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According to Cointelegraph, the blockchain-based gaming industry is experiencing a shift towards a more top-heavy structure as it gains mainstream traction. This insight comes from the Blockchain Gaming Association's fourth annual survey, which is the largest of its kind to date. The 2024 survey compiled data from 623 respondents within the Web3 gaming sector, including a range of professionals from C-suite executives to e-sports players. The survey highlights that while trust and user experience issues continue to hinder widespread adoption, there has been significant growth in the C-suite, with an influx of talent possessing prior gaming industry experience. Notably, 73.2% of respondents held upper management positions, with 46.7% occupying founder, director, or C-level roles, marking the highest representation in four years. This concentration of senior roles is attributed to industry consolidation, tighter budgets, and hiring slowdowns following the "crypto winter" and the NFT boom of 2021. The survey also reveals a notable shift in expertise within the industry. More than half of the respondents, 52.5%, identified gaming as their primary area of expertise, a significant increase from previous years. Conversely, those identifying as blockchain or cryptocurrency specialists have decreased to 10.8%, down from 21% in 2022 and 2023, and 27.4% in 2021. This influx of gaming talent suggests a potential for the Web3 gaming sector to make a strong entry into the AAA gaming market by 2025, with major companies like Ubisoft and Square-Enix preparing for mainstream launches. Despite these advancements, the sector faces challenges, particularly in demographics and diversity. The survey indicates that only 6.1% of respondents were aged 18 to 24, highlighting a potential difficulty in engaging younger audiences and developing future talent. Additionally, gender diversity remains a significant issue, with 82% of respondents identifying as male. This disparity is even more pronounced at the highest levels of employment, where 87.2% of CEOs, founders, directors, and C-level executives are male, compared to just 12.5% female. These statistics underscore the ongoing challenges the blockchain gaming sector must address as it continues to evolve.

According to PANews, a recent analysis by ChainPlay and Storible reveals that the GameFi industry in 2024 is experiencing a high failure rate and short project lifespans. Approximately 93% of GameFi projects are considered failures, with token prices dropping an average of 95% from their historical peaks. The average lifespan of these projects is only four months. Despite these challenges, some venture capitalists, such as Alameda Research, have achieved returns as high as 713.15%. However, 58% of investors have faced significant losses. In 2024, the total funding for GameFi reached $859 million, which, although a decrease from the previous year, saw a 44% increase in the number of funding rounds. This indicates that investors are increasingly focusing on projects with high potential. The report emphasizes the need for the GameFi industry to shift from speculative trends towards sustainable development. It suggests that extending project lifecycles and building value-driven ecosystems are crucial for achieving long-term success.

According to Foresight News, recent data from SoSoValue indicates a general downturn in the cryptocurrency market, with most sectors experiencing a pullback. However, the GameFi and DeSci sectors have bucked this trend, recording gains of 9.52% and 3.35%, respectively.In the GameFi sector, The Sandbox (SAND) saw a significant increase of 65.24%, while Decentraland (MANA) and Axie Infinity (AXS) rose by 29.56% and 14.27%, respectively. The ssiGameFi index, which represents the historical performance of the GameFi sector, is currently priced at $10.4, reflecting a weekly increase of 31.17% and a monthly surge of 62.84%.Meanwhile, the DeSci sector also experienced growth, with Rifampicin (RIF) rising by 27.98%. These gains highlight the resilience of these sectors amid broader market declines.

According to Odaily, Helika Gaming and Notcoin have introduced the Telegram Gaming Accelerator, a new initiative aimed at assisting game developers in creating games for Telegram's extensive user base of over 900 million. This program offers game studios complimentary access to traffic and analytics tools, alongside mentorship from seasoned professionals in the gaming industry and Web3 experts.Applications for the Telegram Gaming Accelerator are currently open and will be accepted until December 16. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, allowing developers to apply at their convenience and receive timely feedback on their proposals. This approach ensures that a diverse range of projects can be considered, promoting a wide array of gaming experiences for Telegram's vast audience.

According to Odaily, recent on-chain data monitoring reveals that on November 8, the GMT team released only 18 million GMT tokens from the ecosystem during their scheduled monthly unlock. Notably, tokens held by the team, investors, and advisors were not distributed. Reports suggest that the GMT team has repurchased all unvested investor tokens. If confirmed, this buyback could involve up to 600 million GMT tokens, potentially indicating significant upcoming strategic initiatives.The limited release of tokens and the potential repurchase of a substantial amount of GMT tokens have sparked discussions about the GMT team's future plans. Such actions often precede major strategic moves, which could impact the token's market dynamics and investor sentiment. The decision to withhold the distribution of tokens held by key stakeholders, coupled with the rumored buyback, suggests a calculated approach to managing the token's supply and market presence.Market observers are keenly watching for further announcements from the GMT team, as these developments could signal shifts in the project's direction or new partnerships. The strategic management of token distribution and potential buybacks are critical factors that could influence the project's growth and stability in the competitive cryptocurrency landscape. As the situation unfolds, stakeholders and investors are advised to stay informed about any official statements or updates from the GMT team regarding their strategic objectives and market strategies.

According to CryptoSlate, the SEC has issued a Wells notice to blockchain gaming platform Immutable, marking another instance of the regulator's enforcement actions against crypto companies ahead of the US election. Immutable revealed in an October 31 blog post that the SEC's move is part of its “regulation-by-enforcement” strategy targeting the crypto industry. The company noted that the notice was issued without prior discussions with the SEC.Immutable stated that the SEC's allegations, though vague, seem to focus on the 2021 listing and private sales of its native token IMX. The company contends that the IMX token does not meet the criteria of a security and criticized the SEC for bypassing meaningful dialogue. Immutable expressed frustration over the lack of detail in the Wells notice, which contained fewer than 20 words of substantive explanation and lacked a clear basis for the investigation.Additionally, Immutable suggested that the SEC's allegations implied inaccurate claims of “fraudulent misrepresentations” related to a 2021 blog post about the IMX token’s pre-launch investment pricing. The company argued that the regulator mischaracterized this information, stating that there was “real consideration” involved in the investment, which could have been clarified through constructive dialogue with the SEC.Immutable emphasized its readiness to defend the rights of builders, creators, and gamers, leveraging its considerable resources. The company reiterated its commitment to the industry and its intention to continue building despite regulatory challenges.

According to Cointelegraph, the North Korean Lazarus Group of hackers exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Google’s Chrome browser using a fake blockchain-based game to install spyware and steal wallet credentials. Kaspersky Labs analysts identified the exploit in May and reported it to Google, which has since addressed the issue.The hackers developed a play-to-earn multiplayer online battle arena game named DeTankZone or DeTankWar, which utilized non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as tanks in global competitions. The game was fully playable and promoted on LinkedIn and X. Users were infected from the website even if they did not download the game. The hackers modeled the game on the existing DeFiTankLand.The malware used in the attack was called Manuscrypt, followed by a previously unknown “type confusion bug in the V8 JavaScript engine.” This was the seventh zero-day vulnerability found in Chrome in 2024 through mid-May. Kaspersky principal security expert Boris Larin noted the significant effort invested in the campaign, suggesting ambitious plans with potentially broader impacts on users and businesses worldwide.Microsoft Security first noticed the fake game in February. Although the hackers removed the exploit from the website before Kaspersky could analyze it, the lab still informed Google, which fixed the vulnerability in Chrome before it could be exploited again.Zero-day vulnerabilities catch vendors off guard, with no immediate patch available. It took Google 12 days to patch the vulnerability in question. Earlier this year, another zero-day vulnerability in Chrome was exploited by a different North Korean hacker group targeting crypto holders.Lazarus Group has a history of targeting cryptocurrency. Between 2020 and 2023, the group laundered over $200 million in crypto from 25 hacks, according to crypto crime watcher ZachXBT. The United States Treasury Department also alleged that Lazarus Group was behind the attack on Ronin Bridge, which resulted in the theft of over $600 million in crypto in 2022. Additionally, US cybersecurity firm Recorded Future reported that North Korean hackers collectively stole over $3 billion in crypto between 2017 and 2023.

According to BlockBeats, on October 24, Web3 mobile gaming platform Party Icons announced the successful completion of a $9 million seed funding round. The round was led by Bitkraft Ventures, with participation from IDG Capital and The Sandbox co-founder Sebastien Borget, among others. Party Icons aims to blend the social bonding of party games with the excitement of shooting games. Similar to Borget's The Sandbox project, the developers of Party Icons envision the platform as a space not only for gaming but also for social interaction. The statement reveals that Party Icons currently offers 'three different modes.'

According to BlockBeats, on October 23, the blockchain gaming sector experienced notable increases in token prices. Among the top performers, BIGTIME saw a daily increase of 29%, currently priced at $0.1845. SLP followed with a 19.1% rise, now trading at $0.003082. PIXEL also recorded an 18.7% gain, with its price reaching $0.1865. Additionally, MAVIA experienced a 9.1% increase, now valued at $1.61.

According to BlockBeats, on October 18, CoinMarketCap's (CMC) CMC Labs announced that the AAA Web3 game Seraph has joined its accelerator program, marking a significant milestone in the Web3 gaming sector. Seraph, backed by South Korean gaming giant Actoz Soft, will benefit from strategic resources and global exposure through this collaboration, aiding its rapid development and expanding its influence within the Web3 gaming ecosystem. This partnership not only represents a crucial step for Seraph in enhancing its presence in the Web3 gaming landscape but also highlights how Web3 games can integrate blockchain and AI technologies to offer richer and more valuable gaming experiences.

According to Odaily, Lumiterra has announced on the X platform that CBT#2 is approaching. Players who participated in CBT#1 and meet certain conditions will be eligible for CBT#2. The specific criteria are as follows: Players with a game account reputation score of 1000 or higher in CBT#1 will automatically qualify for CBT#2. Those with a reputation score between 300 and 1000 in CBT#1, who also recharged any Ron tokens during the CBT#1 period, will also automatically qualify for CBT#2. Additionally, players with a reputation score below 300 in CBT#1, who recharged at least 5 Ron tokens during the CBT#1 period, will be eligible for CBT#2. It is important to note that all data will be captured in a snapshot when the server closes on August 25, 2024, at 00:00 UTC+8.

According to Odaily, asset management giant VanEck has announced two long-term investments in the Web3 gaming sector. One of these investments is in the AI blockchain game Parallel, while the details of the other investment have not yet been disclosed.

According to PANews, the new application 'Ninja Survival' was launched last night on the CATIZEN App Center, marking the 12th application available on the platform. The CATIZEN App Center currently boasts a player base exceeding 42 million, with over 20 million monthly active users. Additionally, the number of on-chain addresses holding CATI tokens has surpassed 1.6 million.