After a tough yr, blockchain gaming sees a glimmer of hope

Blockchain gaming initiatives have struggled to draw funding this yr in comparison with 2024, however analysts argue there’s a sliver of hope as studios launch new video games geared toward tapping into the mainstream gaming viewers. 

In Q3, the blockchain gaming trade noticed $129 million of enterprise capital circulate in, its strongest quarter this yr, bringing the whole for the yr to this point to $293 million. 

However, the whole is simply a fraction in comparison with final yr. In 2024, DappRadar recorded over $1.8 billion flowing into the blockchain gaming trade, and 2025 is to this point on observe to solely appeal to 25% of the earlier yr’s whole.

DappRadar’s head of content material, Robert Hoogendoorn, said the current Q3 uptick was additionally doubtless influenced by a surge within the wider crypto market. 

“That shimmer of success can’t be seen separate from the general crypto market. The past few months have been a period of growth, mainly for Bitcoin,” he mentioned within the State of Blockchain Gaming Q3 report launched on Thursday. 

Investors are extra discerning

Hoogendoorn mentioned this “means that development teams can no longer rely on half-assed products to acquire funding.”

“Instead, they need to show a working product and create actual demand. Venture capital still flows, but not every shiny new idea gets the chance to flourish.”

In March, Sky Mavis co-founder Jeffrey Zirlin shared the same opinion, telling Cointelegraph that crypto gaming traders are now not blindly throwing funds into “Axie killers” that fail to ship. 

The three largest funding rounds for the quarter noticed developer E-PAL appeal to $30 million for its gaming platform, whereas first-person shooter Shrapnel bought $19.5 million, and India-based studio TremendousGaming scored $15 million to develop its battle royale sport and develop its personal L3 community on prime of Base.

Related: Crypto gaming has blended Q1 as offers soar, funding totals dip: DappRadar

“Some projects thrive while the market conditions aren’t optimal, others have development teams that have managed their funds properly to overcome the hurdles of a bear market,” Hoogendoorn added.

Mainstream adoption supplies a shimmer of hope

Mainstream adoption may present some new blood for the trade, mentioned Hoogendoorn, however in the mean time, there was some “difficulty attracting a mainstream audience,” and studios hoping to onboard tens of millions of gaming fans are having restricted success.

“However, during Q3 2025, we did see some reputable projects launching their games, creating a shimmer of hope for an industry longing for mainstream acceptance,” Hoogendoorn mentioned.

“As we close Q3 2025, blockchain gaming stands at a crossroads: resilient amid contraction, yet hungry for mainstream breakthroughs.”

Online information platform Statista estimates that there are over 2.7 billion energetic players globally, representing a large marketplace for blockchain-based video games. 

Magazine: Hong Kong isn’t the loophole Chinese crypto companies suppose it’s