In a notable development, GAM3S.GG, previously known as Polkastarter Gaming, has successfully concluded a seed funding round, raising a substantial $2 million. This funding round was led by Mechanism Capital, a prominent player in the investment landscape, and saw participation from other significant venture capital firms and angel investors.
The decision to raise funds aligns with GAM3S.GG’s strategic rebranding initiative is aimed at realigning the project with its renewed vision and objectives. A comprehensive list of investors includes industry giants such as Polygon, Double Peak, ArkStream Capital, LD Capital, ROK Capital, Hyperithm, Snackclub, Emurgo Ventures, Eden Ventures, MixMarvel DAO Venture, 4SV, CommonWealth Capital, Venly Ventures, TKX Capital, SkyVision Capital, Compute Ventures, and MarketAcross, in addition to a cadre of angel investors well-versed in the web3 gaming sphere.
The capital raised in this seed round will be utilized to expand and enhance the capabilities of the GAM3S.GG gaming super app, which has garnered attention as the “IGN for web3” among investors and partners. Since its launch in November 2022, the platform has already established itself as the premier hub for web3 gamers, boasting a curated selection of web3 gaming content that spans 200+ games across 15 different chains. Furthermore, with over 60,000 registered gamers, GAM3S.GG is poised to reshape the web3 gaming landscape.
Ken, a Partner at Mechanism Capital, expressed the unique challenges in developing web3 games and the infrastructure supporting them. He emphasized the necessity for innovation to transcend existing limitations and noted that GAM3S.GG demonstrates the potential to redefine the web3 gaming experience. According to Ken, it’s only a matter of time before players flock to GAM3S.GG.
Throughout 2023, the gaming industry has witnessed industry giants such as Zynga and Ubisoft venturing into web3 gaming with titles like Sugartown and Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles. This influx of new players underscores the growing demand for aggregators like GAM3S.GG. Moreover, as gamers’ perceptions of web3 gaming evolve, GAM3S.GG is uniquely positioned to serve as the gateway for both newcomers and seasoned veterans to explore new horizons and experiences within a single web3 gaming superapp.
“The gaming industry is at a crossroads; while web3 offers new exciting possibilities, the lack of quality content and a singular destination for all your web3 gaming needs has left many gamers lost,” said Omar Ghanem, Co-Founder & CEO at GAM3S.GG.
Since its inception, GAM3S.GG has witnessed thousands of registered gamers delving into its curated content focused on next-gen web3 games. Notably, in December, the platform hosted the inaugural GAM3 Awards, the largest web3 game award show to date, attracting over 250,000 votes and 140,000 unique viewers. GAM3S.GG now strives to continue enhancing its features to facilitate access to blockchain games, including social logins, player-owned item management, progression rewards, retrospective in-game progress tracking, and the ability to play web3 games directly on the platform.
“Traditional gaming has its IGN and Kotaku, yet the industry isn’t ready for the change that blockchain-powered titles present; and if we wait for them to step in, we’d lose potential early adopters and valuable progress — and that’s why GAM3S.GG was born,” added Ghanem. “We’re not just curating; we’re spotlighting the top games, setting the gold standard, and allowing gamers to engage with games in unprecedented ways as we aim to become the definitive home of web3 gaming.”
The GAM3S.GG team’s ambitious mission is to reach 100 million users in the web3 gaming sphere through its platform and content. This includes upcoming features designed to centralize all web3 gaming needs in one accessible location.
Shreyansh Singh, Head of Investments at Polygon, emphasized the value of platforms that curate and guide, particularly in nascent niches. He praised GAM3S.GG as a beacon of innovation in web3 gaming and expressed confidence in its ability to make web3 gaming accessible while elevating quality games in a noisy landscape.