Proof of Play, the studio behind the blockchain RPG Pirate Nation, has announced that the game will shut down within 30 days.
The Reasons Behind
Pirate Nation was a fully on-chain pirate-themed RPG that attracted a loyal community but struggled to reach a wider audience. In their statement, the developers explained that keeping separate chains for the game was no longer financially sustainable.
Instead, the company will redirect resources into the Proof of Play Arcade on Abstract, a new hub for modular games that could repurpose Pirate Nation’s mechanics.
The shutdown will also affect the $PIRATE token and Founder’s Pirates NFTs. While the token will remain active, its role in the ecosystem is being reshaped. Founder’s Pirates will transition into community identity NFTs with no further token rewards.
Final Rewards and Community Reaction
To mark the closure, the team is hosting a final event where players can burn in-game assets in exchange for Plunder Certificates, which may have future value. However, not all players are leaving on good terms. Some community members have praised the team’s honesty, while others criticized decisions around reward structures and communication.
Controversy has surrounded Season 3’s reward system, where players were required to hold a VIP pass to qualify for airdrops and faced a 180-day vesting period. Critics argued that these rules were not clearly communicated and led to significant frustration.
Moving Away from Play-to-Earn
The shutdown comes after Proof of Play’s leadership openly criticized play-to-earn models. CEO Amitt Mahajan said the team no longer wanted to give tokens to players who were not aligned with the game’s long-term success. Co-founder Adam Fern added that P2E mechanics turned gameplay into “a job” and ultimately harmed player enjoyment.
“We’re done giving tokens away,” Mahajan said in July, while Fern called token emissions “the original sin” of blockchain gaming.
The Future of Proof of Play
Despite Pirate Nation’s closure, Proof of Play remains active and focused on its Arcade platform. The studio aims to create fun, accessible games that use blockchain in the background without overwhelming players with crypto features.
The team has also reiterated that $PIRATE will continue to play a role in the ecosystem, though in a different capacity.
As Fern put it, shutting down Pirate Nation was a “difficult but necessary” decision. Proof of Play now hopes to build a more sustainable future for Web3 gaming by focusing on simpler, engaging experiences rather than heavily financialized models.