Web3 games have come a long way of speculative noise for early game models to a more mature environmental system led by strong infrastructure, improved user experience, and sustainable economies.
While providing valuable investments for Blockchain games remains difficult, institutional investors show renewed attention, progress in artificial intelligence, the ability to expand in Blockchain, and zero -knowledge evidence reshapes the space.
Invezz I spoke to Kin Wai Lau, CEO of ZKCandy and ICANDY on ZkCandy’s last funding and funding scene in Blockchain games, what drives the activity in Web3 games and the factors behind its rapid growth in Southeast Asian countries, as well as how artificial intelligence is expected to play a role to move forward.
LAU also shares his views on how the least hostile organizational atmosphere under the Trump administration can help developers to enhance innovation and how to play and participation will be the next big direction after P2E.
Excerpts:
Challenges in securing investment in Blockchain games
Invezz: ZkCandy recently closed a $ 4 million financing round. What are the biggest challenges in securing investment for Blockchain and infrastructure games projects? Do you see a renewed interest in institutional investors in encryption games?
Despite the increasing interest in the Web3 Games, securing valuable investments remains a challenge.
One of the main reasons is that investors look at the Blockchain games industry as speculative.
It adds the volatility of the distinctive symbol prices and an organizational uncertainty to caution about the Web3 games platforms.
Unlike traditional games, where revenue flows are clear-games sales, within app, and subscriptions-Blockchain games depend on symbolic economies, which are also called Tokenomics, which can collapse if not well designed.
However, we have seen an increasing interest from institutional investors because they focused them from noise -based projects to gaming platforms with real users, a strong symbolic sign, and solid infrastructure.
For example, ZkCandy received $ 4 million from seed financing, with the support of first -class VC companies such as Animoca Brands and The Spartan Group.
Pixion, a Blockchain mobile game developer, began a year with $ 4.9 million in financing.
Web3 Life Simulation Beratone received $ 2 million in the seed tour, and it was also supported by Animoca brands, according to a report issued by DAPPRADAR.
In total, January 2025 began with $ 16 million in Blockchain games.
As the industry advances forward, the focus turns into the Web3 Games -companies and developers focus on layer -2, gaming wraps, and ecosystems for the web specified games.
Improving graphics and improving the growth of the network expansion in the Web3 games
Invezz: Blockchain Gaming witnessed a three times an increase in activity in January 2025 compared to the same time last year. What do you think are the main engines behind this growth?
Many have changed over the past few years. For example, in 2021, companies aim to develop their users for a single purpose is to enhance the playing mechanism to the back.
This strategy brought users in the short term who only focused on earning money while playing a game with bad drawings and weak novels.
Don’t forget to congestion issues with some games based on layer 1 networks such as Ethereum.
This has changed as companies now bring AAA graphics, strong novels and fun mechanics for Web3 games.
The ability to expand the network of a large user base and adopt a potential prevailing is also improving day by day.
Several projects build their L1 and L2 networks for web3 games.
Why is web3 Gaming flourishing in Southeast Asia?
Invezz: Southeast Asia is now one of the main centers for the WEB3 industry and games development, with APAC leadership in the development of web3 games, which contributes 39 % of all new Blockchain games. From your point of view, what makes Southeast Asia stand out for web3 games?
Web3 ecosystem has seen strong attention from APAC users for many reasons. The growth of the developer in countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines and friendly regulations in Singapore and Thailand had a positive impact on the adoption of Blockchain games in the region.
Economic factors also play a major role. For example, the average income per person is about $ 300 in India.
In 2021, many Axie Infinity players can make much more, sometimes even thousands of US dollars, by playing P2E. This brought great attention to web3 games.
Invezz: In 2021, Axie Infinity was a milestone for web3 games in Southeast Asia. How has the region have evolved since then, and what are the biggest trends you see in the Web3 Games ecosystem now?
Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines have been leading the WEB3 space since 2021.
In 2024, these countries Ranked Promise in the global encryption index: Indonesia is in third place, Vietnam in fifth place, and the Philippines in the eighth.
While Vietnam was in the upper part of the plan in 2021, the Philippines ranked 15th and Indonesia was not even in the best 20 countries – it is irony that Indonesia was not even in 2021. Global encryption adoption index By analysis.
The momentum shows a major shift in the adoption of encryption in Southeast Asia, where more and more people understand technology and aim to benefit from opportunities while governments are developing organizational frameworks supporting their youth and traditional residents.
It is not only WEB3. Southeast Asia was the power of games since Ragnarök days online-a huge game to play huge roles on the Internet in the 2000s that was released in South Korea.
Games such as Ragnarök helped the players normally move to web3 games, all thanks to the economies of the game, digital ownership and the game that the community is driving.
The increasing role of the artificial intelligence agency in Blockchain games
Invezz: Artificial intelligence has become an essential part of games, even in Blockchain games. Do you think artificial intelligence will play a greater role in developing the game to go forward? If so, how?
Artificial intelligence will be one of the main elements for developing Web3 games and infrastructure.
Artificial intelligence platforms can help create dynamic environments to give each player a unique and personal experience.
Non -players can become more interactive with the help of artificial intelligence technology. The decentralized applications on behalf of artificial intelligence can be the next big direction within the Web3.
“Amnesty International can imagine, the reason, the plan, and the behavior,” says Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA. This hints to a world of unique possibilities and facilities to use artificial intelligence in Web3 games.
The prosperous intelligence technology can also help developers to build Blockchain games faster than ever, as creating stories and sub -points usually takes years to develop the traditional game.
The scope of zero knowledge and challenges in the prevailing adoption
Invezz: The evidence of zero knowledge is still a specialized concept that has not yet been adopted on a large scale. Do you think that the evidence of zero knowledge can become the default solution to give up ETHEREUM and other Blockchains?
The virtual scaling solutions can become the default -layer 1 layer like Ethereum. This is largely due to the ability to expand and enhance privacy.
It is important to note that the prevailing ZKPS dependence depends on overcoming the main challenge: technological complexity and the need to measure. In simple phrases, technology does not need to be only easy to use, but it should also be friendly to developers.
Ease of development will have a strong impact on the future of ZKP. Let’s say, less errors mean fewer problems and weaknesses.
With the maturity of technology and these problems, ZKPS can play an important role in Blockchain’s scaling solutions with lower transactions costs and improvement of the total user experience.
We can see web3 games as a greater innovation, and adoption under the Trump administration
Invezz: Can Trump’s standing position lead to the friendly regulations of web3 games, making it easier for developers to integrate Blockchain and symbols?
US President Donald Trump’s movements began to show a positive impact on the ecosystem.
The most convenient regulations and the emergence of national encryption reserves may add to the positive investor and the feelings of the developers.
The low hostility of the American organizers may allow developers to integrate encryption assets into Web3 Games larger, enhancing global innovation and adoption.
However, organizational clarity also depends on the US Congress, not only the president.
The web3 game sector needs clear symbolic regulations and specific policies for Blockchain games.
These main factors will move the Gamefi sector to a new level of investment and finally make Web3 closer to the higher level of web2 games.
Web3 to match the quality of the leading web2 games
Invezz: As president of ICANDY, how do you see Blockchains are developing in the next five years?
I expect a sharp rise in Web3 games where companies and developers aim to make the user experience better and better.
Soon, web3 games will match the leading Web2 games. Expect the polished Web3 addresses with stories and immersive.
The value of the global Blockchain Games sector is expected to increase from 23 billion dollars in 2025 to $ 313 billion in 2030 to 887 billion dollars in 2032, or nearly 38.5 times in seven years, according to the Amagi Digital newspaper a report.
The user interface is another major field that would improve. Users will be allowed to easily connect their digital portfolios with Web3 game platforms and make smooth transactions.
Some players may not realize that they are using a Blockchain game.
The next big direction after P2E will be playing and sharing. Thanks to NFTS, users will have full ownership and control their in -game elements. The hybrid economies will allow players to buy, sell, or keep their possessions without engaging with the complex Defi platforms.
Moreover, players will not be limited to using one Blockchain, as cross cross games will be made. This will help adopt the prevailing Blockchain games.
Web3 games are no longer related to speculation-they are related to creating a long-term games experience with real ownership. This is where the future is heading.
After interview: Web3 Gaming arrives at Web2, but the investment is still a road barrier.
