Binance Labs ploughs funds into South Korean blockchain game developer
Binance Labs, the venture capital arm and accelerator of Binance, has invested into the seed funding round of blockchain-based casual game developer GOMBLE.
GOMBLE will be using the funding to develop and release its first mobile game – RumbyStars – as it expands its gaming platform using a game-as-a-service (GaaS) model.
In the Web2 realm, casual games – those featuring accessible and enjoyable gameplay that is easy to pick up for players of various skill levels – have recently seen an increase in demand. The casual games sector is projected to reach a $24.97 billion market volume by 2027, which suggests that Web3 casual games also have significant growth potential.
GOMBLE seeks to bring its Web2 gaming approach to Web3 with a key focus on balanced tokenomics and sustainable governance. Users will earn the governance token, $CRT, through a tournament prize system. $CRT can be spent on NFT purchases, tournament passes, and in-game items.
“Blockchain gaming needs to move its focus away from the concept of ‘earning’ to what truly captures the hearts of billions of gamers: fun,” said Yi He, Head of Binance Labs.
“GOMBLE’s experienced team and focus on building engaging, social, and sustainable blockchain games with flexible governance offers a pathway for delivering the value of Web3 to existing casual gamers, thus welcoming new users to the BNB Chain ecosystem.”
GOMBLE will release RumbyStars as a mobile soft launch in Southeast Asian markets in Q2 2023. It then plans to expand to North America, South America, East Asia, and Europe.
Additionally, GOMBLE will work to further build out RumbyWorld, its social infrastructure and GaaS platform that allows existing NFT and GameFi projects to join RumbyStars and create customised NFTs and games.
Jihoon Byun, CEO of GOMBLE, said: “Unlike existing blockchain games that focus on core games such as RPGs, GOMBLE aims to target the global market with easy and fun casual games that even non-gamers can enjoy. Starting with RumbyStars, GOMBLE is focused on building to provide users around the world with a pleasant experience and a greater diversity of games in the future.”