Mobile payment company Zebedee and mobile game studio Viker have launched two new play-to-earn games, Bitcoin Chess and Bitcoin Scratch, in an effort to bridge the gap between Web3 and mobile gaming. The two games will be available on both iOS and Android platforms.
Zebedee and Viker Introduce New Bitcoin-Centric Play-to-Earn Games
Zebedee, which was launched in October 2019, is a Bitcoin-focused gaming infrastructure company that releases Bitcoin-centric games through its mobile app. Bitcoin Chess and Bitcoin Scratch are the latest in a line of games launched with London-based Viker. The two companies have already released mobile Solitaire and Sudoku games that give players a chance to earn Bitcoin.
“Implementing rewards with Zebedee’s platform isn’t about players earning money, it’s about creating a more interesting and fun experience,” said Dan Beasley, Co-Founder of Viker. “Earning these tiny rewards simply feels great, regardless of if it’s small amounts that won’t materially impact most people’s lives.”
While the trading price of a single Bitcoin is well in the thousands of dollars, games that allow players to earn Bitcoin typically pay out in satoshis, or sats, named after the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, and the smallest denomination of the coin. To cash out, players enter their Zebedee account into Viker’s app, where the gameplay takes place, to withdraw their earnings to the Zebedee app.
“These are not large amounts of money, though, with players earning a few cents per session, which is what makes the concept sustainable,” Zebedee said in a statement.
Zebedee and Viker Bridge Web3 and Gaming
In July 2022, Zebedee raised an additional $35 million in funding after raising $11 million in Series A funding in September 2021. In the same year, Zebedee launched a private server for the first-person shooter game, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, implementing an unofficial Bitcoin integration.
“Essentially, players receive a revenue share from the game, meaning Viker splits what they’re earning from the game with the player,” Zebedee said in a statement. The company believes that this model creates a more engaging player experience, leading to better retention and ultimately making the game more profitable.
“These games have a massive global audience that mostly doesn’t care about Bitcoin. And we’re not asking them to,” said Zebedee Chief Strategy Officer Ben Cousen. “It really doesn’t matter that it’s Bitcoin, except for the fact that what we do simply isn’t technically possible with traditional currency.”
In September, Zebedee partnered with adtech startup Slice to implement Bitcoin lightning network payments in return for viewing browser ads after installing the Slice browser extension, a concept made popular by the Brave browser. With the launch of these new play-to-earn games, Zebedee and Viker hope to further bridge the gap between Web3 and mobile gaming, offering a new and exciting way for players to engage with the world of cryptocurrency.
Final Thoughts
Mobile payment firm Zebedee and mobile game studio Viker have announced the launch of two new play-to-earn games, Bitcoin Chess and Bitcoin Scratch, aimed at bridging the gap between Web3 and mobile gaming. The games are available on iOS and Android and players can earn small amounts of Bitcoin, or satoshis, through gameplay. Zebedee and Viker have previously released mobile Solitaire and Sudoku games that also give players a chance to earn Bitcoin. The companies believe that this model creates a more engaging player experience, leading to better retention and ultimately making the games more profitable.
