're still bragging? To put it simply, those who used blockchain as a gimmick are dead, and the ones who truly survived are the low-profile Web2.5 players quietly making money.

View OriginalReply0

TokenomicsTherapist

· 13h ago

To be honest, this wave of GameFi really needs to wake up; a 55% plunge in funding is the market voting. Web2.5 is the true path; stop the crypto economy hype, and games must prioritize fun above all.

View OriginalReply0

RugPullAlarm

· 13h ago

Funding drops by 55%? Ha, I saw it coming a long time ago. Last year, those projects that were hyped up to the sky, their on-chain address concentration clearly indicated a Ponzi scheme. Web3 games are just tokenomics wrapped around game mechanics; the extremely high player churn rate is not a coincidence but inevitable. On the other hand, low-profile work like Web2.5 is the right path—quietly making money without relying on hype.

View OriginalReply0

LayerZeroJunkie

· 13h ago

Funding has plummeted by 55%, this is the reality. No matter how loud the hype, you have to bow your head. Web2.5 is the right path—using the chain as a tool rather than a gimmick, this really hits the mark.

View OriginalReply0