July proved that Web3 gaming continues to build momentum. While other sectors cooled, gaming not only held its ground but grew its audience, reaching nearly five million monthly players. The metaverse showed fresh signs of activity, top titles kept delivering updates that kept communities engaged, and investors demonstrated renewed confidence with funding nearly doubling from the previous month.
Far from the hype-driven days of the past, the industry is entering a more mature phase — one focused on quality gameplay, sustainable economies, and infrastructure designed to scale. The projects thriving today are laying the foundation for the next wave of growth, positioning Web3 gaming as one of the most resilient and forward-looking sectors in the blockchain space.
Key Takeaways
- Blockchain gaming reached 4.9 million daily Unique Active Wallets in July, up 2% from June.
- Gaming remains the leading sector, but AI dapps are narrowing the gap.
- NFT metaverse trading volume rose 83%, while sales count fell 14%.
- Web3 gaming projects raised $60 million in July, a 94% increase month-on-month.
- The largest deal was $30.5 million for Reaper Actual by Distinct Possibility Studios.
Table of Contents
1. Blockchain gaming holds its lead with 4.9M dUAW
2. Top Web3 games keep players hooked with major updates
3. Metaverse activity surges with 83% growth in trading volume
4. Web3 gaming investments surge 94% to $60M in July
5. Closing words
1. Blockchain gaming holds its lead with 4.9M dUAW
While the broader blockchain industry has cooled over the past couple of months, gaming continues to keep players engaged. In fact, in the latest month, the sector grew by 2%, reaching 4.9 million daily unique active wallets (dUAW), the only segment to record an increase in activity.
Gaming still dominates the industry, although the gap with AI applications is becoming increasingly narrow. The competition between these two sectors will be a key trend to watch moving forward.
At the chain level, opBNB remains the leader in gaming activity. Sei has made an impressive climb into second place in our rankings, boosted by the launch of The Learn2Earn Ecosystem Challenge on DappRadar, featuring titles like Dragon Land, Empire of SEI, and Idle Glory, where players can complete daily quests for XP, $SEI rewards, and Boosting Power.
Other notable developments:
- Tezos – Etherlink (EVM L2): Added Pikes Arena and Cricket Champions, expanding its roster to 11 games and around 180,000 monthly active wallets.
- Ronin (Sky Mavis): Introduced Ronin Profiles for cross-game identity and teased “Ronin 2.0” tokenomics aimed at unifying its multi-game economy.
- GalaChain: Welcomed Shrapnel after the FPS migrated from Avalanche to tap into the Chinese market.
- Solana: Onboarded Cross The Ages after its migration from Immutable X, ahead of its Season 4 launch and in pursuit of greater scalability.
- Abstract (Avalanche subnet): Partnered with Yield Guild Games to introduce new titles like Gigaverse.
2. Top Web3 games keep players hooked with major updates
Our latest gaming rankings show a familiar trend, the leaders continue to hold their ground. These titles have mastered the art of keeping players engaged, and July was no exception.
Lumiterra
The Ronin-based MMORPG surged past 300,000 daily active wallets after the “MegaDrop Part 1” campaign, rewarding asset holders and content creators.
Off The Grid
Officially launched on July 17, 2025, moving from Early Access to full release across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Epic Games Store, and Steam.
Token Tails
Rolled out version 5.0 on July 24, debuting “Chapter 5 — TrailHeads” on iOS. This “Play-to-Save” blockchain game turns virtual cat care into real-world feline welfare support.
Boxing Star X
Continues to thrive mid-2025 as a Web3 boxing game on LINE and Telegram through Kaia Chain and TON.
Notable Launches and Content Updates
- Age of Dino – Live in Mantle Game Fest with $5,000 in $MNT and Dino Egg rewards for players completing HyperPlay challenges.
- Voya Games – Craft World (Ronin) – Officially launched July 30, introducing DynoCoin and an anti-bot “Pro Account” withdrawal system.
- AlwaysGeeky Games – Voxie Tactics – Expanded from PC to iOS and Android in early August.
- GOAT Gaming – Underground Pepe – Season 4 brings a new idle clicker mini-game with token, NFT, USDT, and physical rewards.
- Soccerverse – Kicked off Season 2 after Season 1’s in-game economy reached $340 million, adding new club auctions and leagues.
- Sleepagotchi – Public preview launched on app stores, blending sleep tracking with NFT rewards.
- Cross The Ages – Migrated from Immutable X to Solana in July ahead of its Season 4 launch.
- Shrapnel – Shifted from Avalanche to GalaChain to target the Chinese market.
- Yield Guild Games – Ended the Guild Advancement Program to focus on its core player base, funding YGG token buybacks with LOL Land revenue.
3. Metaverse activity surges with 83% growth in trading volume
The metaverse market is showing signs of life. While it may not be back to the frenzy of a few years ago, interest is far from gone. In July, NFT metaverse trading volume jumped 83% compared to the previous month, even though the number of sales fell by 14%. As highlighted in our July Industry Report, NFT prices have been climbing alongside token values, particularly on Ethereum.
July brought a wave of notable developments:
1. The Sandbox’s biggest LAND sale yet
In mid-July, The Sandbox auctioned 110 LAND parcels, four Estates, and 220 avatar NFTs tied to 22 major IPs, including Cirque du Soleil. Using GBM “win-win” auctions, even losing bidders earned SAND rewards. Everything sold out, proving demand remains for branded metaverse land.
2. Floki’s Valhalla launches global tournaments
The first-ever Valhalla metaverse tournament introduced a $75,000 prize pool in $FLOKI tokens, with recurring events aimed at boosting engagement and positioning Valhalla as a competitive Web3 title.
3. Otherside expands user-generated content
The community-created shooter Bathroom Blitz is set to debut an 8v8 demo in August, reflecting Yuga Labs’ shift toward empowering users to create and host their own games.
4. High-value NFT sales still happening
- MapleStory N saw a Level 206 NFT character sell for around $23,300 in July.
- FIFA Rivals recorded a rare Lionel Messi NFT card sale for $11,000.
These highlight that rare in-game assets can still command premium prices.
5. New metaverse monetization models
- DAR Citizenship launched a subscription model granting access to multiple Web3 games and NFTs, similar to Xbox Game Pass.
- Hytopia offered $25,000 bounties to developers building mini-games within its world.
6. Technical and social upgrades to worlds
The Sandbox rolled out summer updates, including friend lists, improved NPCs, and save-game progress. Decentraland and Somnium Space improved performance and graphics to lower entry barriers.
While we may never return to the days when virtual landowners paid top dollar just to live next to Snoop Dogg, users are beginning to appreciate, and actively engage with, the evolving metaverse experience.
4. Web3 gaming investments surge 94% to $60M in July
This is where we get a glimpse into the industry’s future. In July, Web3 gaming projects raised $60 million, marking a 94% increase compared to the previous month.
Top investments of the month
1. Distinct Possibility Studios – Raised $30.5 million to develop Reaper Actual, its first Web3 title. The open-world MMOFPS will integrate Etherlink, a Tezos layer-2 blockchain. The round was led by Bitkraft Ventures and Brevan Howard Digital.
2. STAN – Secured $8.5 million from investors including Japanese gaming firms, Google, and Nazara. The platform plans to expand in India and other mobile-first markets, invest in AI-driven personalization, and build creator tools for gaming-led communities.
3. Delabs Games – Raised $5.2 million in a Series A round, bringing total funding to $17.2 million. Upcoming launches include Ragnarok Libre and the native Delabs token. The studio is partnering with Planetarium to use its genAI-powered Verse8 platform for multiplayer games with dynamic, replayable worlds and Web3 item economies.
Investment Trends
- Selective optimism – Capital is flowing, but primarily to projects with proven teams, strong IP, or infrastructure supporting multiple games.
- Survival mode for smaller studios – Projects without traction or sustainable economies are closing or pivoting, weeding out weaker contenders.
- Shift toward Web2.5 and infrastructure – Investors are backing fun-first games with optional blockchain elements, as well as backend tech like wallets, AI tools, and cross-chain systems.
The market is favoring quality over quantity. In the short term, expect fewer but stronger releases, cross-platform launches, and brand-driven titles to attract mainstream audiences. Studios funded today, if they build sustainable tokenomics and retain users, could be in the best position when macro conditions improve in 2026.
It’s a Darwinian stage for Web3 gaming: tough for small players, but potentially healthy for long-term stability.
5. Closing words
July reinforced a key message for Web3 gaming, the sector is evolving, not fading. User activity in blockchain gaming continued to grow, the metaverse showed signs of renewed interest, top titles kept players engaged, and funding flowed into projects with strong fundamentals.
While the market is still in a selective and competitive phase, the direction is clear: quality experiences, hybrid Web2.5 models, and infrastructure that supports scalability are taking center stage. The studios and platforms that adapt now will shape the next growth cycle, especially if macro conditions improve in 2026.
The hype cycles may be behind us, but what we are witnessing is a more grounded, sustainable foundation being built, one that could make the next wave of Web3 gaming bigger and more resilient than ever.
