Sega Curbs Interest in ‘Boring’ Blockchain Gaming

Me2on launches P2E game ‘Solitaire Crypto War’ with crypto integrationMe2on, a Seoul-based game developer, revealed the launch of its new game, Solitaire Crypto War, a play-to-earn (P2E) tournament game developed internally and published by its subsidiary, Memoriki. This Android game will be available globally, excluding South Korea and China. Memoriki, established in 2009 and originally based in Hong Kong, was acquired by Me2on earlier this year, broadening Me2on’s reach in the gaming market.Photo by Erik Mclean on UnsplashPVP card gameSolitaire Crypto War, developed from Me2on Group’s Solitaire IP, is a card puzzle player-versus-player (PVP) game that has amassed over 130 million global downloads. Players can engage in the classic Solitaire game against multiple opponents, competing to achieve the fastest clear times. The game ensures fair competition by matching players under identical conditions, with the highest scorer emerging as the winner. Designed for fast-paced gameplay, it pairs players of similar skill levels. Additionally, each season introduces unique events like puzzle piece collecting, Monopoly, and Powerball games, offering various rewards.Available in both free and paid optionsSolitaire Crypto War is a free game, but it also offers a feature where users can opt to use cryptocurrencies like ETH, USDT, USDC, UNI, LINK, MATIC and MEV to participate in competitions against other players and win prizes. The game boasts a variety of modes, including PVP battles, challenges and tournaments, enhancing its appeal. Additionally, its integration with Face Wallet enables users to log in using their social accounts, eliminating the need for a separate wallet installation, thus simplifying the gaming experience.Event running until Dec 28In celebration of the official launch of Solitaire Crypto War, Me2on has planned an opening event running until Dec. 28, providing various benefits to its users. Everyone accessing the game during this event period will receive a welcome package. Additionally, players can engage in various activities such as the game review challenge, ticket triumph challenge, and community quest takedown to receive items daily, enhancing their gaming experience and rewarding their participation.Cho Choong-hyeon, who leads Me2on’s Blockchain Game Division, expressed that the company has integrated blockchain technology to bring the classic card game Solitaire into the Web3 realm. He emphasized that this move allows Solitaire to evolve into a play-to-own (P2O) game, where users can directly own their gameplay achievements. Cho also highlighted Me2on’s dedication to being at the forefront of the Web3 market, which he believes is set to transform the paradigm of the gaming industry.

Hata Digital Sdn Bhd, the fifth licensed crypto exchange in Malaysia, has raised $4.2 million in a seed financing round. That’s according to a press release published by Cointelegraph on Oct. 22 on behalf of the company. The round was led by two blockchain and crypto-centric U.S.-based venture capital firms, Castle Island Ventures and Cadenza Ventures. Commenting on the development, Castle Island’s Nic Carter took to X, stating:”Excited to be coleading the seed for @hataglobal and joining the board. SE Asia is the #1 most active region for crypto adoption and we are pumped to see Hata build for the Malaysian market and beyond.” In further comments included within the press release, Carter complemented Malaysia and the overarching Southeast Asian region as being at the heart of blockchain adoption:“Malaysia and the broader SE Asia region is the global epicenter of blockchain adoption and we are excited to support the talented team at Hata in their support of this market. We believe Hata is well-positioned to win due to their differentiated product focus and regulatory approach.”  Photo by Vlad Shapochnikov on UnsplashAsian expansionThe company has said that it will use the funds in its efforts to expand its product offering and expand within the Asian region through the acquisition of more users. Reflecting upon the investment, Hata CEO David Low said that the company is “committed to creating a robust platform that empowers users in Malaysia and in the Asia region to navigate the digital asset market with confidence.” Other participating investors included Silicon Valley’s Plug and Play Tech Center, Singapore’s AP Capital, crypto accelerator Alliance.xyz and global crypto exchange Bybit. Bybit’s investment into Hata is not its first touch point with Malaysia as earlier this year the exchange business relocated some of its Chinese employees to the Southeast Asian nation.The other lead investor, Cadenza, is headed up by Max Shapiro alongside Kumar Dandapani. Shapiro gave his own take on Hata, stating:“We believe that Hata’s innovative approach and commitment to user engagement will drive the next wave of growth in Malaysia’s digital asset market. We are looking forward to working closely with the team as they navigate this evolving landscape.”  U.S. dollar trading pairsIn 2023 Hata received in-principle approval from the Securities Commission Malaysia (SCM), a local regulator. Earlier this year, it went one further and secured full approval from the regulator. The exchange relies upon offering trading pairs between crypto assets and the U.S. dollar. The platform currently supports in excess of 40 trading pairs.  In addition to the trading license it has acquired from SCM, Hata has also been licensed by the Labuan Financial Services Authority, the statutory body responsible for the development and administration of the Labuan International Business and Financial Centre. The Malaysian startup was established by three co-founders, one of them being a former executive at Luno, the crypto investment platform that operates across Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe. The exchange operates an affiliate program that enables platform users to participate in revenue sharing.

OKX shores up App security following bug discoveryCryptocurrency exchange OKX has swiftly responded to a recently uncovered security flaw by releasing an updated version (v6.45.0) of its iOS app.User data and asset vulnerabilityThe flaw was identified by Web3 and blockchain security specialist CertiK. It posed a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability that had the potential to compromise sensitive user data and crypto assets. Notwithstanding that, no user assets were lost or security compromised.Taking to the X social media platform on Tuesday, CertiK wrote:”Attention! We urge users of OKX wallets to update their iOS app to the latest version immediately. Earlier this month, we identified and reported a critical Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in the OKX iOS App, leading to potential compromise of sensitive data and crypto assets.”Photo by FLY:D on UnsplashPrompt responseRecognizing the risk, OKX has acted promptly to rectify the issue and commit to protecting user assets. It too followed up on social media with its own announcement:”Thanks @Certik for the note. We’ve completed the relevant upgrade & this is no longer an issue. We have verified that this did not impact any customer assets. The fix has been deployed to iOS version 6.45.0 & we recommend you update the app asap.”Ongoing exploitsThis security incident has played out amid a backdrop that has seen a worrying number of hacks, exploits and vulnerabilities in the crypto space. In recent weeks, hacks at HTX (formerly Huobi), cross-chain bridge Heco and Poloniex have accounted for millions of dollars in losses.As recently as last week, users of the Ledger hardware wallet were told by the company not to connect to decentralized applications as it had discovered that a malicious version of its Ledger Connect software had been distributed.Industry collaborationThe collaboration between OKX and CertiK in addressing this security concern is demonstrative of how industry actors are having to cooperate in order to deal effectively with these vulnerabilities and threats.Transparent communication and a swift response in this instance are likely to have played a role in minimizing any potential loss. In a noteworthy development, OKX, in collaboration with Tether, has collaborated with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to freeze $225 million in USDT tokens.This unprecedented action primarily targeted a human trafficking syndicate in Southeast Asia, illustrating the increasing cooperation between crypto entities and law enforcement in addressing illegal activities involving digital currencies.The immediate resolution of the iOS app vulnerability in this instance resulted in no loss occurring. That outcome underscores the importance of the prioritization of user safety and data security.With the updated app version (v6.45.0) now available, users can proceed with their crypto transactions with renewed confidence in the platform’s security measures. As the cryptocurrency landscape evolves, crypto platforms and platform users will need to remain vigilant in order to safeguard and protect funds.