Summary: The Big Blockchain Game List has analyzed data from 2023, revealing trends in the industry. Out of the 911 games listed in January 2024, 334 are live and 577 are in development. However, of the 1,318 blockchain games that have been on the list since 2021, 407 have been discontinued. Funding and market conditions during the crypto winter were cited as common reasons for cancellation. In H2 2023, multichain games constituted 17% of discontinued titles. BNB, Polygon, Ethereum, Sui, and Solana were the single chains with the highest proportions of discontinued games. Additionally, there has been an influx of new blockchain games, with 65 added in Q4 of 2023. Among these, 11% are multichain games, and Arbitrum, Optimism, Immutable, Ethereum, StarkNet, and Avalanche are the single chains with the highest growth rates.
The blockchain game industry continues to see growth and development, with numerous games in progress. However, there are also a significant number of discontinued games that have either been officially announced as canceled or have ceased operations with no explanation. Out of the 1,318 games that have ever been listed on the Big Blockchain Game List, 407 are now discontinued.
Funding and market conditions have been identified as the primary reasons for game cancellations. The prolonged effects of the crypto winter have created challenges for developers, leading some projects to be abandoned. In H2 2023, multichain games accounted for a significant number of discontinued titles, reflecting the increasing integration of multiple blockchains in the industry.
Among the single chains, BNB, Polygon, Ethereum, Sui, and Solana experienced the highest proportions of discontinued games. Notably, Polygon surpassed Ethereum towards the end of 2023 in terms of the proportion of discontinued titles. Sui also saw an increase in discontinued games compared to the previous update.
Despite the discontinuations, there is ongoing growth in the blockchain game industry. In Q4 2023, the Big List added 65 new games, with 11% of them being multichain games. Among the single chains, Arbitrum, Optimism, Immutable, Ethereum, StarkNet, and Avalanche demonstrated the highest growth rates, attracting new game deployments.
While some high-profile games, such as Goals, have discontinued blockchain integration, most of the discontinued games are smaller projects led by inexperienced and under-capitalized teams. The industry continues to evolve, offering opportunities for both established and emerging developers in the blockchain game space.