Blockchain technology has the potential to create a revolution in the gaming world. Although it does not attract as much attention as in previous years, critical steps are being taken for game coins. Seeing this potential, Arbitrum Foundation took an important step to support the development of the gaming industry within its ecosystem. The Foundation has allocated 225 million Arbitrum (ARB) tokens, worth approximately $215 million, to be distributed over three years through the newly established Game Catalyst Program (GCP).
Arbitrum invests in gaming
The goal of this program is to rapidly increase awareness and usage of Arbitrum, Orbit and Stylus among game developers and gamers, encouraging growth and participation within the gaming community. The proposal, which was first submitted in March, was officially approved on June 7 with a majority of over 75%. The program proposed asking the Arbitrum DAO to allocate 200 million ARB over a two-year grace period to promote game development.
The proposal was supported by important names such as Treasure DAO, a gaming-focused organization, L2Beat and Wintermute. Despite opposition from Blockworks Research and Camelot DAO, the proposal was approved. “The Arbitrum is the home of the game – let’s start creating some magic,” Treasure DAO wrote in a celebratory reaction on social media platform X.
Developers can get 500 thousand ARB
A significant part of the fund is allocated to publishers. New and early-stage developers may be eligible to receive grants of up to ARB 500,000 (about $483,000 at current prices). On the other hand, more substantial developers may apply for investments that include a value sharing component, such as tokens, shares, or similar arrangements. The remaining funds will be distributed towards infrastructure-related rewards and operational expenses, supporting the growth and development of the ecosystem.
Day-to-day operations of the Game Catalyst Program (GCP) will be handled by a dedicated team. Meanwhile, a five-person board consisting of gaming, venture capital, data analysis and DAO administration experts will provide strategic control and guidance. This governance structure encourages innovation and accountability while ensuring the effective allocation of funds to achieve the DAO’s objectives. The board also has veto power over investment decisions and team appointments and ensures that the program is successfully implemented and its guidelines are followed.
GCP has established a strict financial framework that limits its operational expenses to $25 million. Any spending exceeding this limit requires explicit approval from the DAO. Separately, in March, Arbitrum DAO rejected an offer to cover the legal defense costs of Tornado Cash developers Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev.
Gaming coins are evolving
The gaming industry generated $184 billion in revenue last year, with claims expecting it to reach $200 billion by 2024. In this context, MultiversX (EGLD) is in a prominent position. EGLD, which has an increasing influence in the gaming world, is gaining popularity among game developers with its high process volume and low process prices. In second place in terms of development activity is Decentraland. Decentraland (MANA) ranks second with 144.23 points and a loss of 48.05% in the same period. Additionally, Nine Chronicles Gold has 102.7 points, while ImmutableX (IMX) and Skale (SKL) have 76.87 and 42.83 points, respectively.