Moonbeam partners with Animo with goal to launch crypto game for PlayStation

Moonbeam Network, the platform that allows for building cross-chain applications, has partnered with the blockchain game developer Animo Industries in a move to establish itself in the world of crypto gaming.

"Our partnership with Animo Industries is a sign of our shared commitment to bring web3 gaming to a broader audience," Sicco Naets, Moonbeam Foundation's head of ecosystem development said in a statement. "This collaboration is part of our broader strategy to move blockchain gaming beyond the conventional play-to-earn model and technology for its own sake, by prioritizing gamers and ensuring web3 adds meaningful utility to the core gameplay mechanics."

Naets told The Block that besides from Moonbeam providing financial assistance through a grant program, Animo will leverage Moonbeam's technology in order to make it easier for gamers to acquire and hold in-game assets. "If a player wants to buy a specific skin they can go to the marketplace and see web2 and web3 items mixed in, each with their identifier of where they are registered, instead of going to a web2 marketplace for some items, then one chain for some others, then another chain for others," said Naets.

Animo's plan is to bring its "Stars Arena" game first to the Epic Games Store and Steam while it also develops a blockchain-enabled version for Playstation and Nintendo Switch, the companies said in a statement.

NFTs for Animo's "Stars Arena" game have generated nearly $9 million in total trading volume, according to OpenSea data. The game's public launch is slated for March 1, according to the partnership announcement. "Stars Arena" allows users to pilot nimble tanks while they battle fellow players online.

Blockchain game devs gamble on growth

Moonbeam and Animo are bullish on gaming that utilizes blockchain technology and permits players to own and trade in-game digital assets as a sector poised for growth, and the two companies cited a report that estimates on-chain gaming will "grow by nearly 400% in the next decade."

Other blockchain games like the first-person-shooter "Shrapnel" are also hoping to attract traditional gaming consumers with a launch on the Epic Games Store.