Shinhan Card’s Membership NFTs Offer Discounts at Emart24 Convenience Stores

South Korean gaming publisher Wemade is set to participate in this year’s Taipei Game Show, the largest gaming exhibition in Taiwan, according to local news outlet Kookmin Ilbo on Tuesday (KST). The event is scheduled for Jan. 25 to 28 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.Photo by Timo Volz on UnsplashSneak peek at upcoming blockbustersThe company plans to operate an exclusive booth, where it will showcase game developer Madngine's massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Night Crows and Round 1 Studio's baseball game Fantastic 4 Baseball. Both games are slated for global release in the first quarter of this year. Game demos and various events will also be held to promote the releases and attract gamers. Games for a diverse gamer baseNight Crows has been popular among gamers in South Korea, where it launched in April last year, topping the popularity and revenue rankings on major app markets. The global version of the game utilizes blockchain technology to implement an advanced tokenomics ecosystem. Global pre-registration will open on Jan. 11. Round 1 Studio’s Fantastic 4 Baseball is a realistic baseball game where players can create their own team with famous players from various leagues, including the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). The demo version includes single-player and home run derbies. 

Animoca Brands Remains Bullish on Blockchain GamingBlockchain-based games have gained significant attention within the cryptocurrency space, witnessing remarkable growth and daily activity across various protocols despite challenging market conditions. Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands, the Web3 and metaverse company, recently pronounced its bullishness where blockchain gaming is concerned.In 2022 alone, Web3 gaming attracted approximately $4.5 billion in funding, as asset managers, investment funds, and venture capitalists sought to capitalize on the flourishing sector. In an interview with Cointelegraph, Yat Siu, Co-Founder of Animoca Brands, expressed the company’s renewed optimism in the blockchain gaming sector and provided an update on its eagerly anticipated metaverse fund, which made headlines in late 2022.Photo by julien Tromeur on UnsplashAnimoca’s metaverse fundThe metaverse fund, originally planned to have a budget of up to $2 billion in November 2022, aimed to invest in mid to late-stage startups focused on developing metaverse products and experiences. However, due to recent volatility affecting the cryptocurrency space, Animoca Brands scaled back its investment target to $1 billion in January 2023. Reports in March suggested a further reduction to $800 million.While awaiting the required license to launch the metaverse fund, Siu emphasized that Animoca Brands has been actively investing in early-stage startups through its venture arm, with additional investments directly from the company’s balance sheet. Currently, the company boasts a portfolio of over 450 companies.AAA blockchain games anticipatedDespite the challenges, Siu anticipates the release of several “AAA” blockchain games, in which Animoca Brands has made investments, by the end of 2023 or early 2024. Siu believes that the quality of titles backed by Animoca Brands, built on open protocol systems such as Ethereum and Polygon, will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the sector. He underlined the importance of these games being on-chain, enabling third parties to leverage the capabilities of blockchain technology and explore exciting possibilities.Siu also highlighted the significant role of scaling protocols like Polygon and technological advancements such as zero-knowledge proofs in boosting the development and quality of upcoming blockchain games. Immutable, a layer-2 platform, effectively reduced costs and improved transaction speeds for NFT generation in blockchain games. Choosing the right blockchain platform, especially Ethereum, is crucial for success in the industry.While fully decentralized games present challenges, Siu acknowledged that a hybrid on-chain and off-chain approach might be more suitable as the industry progresses towards true decentralization. Certain game features, such as provenance and skins, lend themselves well to on-chain implementation, while others may require a gradual transition.Integrating blockchain tech with existing gamingSiu emphasized the potential for integrating blockchain elements into the existing gaming culture worldwide. By designing interfaces that are familiar to gamers and gradually introducing crypto and Web3 experiences, gaming companies can facilitate the adoption of blockchain technology while promoting financial literacy among players.The Head of Animoca Ventures, an Animoca Brands sister company, recently explained that key Japanese games console makers are also showing an interest in blockchain gaming.Looking ahead, the year 2023 and beyond are critical for the blockchain gaming sector. The release of high-quality games, coupled with significant investments, will shape the long-term success of the industry. With its extensive portfolio and unwavering optimism, Animoca Brands remains dead set on driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of blockchain gaming.

Sejong Telecom and Hyosung TNS to Collaborate on Real Estate Security TokensSejong Telecom said Tuesday that it has signed a business deal with Hyosung TNS, the infrastructure and finance arm of South Korean conglomerate Hyosung Group, to boost the profitability of its real estate investment service BBRIC and collaborate in security token offering (STO) services.Photo by Tierra Mallorca on UnsplashIntegrated servicesUnder the deal, Sejong Telecom will integrate the BBRIC platform into NFTtown — Hyosung TNS’ portal service dedicated to providing information, news, and educational content on non-fungible tokens (NFTs). BBRIC aims to expand its user base and modes of marketing by promoting its investment products, events, and services within NFTtown’s fractional real estate investment channel.Furthermore, users can conduct their transactions in a secure and convenient manner through BBRIC without paying intermediary fees. This promotion strategy is expected to ultimately increase profitability, BBRIC said.“Through this deal, we will create an ecosystem where anyone can readily find and compare information on fractional investments and invest accordingly,” said Park Hyo-jin, Head of Sejong Telecom’s blockchain division. “BBRIC will diversify its promotional and sales channels to create real estate financial investment products that are not only stable and reliable but also accessible to a wide range of customers.”Hyosung TNS’ venturesHyosung TNS is a leading player in the automated teller machine (ATM) market both in Korea and overseas. It operates in 46 countries, supplying a variety of financial automation solutions. NFTtown is part of the company’s blockchain endeavors, through which it plans to provide information about various security tokens, including real estate.