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HyperPlay has raised $12 million for its Web3 game launcher and cross-chain aggregator of multiple game stores.
HyperPlay was launched in November of last year as a joint collaboration between MetaMask, the self-custody Web3 wallet, and Game7, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) focused on building Web3 gaming infrastructure.
HyperPlay aims to make interoperability the default for all Web3 games through a wallet overlay on top of games that allows players to carry their MetaMask wallet directly inside of native or browser-based games.
Griffin Gaming Partners and Bitkraft Ventures co-led the round. Other investors in the round include MetaMask’s parent company ConsenSys, Ethereal Ventures, Delphi, Game7, Mirana Ventures, Monoceros Ventures and others.
“HyperPlay ensures there is a home for games that is open and developer-friendly, encouraging technical innovation in games and accruing more value to developers versus traditional constructs,” said Pierre Planche, a partner at Griffin Gaming Partners, in a statement. “The platform will enable a better overarching user experience for gamers across all games, thanks to a persistent data layer for discovery, assets, profiles, achievements and more. Jacob is a core contributor to MetaMask’s success, and we are excited about HyperPlay’s close partnership with the MetaMask team and Game7.”
HyperPlay said Web3 gaming a lot in the past couple of years, but most Web3 games have still been structured as walled gardens that lack the kind of interoperable use cases that Web3 game developers want to build. When game developers chose to build greater Web3 utility into their games, they faced censorship, de-platforming, and massive taxation from Web2 monopolies like Apple and Steam, HyperPlay said.
This fundraising signifies the dire need for seamless interoperability across the Web3 gaming ecosystem, HyperPlay said. Following the round, HyperPlay plans to scale, fully enhancing its flagship game launcher and increasing its international presence.
“We are impressed with HyperPlay’s developer-first approach, making them the Web3 game launcher of choice. Giving game developers the freedom to deploy on any chain they choose, while allowing players to carry their wallet, NFTs, tokens, and achievements into every game,” said Malte Barth, a partner at Bitkraft Ventures, in a statement. “This sets them apart from others in the space, while the launcher offers unique usability and convenience for users. We can see a world where HyperPlay branches over into mobile platforms and web2 games.”
“HyperPlay allows developers to build new kinds of gaming experiences with MetaMask. We are delighted to continue supporting HyperPlay as it disrupts not only the Web3 gaming landscape, but the broader Web2 gaming industry as well,” said Ezgi Cengiz, senior product manager at MetaMask, in a statement.
HyperPlay said it prides itself on serving both developers and users alike. Unlike Apple and Steam, which levy 30% taxes on game developers, HyperPlay said it is loyal to developers. HyperPlay charges no taxes on in-game economies, instead monetizing optional features like on-ramping or token swaps.
On the user side, HyperPlay supports all Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible chains, enabling players to bring their wallets, tokens, and NFTs into every native or browser game. HyperPlay’s launcher integrates an in-game wallet overlay, eliminating the need for users to leave the game and use a separate website for NFT transactions.
While HyperPlay supports games on all MetaMask-supported chains, HyperPlay has teased that some special features are coming to the Mantle L2, an Ethereum scaling solution with an emphasis on gaming.
“Since announcing HyperPlay in November of last year, we’ve been focused on building a platform that empowers both developers and users to effortlessly navigate the Web3 gaming realm,” said JacobC.eth, founder of HyperPlay, in a statement. “We look forward to leveraging the capital raise to strengthen our product as the premier Web3 gaming platform and continue to expand our global footprint.”
HyperPlay’s Series announcement comes just ahead of Game7’s 3XP Gaming Expo, which aims to unite the most prominent publishers, brands, and thought leaders in the space to build the future of gaming. HyperPlay’s game store currently offers over 33 Web3 titles.
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