Blockchain Gaming World

Jon Jordan talks to Nexpace COO Keith Kim about MapleStory N's first year, and how AI will power the MapleStory Universe ecosystem in 2026. [01:00] MapleStory N’s first year - $31M revenue, 3.8M accounts, 650K engaged wallets.[02:10] How the profile was different for MapleStory N to traditional MapleStory gamers. [02:57] What we have done well is being agile and altering our strategy, adjusting quickly.[03:25] The pace of updates for MapleStory N is 3-5x faster than for a web2 game. [04:20] The Winter update - new maps, new bosses - has driven really good numbers.[05:06] From Feb 2026, MapleStory N started recouping more token value than it emitted.[05:40] June could be MapleStory N’s highest revenue and biggest NXPC token deflation.[09:45] In web2, players play for fun. In web3, some players spend as much as $100k a day. [11:12] Players really try to make money during the first 3 months of any blockchain game. [13:36] Our goal is to work out how we can add blockchain to make MapleStory more fun. [14:40] It took 6 months to gain confidence in our direction from the reaction of real fans. [16:05] When Keith realized the eye-opening power of AI for games. [17:13] Nexpace has been encouraging the team to build their own games with AI.[18:55] We're trying to consider the scenarios of how AI changes the game industry.[19:17] Initially, we were worried that game IP becomes less important in the AI era.[21:18] You have to let your fans use AI to extend your IP.[21:58] We hope our MapleStory Universe builders make more money than we do.[26:05] Some IP holders want to tightly control their brand. We just want to limit AI slop. [28:20] We need to change our view of what is high-quality content. It's up to the users.[30:04] This is a very exciting time to be a builder, especially with MapleStory. [33:38] Professional developers can also build proper businesses on MapleStory IP.

The Sandbox announces its AI creation and distribution platform The Sandbox Studio.[02:05] The Sandbox announces The Sandbox Studio, its AI-powered creator tools. [03:00] Roblox as the obvious benchmark for AI-powered UGC in games[04:20] Did The Sandbox waste time in H2 2025 on Corners, its memecoin experiment?[06:40] What The Sandbox Studio actually is, and why it is still only in alpha[07:25] Why Sandbox’s old creator tools were already good, but never solved distribution[08:35] Roblox vs Sandbox: the importance of instant publishing and social concurrency[10:10] AI harnesses vs AI models[11:47] Will such specialist frameworks matter once foundation models get much better?[13:10] The big strategic question: do creators need The Sandbox Studio if AI can make games directly?[14:00] Sandbox’s plan to help creators publish to web, Telegram, Steam and app stores[15:30] Roblox’s massive advantage: creators publish inside an existing audience[16:40] Why The Sandbox’s lack of player concurrency remains its core problem[18:10] The missed opportunity of The Sandbox land as a connected world/map[20:15] Jon's launched his own AI game - Soccerverse Showdown[21:10] How the World Cup leaderboard idea evolved from a Soccerverse internal concept[22:35] Comparing Soccerverse Showdown with a more traditional fantasy-football game[24:48] How player influence in Soccerverse generates World Cup points[25:59] Why ROI may be more interesting than total points on the leaderboard[27:15] Claude Fable “did two weeks of work in three hours”[28:45] The feeling of publishing a first game after 25 years covering games[30:00] Nexpace as a strong example of blockchain and AI execution[30:45] MapleStory Universe revenue, Avalanche chain and ecosystem strategy[31:20] Verse8, Vibe Camp and AI-generated MapleStory experiences[32:05] First AI-built MapleStory-based games are now live on Verse8

Jon talks to Eliza Labs Shaw Walters about his work on AI agent frameworks, and why blockchain games are a focus. [1:00] An introduction to Shaw Walters, the creator of AI agent framework ElizaOS.[3:10] "I see myself as a comedian and performance artist. I love the joke that becomes true."[4:48] "What I'm focused on is agents that get you your time back and agents that can play games."[6:06] "Attention is an important part of capitalism. If you're not spicy, pmarca doesn't read your tweet."[7:25] "We're one generation away from ... I don't need better. I need cheaper."[9:25] "I still have skill arbitrage on the average person. But in a year, it won't matter."[11:56] "We're making AI RuneScape. It's going to cost us $80,000 and take 4 months."[13:08] "Now we have dream tech - you can build the uncompromising, exactly what you want."[16:26] Can copyright be enforced in this new world of online, onchain abundance?[18:43] Is P(doom) a scalar or a dynamic multi-dimensional vector?[21:18] "I'm here to build the world I want to see."[22:10] "I've always felt the most important things to do came from the silliest things."[23:35] Explaining AI agent social prediction trading platform Babylon.[26:23] Does Shaw enjoy being a high-profile commentator?[28:40] "I made a Chrome extension that blocks haters. But it also blocked a lot of my friends."[33:35] AI means software companies will have to build their most generous, growth-oriented version.[34:07] Help Shaw build "AI Runescape", an open source project called Hyperscape AI.

Jon Jordan talks to Forkast CEO Chris Gonsalves and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures Ethan Sy.[1:12] Ethan's history. He was previously at Play Ventures, investing in web2/3 gaming.[3:05] Chris started at Bitcoin Center. Moved to Consensys, then co-founded Community Gaming.[4:26] Esports prediction markets launched within Community Gaming, which became Forkast.[4:56] Chris believes prediction markets will take market share from all trading apps.[9:15] The worst time to invest in blockchain gaming was when everyone was investing.[12:07] Arbitrum is the solo LP in AGV, but the fund is returns-focused, not just ecosystem-focused.[15:06] How does Forkast compete with Polymarket and Kalshi etc?[16:19] Forkast is a prediction market for gamers and esports fans, focused on emerging markets.[17:55] "We think esports predictions are a huge, untapped global market."[23:25] Forkast includes rewarded quests and gamified features to encourage engagement.[24:50] Trading on the metrics of individual companies such as Apple and Tesla will be huge. [27:17] Allowing users to create their own prediction markets is tricky due to how they are resolved.[28:45] Is the 'financialization of everything' a good thing for society?[35:27] What do esports teams think about prediction markets like Forkast?

Jon Jordan talks to Skale Labs CEO Jack O’Holleran about how the Ethereum-centric L1 blockchain network is expanding to Base, helping launch mobile game PGA Tour Rise, and preparing for the explosion of onchain AI agents.[1:30] The background to mobile game PGA Tour Rise, which is launching on Skale and Base.[2:55] The game mixes golf course building tycoon strategy with golfing mini-gameplay. [5:20] Blockchain gaming is gaming with much better economic rails. [7:13] Skale is expanding to Base via its SKALE Expand v1 program[10:35] This expansion is seamless for users; they just get faster, cheaper transactions.[12:08] If this works well, Skale will expand to other EVM chains, and perhaps even Solana. [13:58] This allows users being able to deploy their liquidity across multiple chains without bridging. [17:08] "Games will be a major place for agentic commerce." The two are complementary.[20:22] a16z reckons AI agents will be a $30 trillion market. That's the potential. [22:16] Skale is also rolling out a new privacy L1 called FAIR, which will be important for agents.[26:14] "The AI movement will drive a lot of attention back into blockchain gaming."