Play to earn news May/16/2025

🎮 Play-to-Earn News: The Latest in Web3 Gaming – May 2025 Update

The Play-to-Earn (P2E) gaming scene continues to evolve, and May 2025 brings a new wave of innovation, funding, and community-driven momentum. From AAA titles integrating blockchain economies to the revival of some older P2E giants, here’s a roundup of the most important updates in the space.

⸻

🔥 1. Immutable Launches zkEVM Mainnet for Games

Immutable, the Web3 gaming infrastructure giant, officially launched its zkEVM mainnet this month. Built in collaboration with Polygon, this new chain promises gas-free gaming and native support for Ethereum smart contracts. Several upcoming games—including Guild of Guardians and MetalCore—have confirmed migration plans.

✅ Why it matters: High gas fees and poor UX have long been blockers for mainstream adoption. zkEVM integration could change that.

⸻

🕹️ 2. Big Time Opens Marketplace to US Players

Big Time Studios, creators of the popular multiplayer RPG Big Time, have opened their in-game NFT marketplace to players in the United States. After a long wait due to regulatory uncertainty, this move reflects growing confidence in the legality of digital asset trading in gaming.

✅ Why it matters: The U.S. is a massive market. Opening up NFT trading could significantly increase player earnings and liquidity.

⸻

💰 3. Animoca Brands Raises $50M for New P2E Fund

Animoca Brands has raised another $50 million to invest in early-stage P2E projects. The fund focuses on games with sustainable tokenomics and real utility, steering away from “click-to-earn” schemes that previously plagued the space.

✅ Why it matters: Funding is flowing into quality over hype, signaling a maturing market.

⸻

🎯 4. Axie Infinity 2.0? Sky Mavis Teases New Gameplay

Sky Mavis, the team behind Axie Infinity, teased a major gameplay overhaul with “Project T2”—rumored to include a new combat system, better graphics, and reduced reliance on token farming. The goal: turn Axie into a truly competitive strategy game.

✅ Why it matters: Axie was the original poster child of P2E. A successful reboot could rekindle interest in the broader ecosystem.

⸻

🌍 5. Latin America and Southeast Asia Still Leading in Player Base

According to a recent DappRadar report, the majority of P2E players still hail from LATAM and Southeast Asia. However, there’s an uptick in European and North American user adoption thanks to mobile-friendly experiences and gasless wallets.

✅ Why it matters: Global adoption trends help developers localize games and marketing campaigns more effectively.