February Chain Game Report: Daily active users fell by 16%, and chain game investment increased by 243% month-on-month

Original title:L2 Gaming Activity Grows Over 20,000% in February

Original author: Dappradar

Original translation: Felix, PANews

The global economy is in a period of turmoil, with various macroeconomic challenges causing financial markets to suffer heavy blows. Investors are dealing with uncertainty, and traditional industries are experiencing greater volatility. Despite the economic downturn, blockchain gaming continues to develop.

Although the number of active users fell slightly in February, the user stickiness is still strong, proving that Web3 games are more resilient than ever. Although the overall market conditions diverted investors’ attention, the gaming industry attracted a lot of money, earning $55 million in investment in February alone. This shows that the long-term development potential of chain games cannot be shaken.

Key Points

• In February, the Japanese independent active wallet (dUAW) fell 16% to 5.8 million, reflecting a wider market challenge, but user stickiness remains strong.
• opBNB and Aptos remained leading the game activity, while Soneium and Abstract are growing in appeal, with their activity increasing by more than 20,000%.
• The transaction volume of gaming NFTs reached US$41 million, of which ImmutableX handled 72% of the transactions.
• Driven by Sorare and CricSage, sports NFTs are leading the way in terms of transaction volume, recording 659,097 transactions and $7.7 million in transaction volume.
• Investment in chain games soared to US$55 million, an increase of 243% from January, with infrastructure accounting for 92% of all investments.

1. Overview

In February, chain tours experienced a significant cooling, reflecting wider market challenges. The number of independent active wallets (dUAWs) fell 16% compared to January, down to about 5.8 million.

Although chain games have occupied a certain market position in the past, the economic situation has turned investors' attention back to DeFi. DeFi has now become the dominant narrative due to market uncertainty that has led traders to exit positions.

However, there are some uncertainties in the future. As highlighted in the Dapp industry report in February, the AI ​​field continues to gain significant appeal, with some AI-focused Dapps growing their activity by more than 900%. The growing importance of AI is particularly evident in chain games, and its application in gameplay and infrastructure is becoming increasingly common.

Some chain game projects are actively integrating AI:

• Ruyui: This upcoming on-chain virtual avatar project is developed by Ruyui Studios and will be launched on Abstract in early 2025. Ruyui combines animation, gaming and blockchain technologies to leverage AI to enable dynamic character interaction and personalized experiences, designed for blockchain enthusiasts and mainstream audiences.
• InZOI: Krafton's upcoming life simulation game features AI-powered characters and is scheduled to release an early-learning version on Windows on March 28 this year. This innovation will allow non-player characters (NPCs) to interact realistically and create an immersive experience.
• The Game Company: In partnership with Fetch.ai, The Game Company integrates the Web3 native AI model ASI-1 Mini, which uses decentralized AI technology to enhance the gaming experience through intelligent real-time interaction.

The above games are just an example of many projects that actively utilize AI to enhance chain games.

Best performing gaming blockchain

opBNB maintains its lead, followed by the rapidly rising Aptos.

Most other chains in the rankings still perform stably. However, a significant increase in monthly activity was observed for the following chains:

• Abstract: Recently launched, Abstract activity is growing steadily, driven primarily by the gaming dapp Treasure Ship.
• Soneium: Soneium was launched in January 2025 by Sony Block Solutions Labs and has quickly gained attention, especially through Evermoon, the game quickly became one of the major growth drivers of blockchain.
• Avalanche C-Chain: Paradise Tycoon, although not very famous, has always contributed to Avalanche’s gaming activities.

2. Outstanding Game

In February, the gaming dapps sector changed significantly, with new entrants entering the top 10 list and existing projects continued to flourish.

World of Dypians continues to lead. Pixudi also grew significantly, thanks to its recent announcement of a partnership with Immutable. This move allows Pixudi to provide its community with a smoother gaming experience, advanced blockchain integration and enhanced asset ownership.

Age of Dino caught fire in early March by launching “10,000 Ways for Dinosaurs to Die”. This is an AI-powered game that will introduce dynamic and unpredictable events such as volcanic eruptions, meteor impacts and extreme weather, ensuring that every game is powered by AI mechanics.

SERAPH: In The Darkness officially launched Season 2, improving combat mechanics and redesigning the in-game economy. This season's prize pool is 50 BNB and 6.1 million SERAPH tokens, which is expected to improve the level of competition and attract more players to participate.

Off The Grid has a stable user base and announced the "OTG IRL Championship" in Las Vegas HyperX Arena to inspire the enthusiasm of the community. The event brought together 60 creators to confront each game with a prize of $2,000 and live broadcast via Twitch. Additionally, an update was launched in March, including gameplay enhancements and a brand new playable area.

STAN also made the list, building itself into a companion gaming platform focused on community interaction, connecting gamers with content creators through shared interests, friendships and rewarding experiences.

3. Games and sports NFTs lead market activities

In February, NFTs related to gaming and sports performed outstandingly in trading activities. Although avatar (PFP) NFTs usually dominate, gaming NFTs ranked second in trading volume at $41 million and traded 421,853 assets. ImmutableX plays a central role, processing 72% of transactions. Series such as Guild of Guardians and Gods Unchained continue to drive a large number of trading activities, reflecting its lasting appeal in the gaming community.

Sports NFTs became the focus with the number of transactions, recording a total of 659,097 transactions, with a total transaction volume of US$7.7 million. Starkware facilitates 98% of trading activity. Series of products such as Sorare and CricSage lead the category and attract the attention of a large number of traders.

The increasing popularity of sports NFTs highlights the growing market's interest in sports-related digital collections. This trend is driven by fans seeking more engaging, exclusive digital souvenirs and personalized interactions with their favorite athletes and teams. In addition, collaboration between sports organizations and blockchain platforms makes NFTs easier to access and trade.

4. Chain Game Investment Climbs to US$ 55 million

Chain game investment recovered significantly in February, with a total amount of US$55 million, an increase of 243% from January. Infrastructure accounts for 92% of all investments, indicating that investors are optimistic about the long-term potential of chain games.

The main investments this month include:

• Marblex, the blockchain gaming division of South Korean gaming giant Netmarble, has reached a cooperation with Immutable to migrate Marblex's ecosystem and games to Immutable zkEVM. The two sides will launch an "Ecosystem Promotion Program" to provide developers with $20 million in support.
• Beamable attracted $13.5 million in new funding to further develop its decentralized backend infrastructure for online gaming. This move represents a major shift in the industry’s reliance on centralized data centers operated by tech giants. Beamable also plans to launch blockchain tokens through the Beamable Foundation and open source its technology, giving developers greater control over their gaming infrastructure.
• Dubai-based gaming startup The Game Company (TCG) has raised $10 million through equity and token sales to advance its blockchain-enabled cloud gaming platform. TCG's patented low-latency technology allows gamers to access and enjoy games anytime, anywhere from any device, significantly improving the global gaming experience.

Overall, the investment situation in February highlighted growing confidence in chain game infrastructure, paving the way for adoption and innovation in 2025.

5. Conclusion

Despite the overall market sluggishness, chain games are still evolving, proving its resilience in uncertain times. Although user activity has declined slightly, participation has remained stable, investor confidence is stronger than ever, and funds have increased significantly. Innovations in AI-powered gaming, NFT adoption and infrastructure development are shaping the future of the industry and enhancing the long-term potential of chain games.