Original Title | YGG Expands Investment Landscape! Partners with 8 Play-to-Earn Games!

Author: BeepCrypto

Yield Guild Games (YGG) is a decentralized gaming guild that lends game NFT assets to players, allowing them to start playing blockchain games and earning income without any initial investment. Since October 2021, YGG has announced partnerships and investments with 8 NFT games, including Influence, CyBall, Thetan Arena, KOGs SLAM!, MOBOX, Aavegotchi, DeHorizon, and Genopets. Founded in late 2020, YGG currently has a portfolio of over 18 games, including Axie Infinity, Splinterlands, and Zed Run, to meet the needs of players.

Earlier this year, YGG completed a $22.4 million funding round. The first round was led by Delphi Digital with an investment of $9.9 million; the middle round was led by BITKRAFT, followed by an additional investment round led by a16z. Along with $12.5 million raised from the initial sale of tokens to gamers, YGG is using these funds to acquire high-quality NFT game assets, aiming to provide the community with opportunities to earn while playing in the blockchain gaming economy. A comprehensive overview of YGG's cryptocurrency assets can be found in the latest asset and financial reports.

YGG's Partnerships Director, Sarutobi Sasuke, introduced how YGG evaluates the potential of NFT games, stating: "Community engagement is a key factor for YGG when purchasing games. Our team reviews gameplay and economic models to ensure that the games are grand and fair, providing adequate rewards for players' time and effort. Of course, gaming guilds, teams, and hosting leagues are also important components, as they can motivate collective efforts among guilds and scholars."

Here are introductions to the games recently partnered with YGG, including details of the purchased game assets and the benefits players can enjoy.

1. Influence

Concept art of Influence designed by Marina Ortega

Influence is an immersive space strategy MMORPG that offers engaging gameplay, allowing users to have true ownership of NFT game assets. Players compete through various means, including mining, building, trading, researching, and battling, interacting in an immersive 3D universe by controlling ships and constructed facilities from a third-person perspective. Players can earn their upcoming token SWAY through gameplay, and Influence allows players to trade resources, components, ships, and asteroids within the game.

Asteroid purchased by YGG from OpenSea

YGG has purchased the 46th ranked asteroid in Influence—KJ-44947, which is a C-type carbonaceous asteroid. Additionally, YGG has acquired about 30 smaller asteroids for the YGG community to use.

2. CyBall

UI concept interface in CyBall exhibition mode 3v3 match

CyBall is a football-themed NFT-based game where players can collect, trade, coach, and battle CyBlocs, which are virtual robotic characters that are collectible and tradable NFTs on the blockchain. Players train their CyBlocs to compete in various game modes and earn rewards of different levels. Existing CyBlocs can also coach junior CyBlocs, creating the next generation of unique NFTs.

In the partnership with CyBall, YGG has acquired a portion of the genesis CyBloc NFT card packs, allowing YGG to provide for at least 1,000 CyBall scholars right from the start of the game.

3. Thetan Arena

This is a MOBA mobile game where players can gather friends to form teams and battle others, earning token rewards through gaming skills and teamwork. It is a free-to-play game where players can earn a token called Thetan Coin (THC). Meanwhile, the game also features a play-to-earn model that allows players to earn more tokens by utilizing advanced heroes.

Overview of some heroes in Thetan Arena

YGG participated in Thetan Arena's token sale and purchased 250 common heroes, 100 epic heroes, and 50 legendary heroes.

4. KOGs SLAM!

KOGs image, source: FROX website

Developed by RFOX, KOGs SLAM! is a blockchain mobile game with rules similar to the popular 1990s POGs game. However, KOGs SLAM! adopts an evolved digital form, using NFT collectibles as game pieces that not only allow for gameplay but also rewards. KOGs are collectible, playable, tradable, and competitive NFTs built on the WAX blockchain platform. KOGs SLAM! introduces a play-to-earn model to millions of users in Southeast Asia, allowing players to win KOGs and game tokens KOINS from daily tasks and tournaments, which can be converted into real-life income.

Concept art from RFOX VALT website

YGG has also acquired two Marquee Brand SHOPs in the RFOX VALT gaming zone. YGG members will be able to access YGG's SHOP, interact with the community, collect NFTs, play games, and participate in an interactive and fully immersive shopping experience that combines gaming elements, forming its own independent metaverse with more experiences, all conducted in VR.

5. MOBOX

MOBOX MOMO mystery box

As a leading project on the Binance Smart Chain, MOBOX is a community-driven gaming platform that combines yield farming and NFTs in games, creating a free-to-play and play-to-earn ecosystem. MOBOX has released four games under its platform: "MOMO: Kingdom Clash," "MOMO: Token Master," "MOMO: Farmer," and "Trading Action." MBOX is the native governance token of MOBOX DAO, used to gain additional characters, lottery tickets, and rewards.

YGG has acquired 5 legendary MOMO NFTs from the YGG brand as well as 100 KEYS, which can be used across all MOBOX games to farm MBOX tokens.

6. Aavegotchi

X-ray view of Aavegotchi fortress map

Aavegotchi brings a nostalgic feel of virtual pet games with pet eggs, but this time the electronic pets are pixelated ghosts residing on the Ethereum blockchain and utilizing the Polygon network. Supported by the ERC-721 standard, the value of these NFTs is determined by their rarity, which is calculated based on multiple factors, including base traits, equipped wearables, and the amount of collateral, such as interest-bearing tokens from the Aave protocol. Players can access their land by connecting their wallets and rent it out to Aavegotchis, sharing yield farming profits and unlocking more farming potential, as well as exploring the full breadth of social and exploration gameplay.

YGG and its subDAOs Yield Guild SEA (Southeast Asia) and Yield Guild ASIA have purchased exclusive YGG-themed land (REALM land) and Aavegotchi avatars. They will also purchase wearables in preparation for the game launch on Gotchiverse this December.

7. DeHorizon

DeHorizon heroes

YGG scholars can also join the epic fantasy world of the DeHorizon metaverse, where players can have fun and earn rewards. The DeHorizon game is built on an Ethereum-EVM compatible chain, allowing players to explore an open world of epic battles, mint NFT monsters, mine resources, embark on heroic journeys, tame wild creatures, and engage in many other interactive experiences. DeHorizon includes group vs. group adventure games DeVerse, weekly battle games DeTournament, dragon fantasy sports games DeQuidditch, and more.

YGG has purchased assets in the DeHorizon game, including exclusive weapons, gear, dragon racing teams, DeMeta Pass IDs, and 40 monsters named JuJus, which will also be specially customized to represent YGG.

8. Genopets

Genopets crystal

YGG is also continuing to expand its collection of game assets in the Solana ecosystem through its partnership with Genopets. Genopets is a game at the forefront of combining play-to-earn mechanics with incentivized physical activity. Genopets are generated NFTs that can evolve, upgrade, and customize, featuring 8 variable bionic traits and limbs, belonging to one of 5 elemental types. The game combines pet egg cultivation with Pokémon training and battles through various puzzle mini-games, converting users' real-life exercise into XP (experience points) for progress in the game.

YGG has purchased customized brand Genopets Habitats and the Genopets governance token GENE.

About YGG

Yield Guild Games (https://yieldguild.io/) is a decentralized gaming guild that pools investors' funds to purchase income-generating NFTs, optimizing the assets owned by the community through the time and effort players spend in games to maximize their utility and yield the highest returns. YGG integrates NFTs and decentralized finance (DeFi) to fulfill its mission of creating value for community members by developing the content and economy of virtual worlds and blockchain games.

A documentary short titled "Play-to-Earn: NFT Games in the Philippines," released in May 2021, reveals the story of a rural community earning income through gaming during the COVID-19 pandemic. This documentary was co-produced by Yield Guild Games, Delphi Digital, and Emfarsis Consulting, showcasing how NFTs and cryptocurrencies provide transformative economic opportunities for young and elderly people in developing countries lacking employment opportunities and government subsidies.